1. Chapter 9: Moving into the Adult Social World
Socioemotional Development
in Adolescence

2. Major Topics Identity and Self-Esteem
Romantic Relationship and Sexuality
The Dark Side

3. Identity and Self-Esteem
According to existing theories, how do adolescents develop an identity?

4. Erikson’s Contribution
Erikson believed adolescents needed to resolve a crisis of identity formation.
Involves balancing the desire to explore many possible selves and the need to select a single self
Forming an ID prepares one for the next stage— intimate relationships
Failure to form ID results in problems with forming a relationship

5. Contribution from Piaget’s Formal Operational Stage of Thought
Adolescents search for an identity using their hypothetical reasoning skills to experiment with different hypothetical selves and learn more about possible identities
Adolescents also commonly…
Demonstrate adolescent egocentrism which is associated with self-absorption
Visualize an imaginary audience associated with feelings that others are constantly watching them

6. Believe in a personal fable—an attitude that their experiences and feelings are unique
Have an illusion of invulnerability

7. Contributions About Ethnic Identity
Ethnic identity—feeling of belonging to a specific ethnic group
3 stages of ethnic identity
Have not examined ethnic roots
Begin to explore personal impact of ethnic heritage
Achieve a distinct ethnic self-concept

8. Marcia’s Contribution
Marcia’s 4 Identity Statuses
Status
Definition
Diffusion
Overwhelmed by the task so accomplishes little
Foreclosure
Status determined by adults, not personal exploration
Moratorium
Exploring various possibilities/alternatives
Achievement
Has chosen a specific identity

9. Diffusion or foreclosure most common in adolescence.
Romantic, political, and religious-oriented experimentation also common.
Few adolescents completely resolve the identity crisis. Adolescents usually achieve an identity in one area of life; other areas are not achieved until later.

10. Using Identity Formation to Make Career Choices
Super’s Theory of Career Development
Crystallization—adolescents use their emerging identities to form ideas about careers
Specification—learn more about specific lines of work and begin training
Implementation—individuals actually enter the workforce
Personality-Type Theory (Holland)
People find their work fulfilling when the important features of a job or profession fit the worker’s personality

11. Part-time employment is common for adolescents and can contribute to choices about careers but can have harmful effects:
Decreased school performance
Mental health and behavioral problems (e.g., anxiety, depression, drug use)
Misleading affluence (e.g., earn and spend)

12. Self-Esteem in Adolescence
Self-esteem sometimes drops when children move from elementary school to middle school or junior high
Peer comparisons more prevalent
Self-esteem becomes more differentiated in adolescence
Self-esteem is influenced by:
Competence in the domains that are important to the individual
How others people—particularly people important to them— view the adolescent

13. Romantic Relationships and Sexuality
Why do teenagers date?
Why are some adolescents sexually active?
Why do so few use contraceptives?
What determines an adolescent’s sexual orientation?

14. Romantic Relationships and Sexuality
Romantic relationships provide companionship like that provided by a best friend and an outlet for sexual exploration
Adolescents involved in relationships are often more self-confident, but also report more emotional upheaval and conflict

15. Sexual Behavior Influences on sexual behavior: Gender Differences
Parental relationship: less likely to engage in sexual behavior if close with parents, parents monitor behavior/activity, and discourage sex
Peer influence: more likely to engage in sexual behavior if peers are
Gender Differences
Females: describe first sexual partner as someone they love
Males: describe first sexual partner as a casual date

16. Sexually Transmitted Disease, Pregnancy, and Contraception
Be familiar with the common STDs!
STD’s are transmitted from one person to another through sexual intercourse
Serious implications if left untreated
Most people who contract STD’s do so during adolescence
1 in 6 adolescent females who engage in sexual intercourse get pregnant
Reasons for not using contraceptives: ignorance, illusion of invulnerability, lack of motivation, lack of access

17. Sexual Orientation
During adolescence, 15% of teens experience a period of sexual questioning
5% identify sexual orientation as gay or lesbian
Challenges of same-sex attraction
Family and peer relationships often disrupted
Verbal and physical attacks
Higher rate of mental health problems
Social change are helping gay and lesbian youth respond more effectively to these challenges

18. The “Dark Side” What is sexual coercion?
Why do teenagers drink and use drugs?
What leads some adolescents to become depressed? How can depression be treated?
What are the causes of juvenile delinquency?

19. Sexual Coercion Date Rape/Acquaintance Rape
When someone is forced to have sexual intercourse with someone she or he knows
10% of high school girls; 20-25% of college age women have been victims of date rape
Useful guidelines to help prevent date rape (pg. 332)

20. Drugs and Drinking Drug Use Teenage Drinking—3 Factors of Influence:
While most adolescents avoid drugs, most high school seniors have drunk alcohol within the past 2 months
Teenage Drinking—3 Factors of Influence:
Parents: drinking is important part of parents’ lives; parents are uninvolved
Peers: peers involved in drinking
Stress: cope with stress using alcohol

21. Depression
Depression - disorder characterized by pervasive feelings of sadness, irritability, and low self- esteem
Attributions - a person’s explanations of his or her behavior, particularly success and failures
The way a person makes attributions can contribute to depression
Norephinephrine and seratonin - neurotransmitters that help regulate brain centers associated with experiencing pleasure

22. Delinquency Juvenile delinquency Status offense Index offense
When adolescents commit illegal acts that re destructive to themselves or others
Status offense
An act that is not a crime if committed by an adult, such as truancy or running away from home
Index offense
Acts that are illegal regardless of the perpetrator’s age

23. Causes of Delinquency Adolescent-limited antisocial behavior
The behavior of the youth who engage in relatively minor criminal acts but aren’t consistently antisocial
Life-course persistent antisocial behavior
Antisocial behavior that emerges at an early age and continues throughout life

24. Causes of Delinquency Biological contributions Cognitive processes
Some children inherit factors that place them at risk for aggressive or violent behavior (e.g., temperament)
Cognitive processes
Impulsivity; inability to interpret other people’s intentions
Family processes
Inadequate parenting
Poverty
Aggressive and delinquent behavior increased in poverty stricken families and neighborhoods

25. Treatment and Prevention of Delinquency
Delinquent adolescents can be taught more effective social skills and methods of self-control
Parents can be taught the importance of monitoring children’s behavior and necessity for consistent discipline
Families can learn to function more effectively as a unit
Schools can develop programs to motivate delinquent youth to become more involved in school performance
Communities can improve conditions in neighborhoods where delinquency reigns