ADOLESCENCE: Physical and cognitive development

Physical Development

Puberty  Signs of Maturation and Puberty  Puberty: the period in the life cycle when sexual and reproductive maturation becomes evident.

Hormonal Changes During Puberty  Pituitary gland stimulates other glands to produce estrogen and progesterone in females and testosterone in males.  Biological Change and Cognitive Processes  Capacity for formal operational thought

Biological Change and Social Relations  More aggression in males (variable).  More depression in females (variable).

Ethological Theory  Belsky, Steinberg and Draper  Some young mothers are responding to a pattern in human evolution that induces individuals who grow up under stressful circumstances to bear children early and often; to ensure survival.

The Adolescent Growth Spurt  Rapid increase in height and weight.  12 for girls; 14 for boys  Physical Growth is Asynchronous  Dissimilarity in the growth rates of different parts of the body

Maturation in Girls  Menarche: the first menstrual period.  Onset is earlier in industrialized nations.  Significance of menarche  Identity as women  Conflict between mother and daughter

Maturation in Boys  Physical changes  Additional weight and size in the form of increased muscle mass

Early or Late Maturation  Boys: Late maturing feelings of inadequacy, negative self-concept and rejection  Berkeley Study: feelings persist through middle age.  Girls: Various psychological effects  Physically: Stout physiques early  Thinner physiques later

Self-Image and Appearance  Weight: steady increase in the percentage of overweight children and adolescents since  Stigma associated with obesity in U.S.

Health Issues in Adolescence

Nutrition and Eating Disorders  Anorexia: primarily affects females who have become obsessed with looking thin and terrified of becoming fat.  Obesity: many ways to define (BMI, BIA)  14% of U.S. adolescents considered significantly overweight.

Obesity  Excess accumulation of body fat  Body fat vs. lean body mass

Health Consequences  Ill health in adulthood  High blood pressure, heart disease, respiratory disease, diabetes, orthopedic disorders, gall bladder problems, breast and colon cancer and high cost health care

Obese Adolescents in the U.S.  25%  How Can We Prevent or Reduce Obesity?  Psychological awareness  Healthy eating and exercise habits

Smoking and Chewing Tobacco  PRIDE  Decline in smoking since 1990  Increased risks premature death

Alcohol and Other Substance Abuse  Substance Abuse: the harmful use of drugs or alcohol lasting over a prolonged period, that puts self or others in hazardous situations.  Chance of becoming drug addicts or alcoholics; crimes to support addictions

Sexually Transmitted Diseases and HIV  Adolescents account for 3 million cases.  Use of condoms has increased.  Adolescents’ mistaken sense of invulnerability  HIV and AIDS  AIDS: 6th leading cause of death in persons between 15 and 24.

Teenage Pregnancy  Drop in rate between years in the last decade  U.S. rate still higher than inother developed countries

Stress, Anxiety, Depression and Suicide  Suicide attempts are alarmingly high.

Body Art and Tattooing  Differentiate themselves  Commemorate event  Express intimacy  Entertainment

Cognitive Development

Formal Operations  Piaget  Final and highest stage in the development of cognitive functioning from infancy to adulthood  Ability to think about own thinking  Ability to imagine many possibilities inherent in a situation

Adolescent Egocentricity  Personal Fable  Imaginary Audience

Educational Issues  Effective Classroom Instruction  Academic Standing and Global Comparisons  Use of Computer Technology

Moral Development

 The Adolescent as a Moral Philosopher  Combination between postconventional moral thought and formal operations  The Development of Political Thinking  Increase in abstract thinking