Social Development Adolescence

SELF-DEVELOPMENT Changes in Self-Concept In early adolescence, self-statements often include contradictory descriptions (“but”). Compared to school-age children, teens also place more emphasis on social virtues, such as being friendly, considerate, kind, and cooperative.

Changes in Self-Esteem Several new dimensions are added to self-esteem including close friendship, romantic appeal, and job competence. Except for temporary declines associated with school transition, self-esteem is on the rise for most adolescents.

Personality Development Erikson Identity versus Identity Confusion “Who am I?” Identity crisis Temporary period of confusion and distress as adolescents experiment with alternatives before settling on values and goals. Common in complex societies.

ERIKSON’S THEORY Identity versus Identity Confusion Positive resolution: satisfaction with personal identity Identity Well-organized conception of self made up of values, beliefs, and goals Negative resolution: confusion about adult roles Identity confusion State in which adolescents appear shallow and directionless

Paths to Identity Identity status: Crisis vs. Commitment Identity achievement Commitment to self-chosen values and occupational goals Moratorium Exploring alternative values and goals Identity foreclosure Acceptance of values and goals from authority figures Identity diffusion No firm commitments to values and goals Adolescents shift statuses. Gender differences?

Influences on Identity Development Personality A flexible, open-minded approach to grappling with competing beliefs and values is important. Family When the family serves as a “secure base” from which teenagers can confidently move out into the wider world, identity development is enhanced. Foreclosed teenagers have bonds with parents, but lack opportunities for healthy separation. Diffused adolescents report the lowest levels of warm, open communication at home.

Influences on Identity Development Peers Close friends help young people explore options by providing emotional support, assistance, and role models of identity development. School and Community Classrooms that promote high-level thinking, extracurricular and community activities, and vocational training programs foster identity achievement.

Identity Status and Psychological Well-Being Identity achieved or still exploring High self-esteem, more abstract and critical thinking, greater similarity between ideal and real self, advanced in moral reasoning Foreclosed individuals Dogmatic, inflexible, and intolerant Long-term diffused Fatalistic, passive, likely to use and abuse drugs

Family Relationships Parent-Child Relationships Teenagers no longer bend as easily to parental authority. Disagreements are harder to settle. Parents give greater autonomy if they are financially secure, invested in work, and content with marriage. Less than 10 percent of families with adolescents have serious trouble.

PEER RELATIONS Teens average 18 nonschool hours per week with peers. Adolescent Friendships Psychological intimacy and loyalty Usually alike in age, sex, ethnicity, social class, attitudes, values but less homogeneous than before

Cliques and Crowds Peer groups increasingly common during adolescence 5 to 7 adolescents who are close friends Crowd Large, loosely organized group of several cliques with similar norms – A crowd grants identity in larger social structure.

Cliques and Crowds As dating increases, boy and girl cliques come together influence of clique declines Dating relationships allow for intimate relationship practise at first Clique allows for acquisition of new social skills and experimenting with values and roles. Can require conformity and lead to lowered self-esteem

Attachment research: Focus has been on infant development, child peer relationships, adult intimacy, and parenting commitment Research has not focused on teens, nor the sexuality component of relationships

Attachment Measurement in Teens Adolescent AAI (Interview Narrative): How child parental experiences are organized: autonomous, preoccupied, dismissing, and fearful (Corresponds to B, C, A, & D in infants) Romantic Relationship Self Reports Experiences in Close Relationships – R Two subscales: Anxiety and Avoidance in Romantic Relationships Attachment Behavior in Sexual Relationships Security, Ambivalent, and Avoidant Subscales

Intercorrelation of sexual relationship measures Intercorrelation of sexual relationship measures Szielasko, Symons, & Price, 2007 Ambivalent r= -.67 Secure r=.51 r= -.82 Avoidant r= -.84 Insecure (Amb + Avoid) Secure

Sexual relationship subscales: Concurrent validation Secure Styles: *Prefer secure sexual partners (.28) *Do not prefer ambivalent (-.24) nor avoidant (-.27) partners *Are neither romantically anxious (-.31) nor avoidant (-.31) Ambivalent Styles: *Prefer avoidant sexual partners (.40) *Do not prefer ambivalent (-.39) nor secure (-.31) partners *Are both romantically anxious (.54) and avoidant (.37) Avoidant Styles: *Prefer ambivalent (.24) and avoidant (.30) sexual partners *Do not prefer secure (-.28) partners *Are romantically avoidant (.38)

Sexual relationship styles and sexual approaches - M + F Secure Ambivalent Avoidant Condom Use # Sexual Partners Exp. Unwanted Sex Exp. Verbal Coercion Exp. Sexual Assault Use Unwanted Sex Use Verbal Coercion

Anti-Social Behaviour: Delinquency Juvenile delinquents are minors who commit crimes or acts only illegal for minors. These crimes account for 30 percent of police arrests. Delinquency rises in early teenage years, remains high during middle adolescence, and declines into young adulthood. Adolescents commit 27 percent of violent crimes and 42 percent of property crimes.

Factors Related to Delinquency Much more common for boys than girls Low-SES and minority youths more aggressively arrested, charged, and punished Correlates Difficult temperament Low intelligence Poor school performance Peer rejection in childhood Entry into antisocial peer groups

Developmental Path to Delinquency