1. Sociology: Chapter 5-1 The Adolescent in Society
“Adolescence in Society”
Standards: 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.11, 5.4

2. Adolescence in Society: See p. 110
Concept of Adolescence:
Present creation: Creation of Industrial Society
Adolescence: Period between normal onset of Puberty and beginning of adulthood
Puberty: Physical maturing that makes someone capable of reproduction
*Ages 12 to 19
Has become phenomenon in past years
Three Factors:
1. Education
2. Exclusion of youth from labor force
3. Development of Judicial System

3. Characteristics of Adolescence
1. Biological Growth (80% develop Acne)
2. Undefined Status (not a child; not an adult) Read p. 122 “Blurring of Adolescence)
3. Increased decision making (College?)
4. Increased Pressure (Peers vs. Parents)
5. Search for Self (Prepare for future)
-Who am I… Really?
-Anticipatory Socialization: Learning rights, obligations, and expectations of a role in preparing for assuming that role at a future date
-Dating, Part-time job, and school
Culture can also have a huge impact

4. Societies with no concept of adolescence
Ndembu of Zambia
Go straight from childhood to adulthood
Puberty Rite: ceremonies that mark the transition from childhood to adulthood
-Demonstrations of Strength
-Filing of the Teeth
-Tatooing of skin
Age 13/14: Can marry
Carry Households

5. “Teenagers and Dating”
Sociology: Chapter 5-2
“Teenagers and Dating”

6. Teenagers and Dating Well known in U.S. -Not a universal phenomenon
Ex: Arranged marriages
*Very recent phenomenon (Post WWI)
Pre-Dating in the U.S.
-Courtship: Express purpose is eventual marriage
-very formal and structured
-supervised by adults 100% of the time
Past:
Marriage: Timed by age at which a man acquired property necessary to support family

7. Industrial Revolution
Casual Dating emerged at the same time as the Industrial Revolution
-People move to city
-Child Labor Laws
-Free Public Education
-Technology: Telephone
*Young people had more time and were put into situations where they began to come into contact with other young people of the opposite sex

8. Why Date?
Homogamy: Tendency for individuals to marry people who have social characteristics similar to their own (Penn State Fraternity/Sorority Study)
Willer Waller: Dating was a form of recreation that has little to do with mate selection
1. Mate selection
2. Recreation: (Waller)
3. Mechanism of Socialization
4. Psychological Needs
Conversation, Companionship, Understanding
*Attain Status

9. Dating Patterns Traditional:
-Responsibility fell to male (Ask parents; Money)
-Ritualized
-Structured rules
-Set Activities (Movies…etc)
-Began Casually
-Moves to “Going Steady”

10. Dating Patterns Contemporary: Present -Teenagers more spontaneous
-Male and female initiate dates
-Relationships based on “group”
Exception:
-Court at 16: Boys
-14 Girls
-No Amish divorces yet

11. Sociology: Chapter 5 Sec 3
“Challenges of Adolescence”
Standards:

12. Some Problems 1. Identity Crisis 2. Plan for Future
3. Becoming more independent
4. Developing close relationships
*Most achieve w/o major problems
*Some feel overwhelmed
1980’s-90’s: Teenage studies took off
1. Teenage Sexual Behavior
2. Drug Abuse
3. Suicide

13. Teenage Sexual Behavior
Norms vary from society to society
-Small pre-industrial societies
South Pacific: Trobrianders
Sexual Experimentation Encouraged as preparation for marriage
West:
Strict norms against pre-marital sex
U.S. Stems from Puritan tradition

14. Sexual Activity
1960’s-70’s
-Birth Control Pill, Counterculture, and Feminism
-Norms began to change
-later consequences
Rate of Teenage Sexual Activity:
Females: age 15-19
1970: 29% Active/ 22 Births per 1,000 unmarried teens
1995: 50% Active/ 43 Births “ “
: Higher or lower? What do you think?
Influences on Sexual Activity:
Income level
Parental Marital Status
Religion
Subculture beliefs

15. Consequences of Sexual Activity
1. Babies have lower birth weights
2. Death during childbirth more likely
3. Less likely to finish high school
4. Lower Lifetime earnings
5. Children have learning disabilities
6. Babies have higher risks of being teenage parents
7. Emotional Stress without “mature” coping skills
8. STD: 4,000,000 teens contract STDs each year
**CDC: 1 in 4 Females between have either HPV, Chlamydia, and Genital Herpes

16. Teenage Drug Use
Drug: any substance that changes mood, behavior, or consciousness
Rates: 20% High school smokers
80% have tried alcohol
Influences
-Peers
-Social/Academic adjustment problems
-Hostile family setting
Attitudes:
1979: 42% Teenagers thought that Marijuana was dangerous
2007: 55%
Violence: 1990’s/ 1000 drug homicides/ year/Crack Cocaine main reasom

17. Drug Use 2005: 589 Drug Homicides
1998: 200,000 Juveniles Arrested for Drug Abuse Violations: 86% Increase from 1990
See Chart on Page: 125

18. Teen Suicide Rate has doubled in past three decades
-Third leading cause of death (age 5-24)
* Bigger problem with elderly
Girls; Try it more
Boys; More successful…why?
2006: 8% of high school students attempted suicide
17% Seriously considered

19. Suicide Emile Durkheim: Suicide Social Integration
-The degree of attachment that people have to social groups or to society as a whole
* People put the needs of the group over the needs of the individual
* Eskimos
*Japan

20. Predictors of Suicide 1. Alcohol/Drug use 2. Triggering event 3. Age
4. Sex
5. Population Density (Social Isolation)
6. Family Relations
7. Cluster Effect (Copy Cat)
Read Page 129