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Cognitive Autonomy Development among Adolescents: A Study of University Students in Indonesia

Article Number: e2025208  |  Available Online: May 2025  |  DOI: 10.22521/edupij.2025.16.208

Tri Murwaningsih , Muna Fauziah , Hani Febriyanti

Abstract

Background/purpose. This research aims to explore each component of the cognitive autonomy of Indonesian students, who are mostly 17 to 20-year-olds.

Materials/methods. Quantitative method with survey types was used in this research. The research sample consisted of 100 first-semester students at the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Universitas Sebelas Maret (12 male and 88 female students). The research sample was spread across 20 teacher training and education faculty study programs. The research sample consisted of 100 respondents. Questionnaires were used to collect data. The instrument's validity was tested using product-moment correlation with a score of 0.195 (valid). The instrument's reliability was tested using the Cronbach alpha formula, with a 0.79 (reliable) score. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics with the Microsoft Excel application.

Results. The research findings show that students' cognitive autonomy was adequate, with an indicator of evaluative thinking obtaining 4.13 (82.54%), voicing opinions at 3.66 (73.20%), decision-making at 3.91 (78.10%), self-assessment at 3.48 (69.60%), and comparative validation at 3.91 (78.20%). The indicator of evaluative thinking becomes the most dominant, while the indicator of self-assessment becomes the lowest indicator. The score acquisition is caused by age, gender, peers, teacher's role, social condition, academic performance, learning environment, learning experience, emotional state, learning motivation, education, and student habituation.

Conclusion. This research concludes that most students have had cognitive autonomy, which is characterized by the possession of all indicators of cognitive autonomy. Future research is recommended to conduct research in early childhood to support the elements of cognitive autonomy appropriately, as well as research that focuses on emotional and behavioral autonomy to observe greater potential.

Keywords: Adolescence, cognitive autonomy, comparative validation, decision-making, self-assessment

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