Sixteen-year-old Esmerelda often drinks several glasses of beer and then drives herself home. When her parents express worry that her drinking and driving will lead to an accident, Esmerelda responds, "That won't happen to me. It only happens to other people." Esmerelda's thinking reflects

• A. the personal fable.
• B. the imaginary audience.
• C. centration.
• D. preconventional morality.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the key behavior or thought pattern in Esmerelda's response. She believes that negative consequences, such as accidents from drinking and driving, will not happen to her.
2. Consider the concept of 'personal fable' in adolescent psychology. This term refers to the belief held by some adolescents that they are unique and invulnerable to harm, which aligns with Esmerelda's thinking.
3. Evaluate the other options: 'imaginary audience' refers to the belief that others are constantly watching and evaluating them, 'centration' is a cognitive limitation in early childhood, and 'preconventional morality' involves moral reasoning based on personal consequences.
4. Compare Esmerelda's belief with the definition of 'personal fable' and see if it matches. Her belief in her invulnerability is a classic example of this concept.
5. Conclude that Esmerelda's thinking reflects the 'personal fable' because she demonstrates a sense of invincibility and uniqueness, common in adolescent cognitive development.