1. Adolescence
How do you describe adolescence - who, what, when, where, etc.
What are some common characteristics of adolescence?

2. What exactly is it?
Adolescence: period between the normal onset of puberty (physical maturity that makes an individual capable of sexual reproduction) and the beginning of adulthood.
Roughly 13-23
No longer a child but not yet seen as an adult by society.

3. Characteristics of Adolescence
Biological growth and development: spurts in height/weight, changes body proportions, the development of sexual characteristics, and complexion problems.
Causes anxiety and embarrassment for many
Undefined Status: sometimes treated like children and at other times like adults (specifically in regards to expectations)

4. Characteristics continued
Increased Decision Making: some are of little life-long importance and others will have far-reaching consequences.
Increased Pressure: by parents, peers, school, job, etc.
Peers are often the greatest influence
Search for Self: time to decide what is most important to them - create personal norms that guide their behavior

5. Journal Activity (10 pts/2 each)
Take each of the five characteristics of adolescence and describe how you think it relates to the current “epidemic” of teen bullying.
Discussion to follow…
EXIT SLIP!!!

6. <3 Teens and Dating <3
Dating is not a universal phenomenon but it is familiar to most Americans.
Emerged after WWI
Prior to that, male and female interaction was based on courtship - purpose is eventual marriage.
Dating might lead to marriage but serves more as recreation and amusement in its casual stages.

7. Continuum of Dating Casual Dating Steady Dating Engagement Marriage
What changes as individuals move along the continuum?
How do you think dating has changed over time?
Why do you think it has changed?

8. Why Date?
The ultimate function (Durkheim…?) of dating is mate selection.
Also serves the purposes of:
Recreation - simply for fun
Socialization - teaches individuals about the members of the opposite sex and how to behave in social situations
Psychological needs fulfilled - conversation, companionship, and understanding
Status Attainment - judged by who we date

9. Problems of Adolescence
Teenage Sexual Behavior
Rate - how often and methods of safety (abstinence and birth control)
Influences - social and economic factors, subgroups, other risk-taking behaviors
Consequences - social and health factors (pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases)

10. Problems continued
Teenage Drug Use (something that changes the mood, behavior, and consciousness of an individual)
Rate - varies based on the type of drug
Influences - friends who use, social and academic adjustment issues, hostile and rejecting home settings

11. Problems continued Teenage Suicide
Causes and consequences: personal act that results from psychological factors, such as depression or frustration - sociologists are more interested in the social factors
Predictors: confusion and self-doubt of changing expectations experienced (often do not realize that problems can be solved with time and patience)

12. Suicide continued
Alcohol or Drug use - low levels of self-control and easily frustrated, act on impulse, method to commit suicide.
Triggering Events
Age - risk grows with age
Sex - females more likely (why?)
Family Relations - weakening of social bonds
Cluster Effect - one suicide sometimes results in other attempts in a community.

13. Journal Activity
Which problem do you think is most prevalent today and why?
Be specific with examples and descriptions (refrain from using specific names)
Should be at least a page.

14. Role-Playing
In groups of four, each of you take one of the following roles and describe, based on what you know from your own personal experience, and what we’ve talked about in class regarding adolescents, how you (as that person) 1) would view adolescents and 2) what you would do to change or deal with some of the issues that correlate with adolescence (ideas can go beyond our notes/discussion)
Parents
Teachers/Administrators
Coaches
Police Officers