UNIT 1

Question 1

According to the report, what age range defines adolescence?

Answer 1

Adolescence is defined as young people ages 10 to 25.

Question 2

How does recent scientific research view adolescence, according to the text?

Answer 2

Recent scientific research views adolescence not as a time of turmoil and risk, but as a developmental period rich with opportunity for youth to learn and grow.

Question 3

What happens to the connections between brain regions during adolescence?

Answer 3

During adolescence, the connections between brain regions become stronger and more efficient, while unused connections are pruned away.

Question 4

The onset of puberty brings changes to what brain region, and what are some effects?

Answer 4

The onset of puberty brings about changes in the limbic system region, which heighten adolescents’ sensitivity to rewards, willingness to take risks, and awareness of social status.

Question 5

How do genes and environment interact in shaping adolescent development?

Answer 5

Contemporary studies show that genes and environment interact, meaning the way heredity is expressed in behavior depends significantly on environmental influences.

Question 6

What are some examples of protective factors that support positive life trajectories for adolescents?

Answer 6

Protective factors include supportive relationships with family and caretakers, and access to resources.

Question 7

What are some ways in which economic, social, and structural disadvantages can curtail the promise of adolescence?

Answer 7

Disadvantages can curtail the promise of adolescence by reducing access to opportunities and supports, and by exposing youth to excess risks, stresses, and demands that adversely affect the brain and body.

Question 8

Provide one example of how disparities in opportunity are linked to different outcomes for adolescents, according to the report.

Answer 8

One example is that White and higher-income youth consistently experience better educational outcomes (reading, math, graduation, college completion) than low-income and minority youth.

Question 9

What is one key change recommended for the education system based on understanding of adolescent development?

Answer 9

One key change recommended is for secondary schools to offer differentiated and responsive academic opportunities, including individualized instruction, tutoring, and credentialing.

Question 10

What is one recommendation for the health system aimed at improving adolescent well-being?

Answer 10

One recommendation for the health system is to strengthen the financing of health care services for adolescents, including insurance coverage for uninsured and under-insured populations.

Question 11

What is one reason adolescence is considered to be a socially constructed period?

Answer 11

Adolescence is shaped by societal factors like schooling, child labor laws, and legal policies, not just biology.

Question 12

What does the term ‘elongation of adolescence’ refer to?

Answer 12

The increasing length of time between puberty and entry into adult roles.

Question 13

What best describes the concept of ‘emerging adulthood’?

Answer 13

A proposed life stage (ages 18–25) characterized by identity exploration and delayed responsibilities.

Question 14

Why is ‘emerging adulthood’ sometimes criticized?

Answer 14

It may only apply to privileged, middle-class youth in industrialized countries.

Question 15

What is one example of a legal inconsistency in how adolescents are treated?

Answer 15

Adolescents can be tried as adults for crimes but are restricted from voting or drinking.

Question 16

What is one common feature of the social redefinition process during adolescence?

Answer 16

Separation from parents and increased expectation to take on adult responsibilities.

Question 17

What is a continuous transition to adulthood?

Answer 17

A gradual transition where adolescents are prepared for adult roles through consistent training and experience.

Question 18

What is a discontinuous transition to adulthood?

Answer 18

An abrupt shift into adult roles with little prior preparation, common in industrialized societies.

Question 19

What is one transitional challenge faced by poor, minority, or immigrant youth?

Answer 19

Limited access to resources and support systems that ease the transition to adulthood.

Question 20

What is one way poverty affects adolescent development?

Answer 20

It increases stress and reduces access to education and employment opportunities.

Question 21

What can help ease the transition to adulthood for disadvantaged youth?

Answer 21

Programs that offer mentoring, job training, and life skills development.

Question 22

How do neighborhoods influence adolescent development?

Answer 22

Through access to resources, exposure to violence, and the presence (or absence) of positive role models.

Question 23

What is one process through which neighborhoods impact adolescents?

