Adolescence Flashcards
Adolescence - basic facts
- -ages 12 - 20
- -Transition between childhood and adulthood
- -Period when child has achieved sexual maturity, but is not yet ready to take on the roles, responsibilities or privileges of adulthood
- -Product of western culture
Physical Development
- -Puberty: physical changes that mark the transition from childhood to young adulthood
- -Puberty for girls: starts around 10. Menarche starts around 12/13. Girls experience growth spurt 2-3 years before boys.
- -Puberty for boys: Starts around 12. Spermarche around 13.
- -May be as late as 16 and 18, respectively.
Early maturing in physical development
- -Girls: early maturing are initially at a disadvantage; in late disadvantages disappear. Late maturing girls can be a disadvantage
- -Boys: Early maturing boys are at an advantage over late maturing boys: more popular, better adjusted, more confident
Intellectual Development
- -Piaget’s Fourth stage - Formal Operational
- -Deal with the hypothetical
- -Contemplate state of affairs that doe not exist
- -They can compare the ideal to the actual
- -They can be puzzled by profound questions
- -Adolescent thinking is also characterized by a form of egocentricism
David Elkind - Imaginary Audience and Personal Fable
- -Imaginary audience: collection of beings the teen imagines is watching and evaluating him/her at all times
- -They are in effect actors whose performance is constantly watched by their peers
- -Personal Fable: Teens believe that their experiences and feelings are unique, that no one has ever felt or thought as they do
- -This contributes to an illusion of invulnerability - the belief that misfortune only happens to others.
Moral Development - Kohlberg’s Model of
–3 sequential levels, each with two stages
Kohlberg’s Level 1
–Pre-conventional (based on external factors; rewards & punishments)
Stage 1: Obedience Orientation–authority figures know what is right & wrong
Stage 2: Instrumental Obedience–nice behavior in exchange for future favors
Kohlberg’s Level 2
–Conventional (look to society norms) Older adolescents and many adults are at this level
Stage 3: Good boy-Nice girl morality–good behavior is that which receives wide approval from significant others
Stage 4: Law and Order Orientation–conformity to laws (rules) is important
Kohlberg’s Level 3
–Post-conventional (Personal Moral Code) - one out of 8 adults operate at this level
Stage 5: Mutuality of Social Contract–Morality is viewed in terms of individual right, ideals & principles
Stage 6: Universal Ethical–Judgments based on fundamental ethical principles - justice, compassion, equality
Details of Kohlberg’s research
- -He claimed that his sequence of values was universal
- -Research indicates this is not the case. They reflect cultural values. American culture emphasizes individual rights and justice. Other cultures emphasize duty and responsibility to others.
- -Kohlberg’s research was based on males. Gilligan found differences between males and females.
Is adolescence difficult/stressful stage? Offer research
- -Research by Offer in 1988 says no. Used self-image questionnaires. almost 6000 adolescents in 10 countries
- -Psychologically: usually happy & optimistic
- -Socially: enjoys the company of others, is caring & compassionate, places value on school, education
- -Sexually: confident about the sexual self, and willing to talk and think about sex
- -Family: expresses strongly positive feelings toward parents
- -Coping: expresses confidence in his or her ability to deal with life
Steinberg research findings
Done in 1990
- -Most adolescents love and admire their parents
- -Most rely upon their parents for advice
- -Most embrace many of their parents’ values
- -Most feel loved by their parents
What percentage of NA adolescents describe themselves negatively?
15%
Eriksen’s adolescene
–Period of Identity vs. Role Confusion
What are Marcia’s four Identity statuses?
- -Identity Diffusion
- -Foreclosure
- -Moratorium
- -Identity Achieved
