Module 29 Adolescence: Becoming an Adult Chapter 9, Pages Essentials of Understanding Psychology- Sixth Edition PSY110 Psychology © Richard Goldman November 6, 2006

Physical maturity Sexual Maturity Social Changes  Emotional  Cognitive

Teen Years Very Difficult  Not children and not adults  > 50% in single parent families  Spends more time with peers than family Puberty  Boys – better athletes  Girls – More sexually attractive (may be subject to ridicule)

Moral & Cognitive Development (Right & Wrong) Kohlberg – Level of Moral Understanding  Children – Rules (Black & White)  Adolescents – Understanding conventional morality (Grey)  Adult – Morality - Global

Suicide Hopelessness 3 rd leading cause of adolescent death Males commit suicide 5X more the females Females “attempt” suicide more than males

Rights of Passage Mostly male (boyhood to manhood) Culture Dependent  First communion  Barmitsfa  Debutante Ball  High School Graduation