Adolescence Adolescence is defined as a life between childhood and adulthood, duh. This means you. OBJECTIVE 17| Define adolescence. AP Photo/ Jeff Chiu

Physical Development in Adolescence

Physical Development Adolescence begins with puberty (sexual maturation). Puberty occurs earlier in females (11 years) than males (13 years). Thus height in females increases before males. OBJECTIVE 18| Identify the major physical changes during adolescence.

Primary Sexual Characteristics During puberty primary sexual characteristics — the reproductive organs and external genitalia — develop rapidly. Ellen Senisi/ The Image Works

Secondary Sexual Characteristics Also secondary sexual characteristics (the nonreproductive traits) breasts and hips in girls facial hair and deepening of voice in boys develop. Pubic hair and armpit hair grow in both sexes.

Frontal Cortex The frontal cortex (making plans and judgments) lags behind the limbic system’s development. Hormonal surges and the limbic system may explain occasional teen impulsiveness (youtube fighting, etc.).

Social Development in Adolescence

Erik Erikson A neo-Freudian Worked with Anna Freud Thought our personality was influenced by our experiences with others. 8 Stages of Psychosocial Development. Each stage centers on a social conflict.

1. Trust v. Mistrust (Infancy) 0-1 years Can a baby trust the world to fulfill its needs? The trust or mistrust they develop can carry on with the child for the rest of their lives.

2. Autonomy V. Shame & Doubt (Toddlerhood) 1-2 years old Toddlers begin to control their bodies (toilet training). Control Temper Tantrums Big word is “NO” Can they learn control or will they doubt themselves?

3. Initiative V. Guilt (Preschooler) 3-5 years old Word turns from “NO” to “WHY?” Want to understand the world and ask questions. Is there curiosity encouraged or scolded?

4. Industry v. Inferiority (Elementary) 6 to Puberty School begins We are for the first time evaluated by a formal system and our peers. Do we feel good or bad about our accomplishments? Can lead to us feeling bad about ourselves for the rest of our lives…inferiority complex.

5. Identity v. Role Confusion (Adolescence) Teens to 20’s In our teenage years we try out different roles. Who am I? What group do I fit in with? If I do not find myself I may develop an identity crisis.

6. Intimacy v. Isolation (Young Adulthood) 20’s to early 40’s Have to balance work and relationships. What are my priorities?

6a. Marriage At least a 5 to 1 ratio of positive to negative interactions is a clear indicator of a healthy relationship.

7. Generativity v. Stagnation (Middle Adulthood) 40’s to 60’s Is everything going as planned? Am I happy with what I created? Mid –life crisis!!!

8. Integrity v. Despair (late Adulthood) Late 60’s and up Look back on life. Was my life meaningful or do I have regret?

Social Development OBJECTIVE 21| Identify Erickson’s eight stages of psychosocial development and their accompanying issues.

Cognitive Development in Adolescence

Developing Morality Reasoning Moral Reasoning is thinking that occurs as we consider right and wrong. Kohlberg (1981, 1984) posed moral dilemmas to children and adolescents “Should a person steal medicine to save a loved one’s life?” He found 3 levels stages of thinking. OBJECTIVE 20| Discuss moral development from the perspectives of moral thinking, moral feeling, and moral action.

Moral Thinking Postconventional Morality: Affirms people’s agreed-upon rights or follows personally perceived ethical principles. Conventional Morality: By early adolescence, social rules and laws are upheld for their own sake (because they ARE). Preconventional Morality: Before age 9, children show morality to avoid punishment or gain reward.

Adulthood

Physical Development The peak of physical performance occurs around 20 years of age, after which it declines imperceptibly for most of us. Muscular strength, reaction time, sensory abilities and cardiac output begin to decline after the mid-twenties. Around age 50, women go through menopause, and men experience decreased levels of hormones and fertility.

Old Age: Life Expectancy Life expectancy at birth has increased in past 50 years 49 in 1950 67 in 2004 80 in developed countries. Women outlive men and outnumber them at most ages. OBJECTIVE 26| Compare life expectancy in the mid-twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, and discuss changes in sensory abilities and health (including frequency of dementia) in older adults.

Old Age: Sensory Abilities After age 70, hearing, distance perception, and the sense of smell diminish, as do muscle strength, reaction time, and stamina. After 80, neural processes slow down, especially for complex tasks. Michael Newman/ PhotoEdit

Old Age: Motor Abilities At age 70, our motor abilities also decline. A 70-year-old is no match for a 20-year-old individual. Fatal accidents also increase around this age.

Old Age: Dementia With increasing age, the risk of dementia also increases. Dementia is not a normal part of growing old. It has multiple causes, such as strokes and alcoholism Alan Oddie/ PhotoEdit

Old Age: Alzheimer’s Disease Alzheimer’s is a loss of brain cells and deterioration of neurons that produce ACT (muscle action, learning and memory). Thus, these areas are affected and is described as a “living death”. Its function is motor movement and memory. Susan Bookheimer At risk Alzheimer Normal

Aging and Memory As we age, we remember some things well. These include recent past events and events that happened a decade or two back. However, recalling names (and INFORMATION) becomes increasingly difficult. OBJECTIVE 27| Assess the impact of aging on recall and recognition in adulthood.

Aging and Memory Recognition and prospective (remember to reutrn phone call, etc.). memory does not decline with age. Material that is meaningful is recalled better than meaningless material. Prospective memory remembering to return someone's phone call, or the time and day of your dentist appointment next week). David Myers

Aging and Intelligence Cross-Sectional studies suggest decline with age. Longitudinal studies suggest that intelligence remains relative as we age. Fluid intelligence (ability to reason speedily) declines with age. Crystalline intelligence (accumulated knowledge and skills) does not. OBJECTIVE 28| Summarize the contribution of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies to our understanding of the normal effects of aging on adult intelligence.

Aging and Other Abilities A number of cognitive abilities decline with age. However, vocabulary and general knowledge increase with age.

Social Development Adulthood’s Ages and Stages Psychologists doubt that adults pass through an orderly sequence of age-bound stages. Mid-life crises at 40 are less likely to occur than crises triggered by major events (divorce, new marriage). Anxiety is the primary factor for neuroticism. a functional disorder in which feelings of anxiety, obsessional thoughts, compulsive acts, and physical complaints without objective evidence of disease, in various degrees and patterns, dominate the personality. Neuroticism scores, 10,000 subjects (McCrae & Costa, 1996).

Life Expectancy Life Expectancy keeps increasing- now about 75. Women outlive men by about 4 years. But more men are conceived 126 to 100. Then 105 to 100 by birth. In other words, men die easier.

Death Elizabeth Kubler-Ross’s Stages of Death/Grief. Denial Anger Bargaining Depression Acceptance

Marriage and survival Adult Bonds are most satisfying and enduring when: Marked by similar interests and values Sharing of emotional and material support Intimate self disclosure is present Couples are married after 20 years of age. (twice as likely to divorce) Couples are well educated (twice as likely to divorce) 5 to 1 (positive to negative) interactions For better or for worse? In sickness and in health? Till death do us part?

Well-Being Across the Life Span Well-being and people’s feelings of satisfaction are stable across the life span. How can this be? Death is near. Simply put, the amygdala doesn’t respond to negative events like a younger person and bad feelings fade faster. OBJECTIVE 31| Describe trends in people’s life satisfaction across the life span.