ABSTRACT
The basic characteristic of adolescence is preparing for one’s future life, setting up personal goals and making choices related to the educaI tional track and related occupational commitments. The motivation for behaviour comes from the future goals. Individual development has been described in terms of self-direction (Nurmi, 1993). This model sees the individual as actively seeking to direct and control his or her own life in age-graded socio-cultural and institutional environments. The age-graded developmental socio-cultural context has been described as developmental tasks, action opportunities provided by institutional settings and standards for age-appropriate behaviour (see Havighurst, 1974). Individual developI ment also includes setting personal goals, constructing the means for their realisation and evaluating the success, possibilities and appropriateness of goal attainment. In a broad sense, this means the individual valuation of personal goals.
