1. Psychology Chapter 4
Adolescence

2. Adolescence Physical Development:
In earlier times the transition from childhood to adulthood was brief
Today the period known as adolescence is sometimes divided into smaller categories

3. Early Adolescence
Middle Adolescence
Late Adolescence (based on maturity of individual)

4. Growth Spurts Usually last two to three years
Girls begin the growth spurt earlier, 10 or 11
Boys are typically 2 years behind
Girls tend to be taller and heavier during early adolescence

5. Puberty Is the onset of adolescence
Refers to the specific developmental changes that lead to the ability to reproduce
In boys the production of more Testosterone
In girls the production of more Estrogen

6. Cognitive Development sec 2
the thinking patterns characteristic of adults begin to emerge
Jean Piaget described this as formal operations thinking
from about age 11 or 12, most people’s thinking becomes more abstract
ability to understand higher-level thinking, contemplate abstract principles, and deal with analogies and metaphors.

7. new intellectual capacities also enable the adolescent to deal with overpowering emotional feelings through rationalization
Rationalization grows out of the need for people to see themselves as decent and moral individuals
The change in thinking patterns is usually accompanied by changes in personality and social interactions as well
Some adolescents even develop a “messiah complex” and believe they can save the world from evil

8. the adolescents of each generation typically become impatient with what they see as the adult generation’s failures
David Elkind, notes that adolescents often overlook what may seem obvious to adults, instead these young people may develop complicated solutions for common issues
adolescents believe that they are always playing to an audience with an extreme interest in their individual activities
believe that their feelings are unique and cannot be understood by anyone else
DAVID ELKIND -

9. Moral Development
Reaching higher levels of moral thinking involves the ability to abstract—to see a situation from another’s viewpoint
psychologists agree that a person’s moral development depends on many factors- relationship the individual has with his or her parents or significant others

10. Erik Erikson’s research has shown that the establishment of identity is key to adolescent development.
building an identity is a task that is unique to adolescence
achieve some sense of themselves, most adolescents must go through what Erikson termed an identity crisis
Adolescents begin to see the future as a reality, not just a game
Identity Development

11. adolescents face a crisis of identity formation versus identity confusion
Identity forms when the adolescent can resolve issues such as the choice of an occupation, a set of values to believe in and live by, and the development of a sexual identity
The adolescent question is “Who am I?”

12. James Marcia
Marcia distinguished four types of adolescent attempts to achieve a sense of identity
identity moratorium adolescents, who are seriously considering the issues but have not made a commitment on any of the important matters facing them
compromise between their parents, society’s demands, and their own abilities

13. identity foreclosure adolescents, this is an individual who has made a firm commitment about issues based not on their own choice but on the suggestion of others
identity confused or diffused adolescents, individual of this type has not yet given any serious thought to making any decisions and has no clear sense of identity
identity achievement adolescents, who considered many possible identities and have freely committed themselves to occupations and other important life matters

14. Social Development, sec 3
Psychologically, adolescence ends when people become adults and take on adult responsibilities
For some adolescence may be quite extended, for others quite short
Difficulties at home or school may lead to psychological and social problems

15. Relationships with Parents
During adolescence parent-child relationships undergo redefinition
Most changes are positive
Despite conflict, adolescents share similar social, political, religious, and economic views
Tend to interact with mothers more, see mothers as more supportive

16. Relationships with Peers
By the 7th grade friends of the same gender are generally seen as providing more support than parents
Value loyalty as a key aspect of friendship
“Stick up for you” and do not “talk about you behind your back”
Close friends provide support and understanding, strengthen ability to be a caring person, and contribute to self-esteem
Friendships of adolescent girls tend to be closer

17. Teenage Depression and Suicide
teenage depression is much more widespread than most parents or educators suspect
major events, loss of a loved one through separation, family relocation, divorce, or death
adolescent may experience grief, guilt, panic, and anger as a reaction. If the teenager is not able to express these feelings in a supportive atmosphere, depression may result

18. warning signals: change in the intensity and frequency of rebellious behavior, withdrawing from friends, engaging in dangerous risk taking, talking about suicide, and excessive self-criticism
greatest danger of suicide occurs after a depression seems to be lifting
publicizing suicide seems to encourage more suicidal behavior
The best way to deal with teenage depression is to communicate with the teenager about his or her problems

19. anorexia nervosa: is characterized by refusing to eat and not maintaining weight
are frequently perfectionists who do well in school, but suffer from low self-esteem
have an intense fear of gaining weight or amassing fat
distorted body image—they see themselves as overweight and fat even though they are underweight and thin
Eating Disorders

