Adolescence The social and emotional transition from childhood to adulthood.

When does it start? When does it end? “ Adolescence” is a fairly new concept. We generally think of it beginning at puberty, and ending with the taking on fully adult roles (marriage, children, career). We generally think of it beginning at puberty, and ending with the taking on fully adult roles (marriage, children, career). Adolescence historically... Why do you think it has been extended?

Historically, there would have been no such thing a time “between” childhood and adulthood. Not until the 1950’s did we begin to see this as a unique time of life, with unique issues and challenges. Then, it would have been puberty to age marriage (So, maybe or 18). Then, something changed. What? Puberty starts earlier than it used to. Marriage is put off due to educational opportunities for women. So now, you could argue that “adolescence” is from age 11-22!! Is this a good thing, or a bad thing?

...Back to Erikson Identity vs. Role Confusion AgeImportant Event Description AdolescenceFinding yourself Teens must achieve self-identity while deciphering their roles in occupation, politics, and religion.

Erik Erikson Stage 5: Identity vs. Role Confusion Erikson believed that IDENTITY was the big task of adolescence. 1. What is identity? 2. How are you similar and different from your parents? 3. How are you similar and different from your friends?

Identity is a sense of yourself as a unique individual. Likes/dislikes beliefs goals social group activities/interests

At one point, you decided all of these things based on your parents. Then, according to Erikson, you began trying on different hats, different ways of being. Often, it was your friends and peers that guided you. Erikson called this “group identitiy. And, now? In which things are you still like your parents? Friends?

Adolescent Brain Development While the adolescent body looks just like an adult’s, the adolescent brain is very much “under construction” For example... deo/flv/generic.html?s=frol02p392&continuo us=1

Word Bank: (You’ve seen this one before!) Pruning: the selective elimination of unused, or unconnected neurons. There is a mass sprouting of neural connections until puberty. Pruning during puberty makes the brain more efficient. See, she’s pruning a bush. That’s a different kind of pruning. Same principle.

Frontal lobes: The Brain’s Chief Executive Limbic system: Emotional center, develops first Responsible for reasoning, judgment, impulse control, planning. Not fully developed until after adolescence.

The development of the teen brain, coupled with their search for identity, and unique social pressures placed on teens, may be why some adolescents in our culture experience what Stanley Hall called the “Storm and Stress” of this period of life.

Physical Development Puberty: the period of sexual maturation, during which a person becomes capable of reproducing. - primary sex characteristics - females have their ‘menarche’ (typically 12 yrs old) complete maturation around 16 - males begin to produce sperm (age 14) complete maturation around 18

Physical Development Pubescence- the two-year span preceding puberty –Taller, heavier –Secondary sex characteristics Voice change, facial hair, broader shoulders Breast growth, widening of pelvic bone and hips

Puberty Sequence is way more predictable than the timing. How might timing differences effect an adolescent socially? - emotional difficulties - high-risk behavior - greater risk for eating probs

Emerging Adulthood : A “new” developmental period, from the late teens to mid-twenties Individuals, especially in modern cultures, are often not quite independent. Western societies have allowed young people to ease their way into the new status.