initiation ritespuberty menarchespermarche asynchronyidentity crisis cliqueconformity anorexia nervosabulimia nervosa gender identitygender role gender stereotypeandrogynous

Write a detailed paragraph about the issues and decisions you are facing now or in the near future that concern you the most.

 Adolescence: the transition period between childhood & adulthood  Many initiation rites mark admission into adulthood (examples?)  Great physical, mental & emotional changes occur  All adolescents face challenges in the form of developmental tasks that must be mastered:  List the 9 (p. 95)  Rank them from most important to least

 On avg, girls begin puberty between 8 & 10; boys between 9 & 16  Just before, both experience growth spurts (rapid increase in weight & height; lasts about 2 yrs) Changes During Adolescence Males Females

MalesFemales Increased muscle tissue Growth of testicles & penis Broadening of shoulders Deepening voice Growth of underarm, chest & facial hair Spermarche Increase in testosterone levels INCREASE IN FAT TISSUE DEVELOPMENT OF BREASTS WIDENING OF HIPS GROWTH OF UNDERARM HAIR MENARCHE INCREASE IN ESTROGEN LEVELS INCREASED HEIGHT & WEIGHT DEVELOPMENT OF PUBIC HAIR CHANGES IN OIL/SWEAT GLANDS

 Girls have menarche between 10 & 17  Boys achieve spermarche between 12 & 13  Growth can be awkward because of asynchrony

 Adolescents develop attitudes about sex & gender roles  Has been an increase in sexual awareness & activity in today’s teens  Teen pregnancies & births are societal issues  Fear of sexually transmitted diseases & AIDS have impacted sexual attitudes  Some teens choose abstinence – choice to avoid harmful behaviors such as sex or drugs & alcohol (WILL YOU?!)

Transition from childhood to adulthood involves changes in reasoning & moral thinking patterns as well as personality & sexual behavior adjustments Teenagers’ thinking becomes more abstract & less concrete Some adolescents may develop problems as a result of immaturity & abstract thought processes: –List the 6 problems (p. 103)

One’s moral development depends on many factors, especially the kind of relationships one has w/ parents or significant others Pronounced changes in moral development typically occur during college, when one is away from home, experiencing different cultures & ideas

Establishment of identity is key to adolescent development Most adolescents must go through an identity crisis The task of an adolescent is to become a unique individual w/ a valued sense of self in society Identity forms when issues such as choice of occupation, set of values to believe in & sexual identity are resolved The adolescent question is “Who am I?”

A principle developmental task is becoming independent of family Teens spend much of their time w/ friends – they need & use each other to define themselves Schools contain easily recognizable & well-defined groups (our school?) Class lines, looks, personality, athletic ability often determine if one will be accepted by a group

Belonging to a clique very important to most teens Social organization can often lead to conformity Peers tend to set standards on fashion, music, school-related issues but parents’ beliefs are more influential on marriage, religion, politics Teens tend to choose friends w/ values close to their parents

Most adolescents may experience some temporary psychological difficulties – the great majority adjust fairly quickly Rates of mental illness & suicide have increased over the past several decades

 A troubled minority of adolescents may engage in acts of juvenile delinquency  Running away  Teen pregnancy  Alcohol & drug abuse  Underachievement in school  Crime

 Can be triggered by many issues  Loss of a loved one through separation, relocation, divorce, or death  Bullying  Family history of depression  Substance/alcohol abuse  Physical or psychological abuse  Symptoms may be physical, mental, emotional, and/or behavioral

Affect many teens, especially females Anorexia nervosa causes one to have a distorted body image – see themselves as fat Bulimia nervosa causes one to be excessively concerned about body shape & weight

Gender identity vs. Gender role Gender roles vary among societies & can change radically within a society Gender roles may become so rigid they become gender stereotypes (common ones in our society – roles, behaviors, careers, etc?) Should more androgynous roles be accepted?

Are there differences between the sexes? Studies have shown: Males tend to be more confident, especially in academics or masculine tasks (math, science), women perceive themselves as less competent Aggression one area w/ most significant differences: females engage in more verbal aggressive acts, men participate in more physical aggression Men actually talk more than women & interrupt women more while they are talking Women use more hedges in speech (“you know”, “like”), more disclaimers (“I’m not sure”) & more tag questions at the end of sentences (“Okay?”) Women more likely to show submission & warmth, men display more dominance & status