The Development of Children, Seventh Edition Cynthia Lightfoot, Michael Cole, and Sheila R. Cole Chapter 14: Physical and Cognitive Development in Adolescence

Chapter Overview Adolescents and Society Biological Theories of Adolescent Development Puberty Cognitive Development Moral Development Implications

Adolescence A time of many changes Physical development Intellectual development Sexual maturation

I. Adolescents and Society All societies recognize adolescence as an important transition requiring special attention

Industrialization Urban youth problems Teenagers both joining the workforce and getting into trouble Social programs to offer services and structured activity to adolescents Need for a more educated workforce

I. Apply – Connect – Discuss Provide some personal examples of how social and cultural pressures to be both childlike and adultlike affected your adolescence. To what extent might these examples be associated with contemporary social and cultural issues facing adolescents and their families?

II. Biological Theories of Adolescent Development G. Stanley Hall Sigmund Freud Modern Theories

G. Stanley Hall “Storm and stress” Consequence of evolutionary processes  

Sigmund Freud Genital stage of psychosexual development Sexual intercourse as major motive of behavior Major struggle is reestablishing the balance among the id, ego, and superego

Modern Theories Evolutionary implications Growth spurt Compare to other primates Late maturation leads to reproductive success

II. Apply – Connect – Discuss From a biocultural perspective, why might it be advantageous to develop advanced social, economic, and cognitive skills and abilities prior to, rather than after reaching, sexual maturity?

III. Puberty The series of biological developments that transform individuals from a state of physical immaturity into one in which they are biologically mature and capable of sexual reproduction.

Growth Spurt Physical changes Gender differences Skeletal growth Bone mass Height Gender differences Body shape Strength

Sexual Development Primary sex characteristics Reproductive organs Secondary sex characteristics Outwardly visible anatomical and physiological signs that distinguish males from females

Primary Sex Characteristics Maturation of ovaries Ovulation Menarche Maturation of testes Sperm production Semenarche

Secondary Sex Characteristics Girls Breast buds Pubic hair Boys Enlargement of larynx and testes Facial hair

Physical Changes

Brain Development Complex changes to organization and functioning Frontal lobes Memory, decision making, reasoning, impulse control, multitasking Myelination Synaptogenesis Synaptic pruning

Timing of Puberty Influences Genetic factors Environmental factors

Environmental Factors Health and nutrition For example, caloric intake Levels of body fat Stress and psychological depression

Puberty and Health Nutrition Sleep Physical activity

Puberty and Culture Marking the transition Ceremonial ways Institutional ways

Cultural Influences Culture and Gender Timing of puberty Impact of distorted media messages Eating disorders Timing of puberty

III. Apply – Connect – Discuss What might be done to protect girls from the negative consequences of early maturation? Consider various contexts of prevention, including families, schools, and culture.

IV. Cognitive Development Piaget’s Theory of Formal Operations Information-Processing Approaches Sociocultural Approaches

Theory of Formal Operations A kind of mental operation in which all possible combinations are considered in solving a problem. Consequently, each partial link is grouped in relation to the whole; in other words, reasoning moves continually as a function of a structured whole.

Theory of Formal Operations Piaget theory Solve problems systematically Manipulation of variables Hypothetical-deductive reasoning

Sociocognitive Conflict Conflict rooted in social experience Social interaction  new points of view May be useful for promoting formal-operational thinking Variability Both between and within cultures Many people do not reach formal operations

Epistemic Development Involves how individuals reason about the nature of truth and knowledge Takes different forms during adolescence Objectivist theory Subjectivist theory Evaluativist theory

Information-Processing Approach Contrast to global change view Expanded cognitive ability best explained as result of the development of cognitive structures and processes Working memory capacity Problem-solving strategies Coordination of several systems

Sociocultural Approach Emphasizes the role of social interactions Work by Na’ilah Nasir Dominoes in African American Communities Communication and scaffolding assist in strategic reasoning

V. Apply – Connect – Discuss Consider the various forms of reasoning described in this section: formal operations, postformal operations, and decision making. To what extent are they relevant to reasoning in everyday contexts? Should schools emphasize the development of some forms rather than others? Why?

V. Moral Development Kohlberg’s theory of moral reasoning Gilligan’s Theory of Moral Reasoning Parent and Peer Contributions to Moral Development Cultural Variations in Moral Reasoning The Relation Between Moral Reasoning and Moral Action

Kohlberg’s Theory Adolescence Moral reasoning at stage 4 starts to appear Stage 3 still dominant until mid-20s

Feminist approaches Morality of Justice vs. Morality of Care Emphasizes issues of rightness, fairness, and equality Morality of care Stresses relationships, compassion, and social obligations

Cultural Variations Kohlberg’s stages Reflects moral views of Western culture Development of justice and rights Universal across cultures Social conventions may differ

VI. Apply – Connect – Discuss Suppose you want to facilitate moral development in juvenile delinquents participating in a counseling program.

Apply – Connect – Discuss How would you go about this from a Kohlbergian perspective? How would you do this from the perspective of social domain theory? In each case, consider whether your intervention programs would be most effective if carried out with teens individually, or in family or peer groups.

VII. Implications Many physical and cognitive changes in adolescence Shaped by the role of culture Expectations Technologies Institutions