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Adolescence• Adolescence is defined as a life between childhood and adulthood, duh.

• This means you.

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PhysicalDevelopment in Adolescence

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Physical DevelopmentAdolescence begins with puberty (sexual

maturation). Puberty occurs

earlier in females (11 years) than males (13

years).

Thus height in females increases

before males.

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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 CharacteristicsAlso secondary sexual characteristics (the nonreproductive traits) 1. breasts and hips in girls2. facial hair and deepening of voice in boys

develop. 3. Pubic hair and armpit hair grow in both

sexes.

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Frontal Cortex• The frontal cortex (making plans and judgments) lags behind the limbic system’s development.

•Hormonal surges and the limbic system may explain occasional teen impulsiveness (youtube fighting, etc.).

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SocialDevelopment

in Adolescence

Erik EriksonA neo-FreudianWorked with Anna FreudThought our personality

was influenced by our experiences with others.

8 Stages of Psychosocial Development.

Each stage centers on a social conflict.

1. Trust v. Mistrust (Infancy)0-1 yearsCan a baby trust the

world to fulfill its needs?

The trust or mistrust they develop can carry on with the child for the rest of their lives.

2. Autonomy V. Shame & Doubt (Toddlerhood)

1-2 years oldToddlers begin to

control their bodies (toilet training).

Control Temper Tantrums

Big word is “NO”Can they learn

control or will they doubt themselves?

3. Initiative V. Guilt (Preschooler)

3-5 years oldWord turns from

“NO” to “WHY?”Want to understand

the world and ask questions.

Is there curiosity encouraged or scolded?

4. Industry v. Inferiority (Elementary)

6 to PubertySchool beginsWe are for the first time

evaluated by a formal system and our peers.

Do we feel good or bad about our accomplishments?

Can lead to us feeling bad about ourselves for the rest of our lives…inferiority complex.

5. Identity v. Role Confusion (Adolescence)

Teens to 20’sIn our teenage years

we try out different roles.

Who am I?What group do I fit in

with?If I do not find myself

I may develop an identity crisis.

6. Intimacy v. Isolation (Young Adulthood)

20’s to early 40’sHave to balance

work and relationships.

What are my priorities?

6a. MarriageAt least a 5 to 1 ratio

of positive to negative interactions is a clear indicator of a healthy relationship.

7. Generativity v. Stagnation (Middle Adulthood)40’s to 60’sIs everything going

as planned?Am I happy with

what I created?Mid –life crisis!!!

8. Integrity v. Despair (late Adulthood)Late 60’s and upLook back on life.Was my life

meaningful or do I have regret?

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CognitiveDevelopment

in Adolescence

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Developing Morality Reasoning

•Moral Reasoning is thinking that occurs as we consider right and wrong.• Kohlberg (1981, 1984) posed moral dilemmas to children and adolescents• “Should a person steal medicine to save a loved one’s life?” •He found 3 levels stages of thinking.

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Moral Thinking1. Postconventional Morality:

Affirms people’s agreed-upon rights or follows personally perceived ethical principles.

2. Conventional Morality: By early adolescence, social rules and laws are upheld for their own sake (because they ARE).

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

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Adulthood

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Physical DevelopmentThe peak of physical performance occurs

around 20 years of age, after which it declines imperceptibly for most of us.

•Muscular strength, reaction time, sensory abilities and cardiac output begin to decline after the mid-twenties. • Around age 50, women go through menopause, and men experience decreased levels of hormones and fertility.

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Old Age: Life Expectancy• Life expectancy at birth has increased in past 50 years• 49 in 1950 • 67 in 2004 • 80 in developed countries. •Women outlive men and outnumber them at most ages.

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Old Age: Sensory Abilities• After age 70, hearing, distance perception, and the sense of smell diminish, as do muscle strength, reaction time, and stamina. • After 80, neural processes slow down, especially for complex tasks.

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Old Age: Motor AbilitiesAt age 70, our motor abilities also decline. A 70-year-old is no match for a 20-year-old individual. Fatal accidents also increase around this age.

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Old Age: DementiaWith increasing age, the risk of dementia also increases. Dementia is not a normal

part of growing old. It has multiple causes, such as strokes and alcoholism

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Old Age: Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s is a loss of brain cells and deterioration of neurons that produce ACT

(muscle action, learning and memory). Thus, these areas are affected and is

described as a “living death”.

At risk Alzheimer Normal

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Aging and Memory

As we age, we remember some things well. These include recent past events and events that happened a decade or two back. However, recalling names (and INFORMATION) becomes increasingly difficult.

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Aging and Memory• Recognition and prospective (remember to reutrn phone call, etc.). memory does not decline with age. •Material that is meaningful is recalled better than meaningless material.

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Aging and Intelligence• Cross-Sectional studies suggest decline with age.• Longitudinal studies suggest that intelligence remains relative as we age. • Fluid intelligence (ability to reason speedily) declines with age. • Crystalline intelligence (accumulated knowledge and skills) does not.

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Aging and Other Abilities

A number of cognitive

abilities decline with age. However,

vocabulary and general

knowledge increase with

age.

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Social DevelopmentAdulthood’s Ages and Stages

Psychologists doubt that adults pass through an orderly sequence of age-bound stages. Mid-life crises at 40 are less likely to occur than crises triggered by major events (divorce, new marriage).

Neuroticism scores, 10,000 subjects(McCrae & Costa, 1996).

Life ExpectancyLife Expectancy

keeps increasing- now about 75.

Women outlive men by about 4 years.

But more men are conceived 126 to 100. Then 105 to 100 by birth. In other words, men die easier.

Death Elizabeth Kubler-Ross’s Stages of Death/Grief.

1. Denial2. Anger3. Bargaining4. Depression5. Acceptance

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Well-Being Across the Life Span

Well-being and people’s feelings of satisfaction are stable across the life span.

•How can this be? Death is near.

• Simply put, the amygdala

doesn’t respond to negative

events like a younger person and bad feelings

fade faster.