Lecture 5

Question 1

5 Stages of Puberty

Answer 1

1. Prepubertal
2. Beginning
   - Testicle enlargement
   - Elevation of breast
3. Midpubertal
   - Further enlargement
   - More & Darker hair growth
   - Females 2:1 depressive disorders after this stage
4. Advanced
   - Skin darkens
   - Everything larger
5. Postpubertal
   - Adult

Question 2

Age of onset of puberty has ______ since the 19th century

Answer 2

Decreased

• Avg. 1850 = 16
• Avg. now = 13

Question 3

Hormones during puberty

Answer 3

1. Hypothalamus releases GnRH
2. GnRH stimulates the pituitary gland to release LH and FSH
3. LH and FSH stimulate the sex organs to produce oestrogen or testosterone

Question 4

Gray matter becomes ______ dense as we grow up because of _____

Answer 4

Less dense because of synaptic pruning which doesn’t fully stop until early 20’s

Question 5

Psychological effects of cognitive changes

Answer 5

1. Imaginary audience (Elkind, 1967)

2. Personal fable

Question 6

Effects of late maturation in boys

Answer 6

Can lead to lower confidence

Question 7

Effects of early maturation in women

Answer 7

More likely to break social norms before 25

Sex, Marriage and Kids earlier than most

Question 8

Moffitt (1993)

Answer 8

Maturity gap theory

- gap between biological and social maturity can lead to adolescence-limited delinquent behaviour

Question 9

Brown (1999) model of romantic relationships

Answer 9

1. Initiation phase
2. Status phase
3. Affection phase
4. Bonding phase

Question 10

Schlegel and Barry (1991)

Answer 10

• Found that tolerance of homosexuality has increased in Western Societies
• Aware of homosexual feelings = 10-15 years
• Coming out = 16.5 years old

Question 11

Early theorists considered adolescence to be a time of ____ and _____?

Answer 11

Crisis and Turmoil

• Freud = surge of sexual conflict
• Blos = self-relying toddlers

Question 12

Erikson’s psychosocial stages

Answer 12

1.1
Hope: Trust vs. Mistrust (oral-sensory, infancy, 0–2 years)
1.2
Will: Autonomy vs. Shame/Doubt (early childhood, 2–4 years)
1.3
Purpose: Initiative vs. Guilt (locomotor-genital, preschool, 4–5 years)
1.4
Competence: Industry vs. Inferiority (latency, school age, 5–12 years)
1.5
Fidelity: Identity vs. Role Confusion (adolescence, 13–19 years)
1.6
Love: Intimacy vs. Isolation (early adulthood, 20-39 years)
1.7
Care: Generativity vs. Stagnation (adulthood, 40–64 years)
1.8
Wisdom: ego integrity vs. despair (maturity, 65 – death)

Question 13

Marcia (1966/1980)

Answer 13

Developed an interview technique to assess ‘identity status’

1. Diffusion
   - avoid change in life-defining areas which can lead to social seclusion
2. Foreclosure
   - Commitment to an identity without exploring alternatives
3. Moratorium
   - Mids of identity crisis
4. Achievement of identity
   - internal locus of control

However - is adolescence a stage of disruption or rather development?

Question 14

The Isle of Wight Study

Answer 14

• All 14-15 year olds on the isle
• found that peak of psychiatric disorders is during adolescence
• therefore it is a stage of turmoil but shouldn’t be exaggerated

Question 15

Steinberg and Monahan measure of Resistance to Peer Influence (RPI)

Answer 15

Found that resistance generally increases with age - with a small dip at 14

Question 16

Adolescence in different cultures

Answer 16

• Parent-child conflict is quite common but to different extent
• Mead - Adolescence in Samoa don’t exp. much turmoil but methods were criticised
• Might be due to the differences in expectations that the society has on teens (Narrow - firm & happens in small, pre-industrial societies vs. Broad)

Question 17

Historical changes in Adolescent behaviour

Answer 17

• Masturbation attitudes
• Premarital sex
• Increased media usage
• 50%+ hours spend on leisure
• Worse mental health