When opportunity structures matter for unfolding the sociopolitical development of adolescents and young adults

Abstract

Recognizing the significant roles of youth in social change efforts, research has increasingly aimed to clarify the processes that promote critical action among young people. Studies on sociopolitical development and critical consciousness emphasize that youth's reasoning about inequality and their sociopolitical efficacy are particularly salient precursors to critical action. However, this body of scholarship has yet to clarify the role of opportunity structures in sociopolitical development. Even less research investigates how the key factors in the sociopolitical development framework (e.g., critical reflection, sociopolitical efficacy, opportunity structures) differentially shape youth's critical action depending on their developmental phase. The current study analyzes the processes outlined in the theory of sociopolitical development using a diverse national sample of adolescents and young adults. Multigroup structural equation modeling of participants' survey data elucidated the prominent positive relationship between critical reflection and critical action, but revealed that sociopolitical efficacy was only positively linked to critical action in young adults. Additionally, the results indicated that opportunity structures played a more significant role in shaping the critical action of adolescents than that of young adults. In summary, the distinct relationships observed between adolescents and young adults highlight the necessity of considering key developmental differences in the sociopolitical development process to clarify pathways to political engagement.