Answer 23

Collective efficacy, or the community’s shared ability to maintain order and support youth.

Question 24

What is one example of a society with a clear social transition?

Answer 24

Traditional societies with formal rites of passage that mark the beginning of adult responsibilities.

Question 25

What does 'continuity' refer to in adolescent transitions?

Answer 25

The degree to which adolescents are prepared gradually for adult roles and responsibilities.

Question 26

How do industrialized societies typically approach adolescent transitions?

Answer 26

With discontinuous transitions that provide little preparation for adult roles.

Question 27

What is one characteristic of the transition into adulthood in contemporary society?

Answer 27

It is often ambiguous and varies greatly between individuals and social groups.

Question 28

Why do poor and minority youth often experience a more difficult transition to adulthood?

Answer 28

They face systemic barriers like racism, poverty, and limited educational and career opportunities.

Question 29

What is one effect of living in a high-poverty neighborhood on adolescent development?

Answer 29

Increased exposure to crime and reduced access to supportive institutions like schools or community centers.

Question 30

What is one recommended intervention to help adolescents in disadvantaged communities?

Answer 30

Community-based programs that build job skills, mentorship, and educational support.

Question 31

What is collective efficacy and why is it important for adolescent development?

Answer 31

It is a neighborhood’s shared trust and willingness to intervene for the common good, which promotes safer, more supportive environments.

Question 32

How can unstable neighborhoods negatively affect parenting and family support?

Answer 32

Chronic stress and lack of resources can reduce parental supervision and emotional availability.

Question 33

What is one way adolescents benefit from living in supportive, resource-rich neighborhoods?

Answer 33

They are more likely to graduate high school, avoid risky behaviors, and develop strong social networks.

Question 34

What idea did G. Stanley Hall contribute to early views of adolescence?

Answer 34

He described adolescence as a time of 'storm and stress' and believed that individual development (ontogeny) mirrors evolutionary development (phylogeny).

Question 35

How did Anna Freud describe the emotional challenges of adolescence?

Answer 35

She believed that adolescent turmoil is normal and that distancing from parents is necessary for healthy development.

Question 36

What was Margaret Mead’s main critique of universal adolescent turmoil?

Answer 36

She argued that adolescent difficulties are not universal, but culturally dependent, as seen in her studies of Samoan youth.

Question 37

What was Ruth Benedict’s major contribution to the understanding of adolescence?

Answer 37

She emphasized that the transition to adulthood is culturally constructed and highlighted the idea of continuity vs. discontinuity in adolescent experiences.

Question 38

According to Ruth Benedict, what determines the path to maturity in adolescence?

Answer 38

Cultural practices and societal expectations, not biology alone.

Question 39

What did John Modell argue about the historical shift in adolescent transitions?

Answer 39

He showed that the transition to adulthood became shorter and more discontinuous after the Industrial Revolution due to changing family and work structures.

Question 40

How was adolescence structured in early modern agrarian societies?

Answer 40

Transitions were gradual (continuous), clear, and involved long-term family-based work roles.

Question 41

What impact did the Industrial Revolution have on adolescent transitions?

Answer 41

It made the transition to adulthood more sudden (discontinuous) and less tied to family, creating a shorter and more ambiguous path to maturity.

Question 42

How did Urie Bronfenbrenner view adolescent development?

Answer 42

He introduced the ecological systems theory, emphasizing that development occurs within multiple environmental contexts (family, school, society).

Question 43

What was Cynthia García-Coll’s major contribution to adolescent theory?

Answer 43

She emphasized the importance of race, ethnicity, and social inequality in shaping adolescent development, particularly for minority youth.

Question 44

What is the ecological-systems approach to adolescent development?

Answer 44

A model that considers how different environmental systems (microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem) interact to influence the adolescent.

Question 45

What did the National Academies Report emphasize about adolescent development?

Answer 45

It stressed the importance of evidence-based approaches to support adolescent well-being and improve outcomes across health, education, and social systems.