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Adolescence

Module 9

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Adolescence

Adolescence Overview Physical Development

Cognitive Development

Social Development

Emerging Adulthood

Today psychologists believe that development is a lifelong process.

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Adolescence Adolescence

the transition period from childhood to adulthood

extending from puberty to independence

Puberty the period of sexual maturation when a person becomes capable of

reproduction

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Primary Sexual Characteristics

During puberty primary sexual

characteristics the reproductive organs

and external genitalia develop rapidly.

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Secondary Sexual Characteristics

:the nonreproductive traits such as breasts and hips in girls and facial hair and

deepening of voice in boys develop. Pubic and armpit hair in both sexes.

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Brain Development

…at adolescence, selective pruning of the neurons begins. Unused neuronal

connections are lost to make other pathways more efficient.

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Frontal Cortex

The frontal cortex lags behind the limbic system’s development.

Hormonal surges and the limbic system may

explain teen impulsiveness.

Remember how everything negative in Jr. High was a disaster…?

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Cognitive Development

Adolescents’ ability to reason gives them a new level of social awareness.

1. Their own thinking.2. What others are thinking.3. What others are thinking about them.4. How ideals can be reached. They

criticize society, parents, and even themselves.

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Developing MoralityKohlberg (1981, 1984): formulated stages

of moral development.

He posed moral dilemmas…such as “Should a person steal medicine to save a

loved one’s life?”

AP

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Link Where is morality at PBS 14:08

Gilligan’s criticism…

• Women score lower than men…• Kohlberg stages derived from interviews with

males.• For males, advanced moral thought revolves

around rules, rights, and abstract principles.• For women, morality centers not on rights and

rules but on interpersonal relationships and the ethics of compassion and care.

Why is something immoral?• Would be all right for a brother and sister

to have voluntary protected sex?

• Would it be all right for a family to eat a pet dog that had been killed by a car?

• Would it be all right to break a deathbed vow to visit your mother’s grave?

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3 Basic Levels of Moral Thinking

1. Preconventional Morality: Before age 9, children show morality to avoid punishment or gain reward.

2. Conventional Morality: By early adolescence, social rules and laws are upheld for their own sake.

3. Postconventional Morality: Affirms people’s agreed-upon rights or follows personally perceived ethical principles.

Woman needs drug and can’t afford it, man steals it…should he

have done this?

• 1 Should not steal because he will be jailed• 2 Should steal because wife will repay him later• 3 Should steal because he loves his wife and

has duty to care for her, she and rest of family will approve

• 4 Should steal because he has a duty to care for her or not steal because it is illegal.

• 5 Should steal because life is more important• 6 Should steal because of the principle of

preserving and respecting life

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Moral ActionMoral action involves doing the right thing.

People who engage in doing the right thing develop empathy for others and the self-discipline to resist their own impulses.

Learning to behave in moral ways requires…

1. Consistent modeling

2. Real life experience

3. Situational factors that support moral actions

Delay Gratification link at TED 6:02

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Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development

Approximateage Stage Description of Task

Infancy Trust vs. mistrust If needs are dependably met, infants(1st year) develop a sense of basic trust.

Toddler Autonomy vs. shame Toddlers learn to exercise will and (2nd year) and doubt do things for themselves, or they

doubt their abilities.

Preschooler Initiative vs. guilt Preschoolers learn to initiate tasks(3-5 years) and carry out plans, or they feel

guilty about efforts to be independent.

Elementary Competence vs. Children learn the pleasure of applying(6 years- inferiority themselves to tasks, or they feel puberty) inferior.

Mnemonic

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Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development

Mnemonic link

Approximateage Stage Description of Task

Adolescence Identity vs. role Teenagers work at refining a sense of self by(teens into confusion testing roles and then integrating them to 20’s) form a single identity, or they become

confused about who they are.

Young Adult Intimacy vs. Young adults struggle to form close relation- (20’s to early isolation ships and to gain the capacity for intimate 40’s) love, or they feel socially isolated.

Middle Adult Generativity vs. The middle-aged discover a sense of contri-(40’s to 60’s) stagnation buting to the world, usually through family

and work, or they may feel a lack of purpose.

Late Adult Integrity vs. When reflecting on his or her life, the older(late 60’s and despair adult may feel a sense of satisfaction orup) failure.

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Adolescence: Social Development

Identity one’s sense of self the adolescent’s task is to solidify a

sense of self by testing and integrating various roles

Intimacy the ability to form close, loving

relationships a primary developmental task in late

adolescence and early adulthood

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Parents and Peers are

influential.

Peers more than parents sometimes…

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Emerging Adulthood 18-25

During this time, young adults may live with their parents and attend college or

work.

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EXPLORING PSYCHOLOGY(7th Edition in Modules)

David MyersAneeq Ahmad

Henderson State University, James A. McCubbin, Ph.D.

Clemson University, Amy Jones, Garber edits

Worth Publishers, © 2008