Adolescence

What is Adolescence? Adolescence – the period between childhood and adulthood

Historical Adolescence In hunting gathering societies, at 13 you would be an adult Females started to bear children and take care of domestic tasks Males began hunting Some societies still like this still exist

Historical Adolescence In America in the 1800’s, adolescence was extremely short Formal education ended around 8th grade, young couples got married and already had families around the age of 20 Adolescence is now much longer and more complex

Adolescence Adolescence begins with sexual maturation This begins two years earlier than 100 years ago Adolescence lasts longer than it used to Students go to college longer and delay independent adult status People are also waiting until later in life to have families

Physical Development Puberty – the period of sexual maturation, during which a person becomes capable of reproduction Puberty begins earlier in girls (around age 11) than in boys (around age 13) Growth spurt is one of the most obvious changes

Physical Development Primary Sex Characteristics – The body structures (ovaries, testes, external genitalia) that make sexual reproduction possible Secondary Sex Characteristics – Non-reproductive sexual characteristics, such as female breasts and hips, male voice quality, and body hair Menarche – the first menstrual period

Cognitive Maturity Physical maturity happens before cognitive maturity Frontal lobes develop which bring improved judgment, impulse control, and long term planning The emotional Limbic system matures before the frontal lobe. The frontal lobe continues to mature until around 25 Heavy alcohol drinking can stunt the growth of the frontal lobe.

Cognitive Development Adolescents don’t think more than before, they think differently than before Egocentrism can come back - May think that one’s experiences are unique from others Development of Moral Reasoning – Sense of Right and wrong

Moral Reasoning Piaget believed that adolescent’s moral judgments build on their cognitive development Lawrence Kohlberg agreed with Piaget, and sought to describe the development of moral reasoning Kohlberg posed moral dilemmas to children, adolescents, and adults and analyzed their responses looking for stages of moral development

Kohlberg’s Dilemma In Europe, a woman who was near death from a very bad disease, a special kind of cancer. There was one drug that the doctors thought might save her. It was a form of radium that a druggist in the same town had recently discovered. The drug was expensive to make, but the druggist was charging 10 times what the drug cost him to make. He paid $200 for the Radium and charged $2000 for a small dose of the drug. The sick woman’s husband, Heinz, went to everyone he knew to borrow the money, but he could get together only about $1000, half of what it cost. Ht told the druggist that his wife was dying and asked him to sell it cheaper or let him pay later. The druggist said, “No, I discovered the drug and I’m going to make money from it.” Heinz got desperate and broke into the man’s store to steal the drug for his wife. Was Heinz right or wrong? Why?

Kohlberg’s 3 Stages Preconventional moral reasoning – - Primary concern is the desire to avoid punishment or gain reward - Most children under 9 show this, although some never go past this stage ex. Heinz was wrong to steal the drug because he might be put in jail.

Kohlberg’s 3 Stages 2. Conventional Moral Reasoning – Primary concern is the desire to fit in and play one’s role as a good citizen. There is a strong desire to fit in and play one’s role as a good citizen Typical of most adults, and begins during early adolescence Ex. Heinz was wrong to steal because stealing breaks the law. Or Heinz was right to take the drug because most people would do what they must to protect a family member.

Kohlberg’s 3 Stages 3. Postconventional moral reasoning – characterized by universal ethical principles that represent the rights or obligations of all people. Most people do not reach this stage Ex. Heinz was right because everyone has a right to live, and he was trying to help his wife stay alive. Or Heinz was wrong because everyone must respect the property of others, even the property of a selfish greedy druggist

Social Development

Adolescent Social Development Adolescents in different cultures will try out different selves in different situations to try and find their identity Identity – our sense of self, it is solidified through testing and integrating various roles Social Identity – we aspect of our self concept; the part of our identity that comes from our group memberships High School and College is where people develop a clearer sense of their identity

Young Adulthood The identity stage is followed by young adulthood and the intimacy stage When you develop a clear sense of self, you begin to form emotionally close relationships Intimacy – the ability to form close, loving relationships

Parent-Peer Relationships As adolescents seek to find their identity, they pull away from their parents Parent-child conflict tends to be greatest with first born children than later children Teens begin to act more similar to their peers than their parents

Emerging Adulthood A period from the late teens to the mid twenties bridging the gap between adolescent dependence and full independence and responsible adulthood People are waiting longer than before to reach responsible adulthood