Making Room for Autonomy: Longitudinal Patterns of Moral Prioritization and Pluralism Among Thai Youth

Globalization is linked to rising autonomy values among youth, yet little is known about how moral priorities change longitudinally in rapidly globalizing contexts. This study tracked 40 Thai adolescents (20 rural, 20 urban) over 10 years, with 32 retained in emerging adulthood. Early socialization context (rural, urban) served as a proxy for early globalization exposure. At both time points, participants completed the Ethical Values Assessment (Likert ratings, forced-choice task, open-ended prompt). Statistical analyses revealed parallel increases in Autonomy centrality, modest declines in Community, and a sharp decline in Divinity importance alongside stable Divinity prioritization. Although all three ethics were endorsed, prioritization increasingly centered Autonomy. Persistent rural–urban differences reflected the enduring influence of early socialization context. Qualitative analysis of write-in responses converged, with emerging adults emphasizing Autonomy-oriented values and adolescents referencing a broader range of values. Findings differentiate endorsement and prioritization, and illustrate how globalization and early socialization shape moral reconfiguration from adolescence to emerging adulthood.