1
Adolescence
Module 9
2
Adolescence
Adolescence Overview Physical Development
Cognitive Development
Social Development
Emerging Adulthood
Today psychologists believe that development is a lifelong process.
3
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
4
Primary Sexual Characteristics
During puberty primary sexual
characteristics the reproductive organs
and external genitalia develop rapidly.
Elle
n S
en
isi/ Th
e Im
ag
e W
ork
s
5
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.
6
Brain Development
…at adolescence, selective pruning of the neurons begins. Unused neuronal
connections are lost to make other pathways more efficient.
7
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…?
8
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.
9
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
Ph
oto
/ Dave
Martin
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?
15
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
24
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
25
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
26
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.
27
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
30
Parents and Peers are
influential.
Peers more than parents sometimes…
33
Emerging Adulthood 18-25
During this time, young adults may live with their parents and attend college or
work.
34
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