141. Based on large cross-cultural studies of adolescence, it seems clear that adolescence is a time of considerable “storm and stress†for most teenagers in developed nations. 142. Achieving autonomy and forming an identity are the two most important developmental tasks of adolescence. 143. Adolescence is a period of the lifespan normally characterized by increasing self-regulation and increasing interdependence with parents. 144. Eric Erikson saw the period of adolescence as a time in which teenagers try out various alternative identities as they attempt to sort through the available options and forge their sense of who they are. 145. According to Marcia, if a person has gone through one or more identity crises, but has not yet made a commitment to any particular course of action, that person would be in the stage of foreclosure. 146. More young adolescents than young adults are in the identity state of diffusion. 147. Young men and women who are gay or lesbian generally have an easier time forging an identity because they do not have the pressures of parents regarding dating and choosing a mate to deal with. 148. Compared to members of the “Baby Boomer†generation, members of the “Generation Me†typically place more value on financial success and less value on community involvement. 149. Most conflicts that adolescents have with their parents are about the “big†things in life, such as choosing a mate or career, determining a religious orientation, and making a commitment to a set of social and political values. 150. The family alliances that were formed during childhood usually remain intact during the period of adolescence.