20. Some psychologists suggest that anorexia represents a female’s refusal to grow up
Other psychologists propose that anorexia is an attempt by teenagers to assert control over their lives at a time when so much seems beyond their control
bulimia nervosa : characterized by binge eating followed by purging—vomiting, using laxatives, or rigorous dieting and fasting
People suffering from bulimia nervosa are excessively concerned about body shape and weight

21. bulimics usually appear to be healthy, and may even be overweight
1.5 percent of women report having bulimia nervosa at some time in their lives
psychologists suggest that bulimia may result from a teen’s feeling of alienation during adolescence or a need to find approval from others
Some bulimics also experience depression, anxiety, and mood swings

22. Gender Roles and Differences
Gender Identity: sex refers to biological status, whereas gender refers to the behaviors that a culture associates with people of a particular sex
a person’s sexual identity and gender identity are the same: males usually identify as male, and females as female - gender-normative
When males identify as females or females identify as male, they are said to be transgender
Gender Roles and Differences

23. Gender identity is one’s sense of oneself as male, female, or transgender
Gender identity includes genetic traits we have inherited and may include some gender-linked behaviors as well
ages of 2 and 3, most children learn to label themselves as boys or girls
By the age of 5, most children have learned the thoughts, expectations, and behaviors that accompany their gender role

24. A person’s gender role is defined partly by genetic makeup but mainly by the society and culture in which the individual lives
gender role is a standard of how a person with a given gender identity is supposed to behave and includes the traditional behaviors that society expects
in the United States, men were traditionally viewed as dominant, competitive, and emotionally reserved
women were viewed as submissive, cooperative, and emotionally responsive

25. The strongest influence on a child’s gender role development is the parents
Parents can directly influence this development, for example, by assigning housework to a daughter and lawn care duties to a son
parents also can influence gender role development indirectly
gender roles vary among societies, they also may change radically within a society, as today in the United States and Canada.

26. Gender stereotypes are oversimplified or prejudiced opinions and attitudes about how men or women should behave
Media advertising often uses stereotypes to target specific genders and may shape children’s idea of male or female
The stereotype that men are rugged and women are sensitive is rooted in a time when division of labor was necessary for survival
Gender Stereotypes

27. Sandra Bem - Sex Role Inventory
androgynous roles—that is, roles that involve a flexible combination of traditionally male and female characteristics
traits such as ambition, self-reliance, independence, and assertiveness were considered to be desirable for men
traditional gender roles are restrictive for both men and women, and can have negative consequences for individuals as well as society as a whole.

28. Gender Differences in Personality
aggression, or hostile or destructive behavior, is one of the areas with the most significant differences between genders
Females engage in more verbal aggressive acts
males participate in more physical aggression
Evidence from studies of identical twins also indicates that men have lower levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin than women
Gender Differences in Personality

29. Lower levels of serotonin have been associated with higher levels of aggression
popular stereotypes portray women as more talkative, studies have demonstrated that men actually talk more than women and interrupt women more while they are talking
Women talk more, though, when they have power in a relationship
nonverbal communication: Women are more likely to show submission and warmth, whereas men display more dominance and status

30. Showing submission nonverbally is by holding your limbs close to your body
dominance can be expressed by taking up more space

31. Perspectives on Gender Differences
Biological Theory: Supporters of this theory state that regardless of what parents do, boys will tend to be more aggressive and girls will tend to be more sociable.
Psychoanalytical Theory: when a child identifies with a parent of the same sex, gender identity results
Social Learning Theory: children learn their gender roles by observing and imitating models, such as their parents, friends, peers, and teachers
Perspectives on Gender Differences

32. Cognitive-Developmental Theory: children acquire gender roles by interacting with their environment and thinking about those experiences
gender schema is a mental representation of behavior that helps a child organize and categorize behaviors

33. before the 1960s in the United States some women worked but few women were able to pursue careers
By the mid-1980s, though, this had changed, with most women working outside the home
In 2010, 72 million women, almost 60 percent, are employed or looking for work and a growing percentage of women earn more than their husbands
Changing Gender Roles

34. studies have shown that women do not advance as quickly as men and often occupy lower levels of leadership
Companies may discriminate against women by not hiring or promoting them
women interrupt their careers for child care and in doing so miss opportunities for promotion and salary increases

35. Entering Adulthood Sources of Change:
college may challenge the identity a student established in high school
students will encounter greater diversity in college than they ever have before
Entering Adulthood