La maturazione dell’identità religiosa negli adolescenti della diocesi di Varaždin in Croazia
Krunoslav Novak
In reflecting on how adolescents live the religious development, the article examines their experience of communication and the influence that this experience has on the fundamental choices that they make, including the forms in which they express their religiosity. The special focus is placed to the relationship between interpersonal communication and new ways of communication promoted by the media. By participating in the different networks of communication, an adolescent meets also the messages that contradict his choices and his opinions. To understand the possible ways to manage the dissonant information it was used the contribution of the Theory of Cognitive Dissonance. The data used in this paper are the result of research that the author has conducted in the years 2010-2012 on students of high schools in the Diocese of Varaždin, in the northern part of Croatia. The research results show that the interpersonal relationships for adolescents (including those with parents and educators) are of great importance in the management of dissonant messages, especially when it comes to issues concerning the meaning of life. In working with adolescents, it seems urgent an educational project that goes beyond the media education programs.
Keywords
Adolescents, Interpersonal communication, Mediated communication, Religiosity and communication, Cognitive Dissonance, Religious identity.