1. Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 1 Adolescence 8th edition Laurence Steinberg, Ph.D. Chapter Three: Social Transitions Insert Photo of Textbook cover

2. Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 2 Chapter 3 Overview  Society’s changing views of adolescence:  Social Redefinition  Adolescence as a social invention  What are the four major changes in status of adolescence?  How does the process of social redefinition progress?  How do adolescents transition into adulthood?  What is the influence of neighborhoods on adolescent development?

3. Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 3 Social Redefinition: An Overview  In all societies:  Adolescence is a period of social transition  The individual comes to be recognized as an adult  The social transition is less explicit in contemporary U.S. society than in traditional cultures

4. Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 4 Social Redefinition and Psychosocial Development  Identity  Attainment of adult status causes adolescent to feel more adult-like  Autonomy  Adult status leads to shifts in responsibility, independence, and freedom  Intimacy, dating and marriage  Need for new decisions about sexual activity  Achievement  Becoming a full-time employee; leave school of their own volition

5. Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 5 Adolescence as a Social Invention  Adolescence defined primarily by being distinct from childhood or adulthood, not by cognitive and biological changes  Inventionists stress that because we perceive adolescence as distinct, it exists as a distinct period of the lifespan  Relative to other cultures and historical periods  Problems experienced during adolescence may be due to society’s definition of adolescence, not cognitive or biological changes  Contradicts G. Stanley Hall’s views on adolescent development (driven by puberty)

6. Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 6 Adolescence as a Social Invention  Roots in the Industrial Revolution  Young people excluded from labor force  Economic dependence on elders  Formal schooling is lengthened  New Terminology  Teenager  Youth  Emerging adulthood Insert Photo

7. Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 7 Emerging Adulthood  Jeffrey Arnett’s term for ages 18-25 caught between adolescence and adulthood, characterized by:  Exploring possible identities before making enduring choices  Unstable work, romantic relationships, and living situations  Focus on oneself and independent functioning  Subjective feeling of being caught between adolescence and adulthood  Subjective feeling that life holds many possibilities

8. Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 8 Four Major Changes in Status  Interpersonal  Political  Economic  Legal  Two-sided alteration in status  Increasing privileges  Increasing responsibility

9. Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 9 Changes in Interpersonal Status  Addressed with adult titles  Maintain new types of social relationships with  Parents and elders  Younger individuals whose status has not yet changed  New interpersonal obligations  Taking care of and setting example for younger members of family Insert Photo

10. Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 10 Changes in Political Status  More extensive participation in the community’s decision making  Voting (U.S. citizens)  Ceremonial life (Navajo people - formal initiation ceremony)  Expected to serve their communities in emergency and train for warfare Insert Photo

11. Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 11 Changes in Economic Status  May own property and maintain control over their income  Until age 16, belongs to parents  Until 18, cannot enter into legal contract like a car lease  Age is a prerequisite for employment in certain occupations  Child labor laws in the United States  Expected to pay taxes Insert photo

12. Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 12 Changes in Legal Status  Ability to participate in activities typically reserved for adults  Gambling  Purchasing alcohol, smoking  Driving, voting  Expected to take increased responsibility for self-management and social participation

13. Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 13 The Process of Social Redefinition  In contemporary America  Generally begins at age 15 or 16  Cohort groups  Graduating class  Quinceañera celebrations  Fraternity/sorority pledge groups  Timetable is affected by economics, politics, and culture

14. Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 14 The Process of Social Redefinition  Some societies mark social redefinition of the young person with a dramatic and elaborate initiation ceremony called a rite of passage  Navajo: Kinaalda  This usually marks the beginning of a long period of training

15. Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 15 Social Redefinition: Three Major Components  Extrusion  Real or symbolic separation from parents  Separation of males and females  Brother-sister avoidance  Passing on of cultural, historical, and practical information  from the adult generation to the newly inducted cohort of young people

16. Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 16 Social Transitions: The Importance of Clarity  Lewin’s “Marginal man”  Contemporary trends in status according to Arnett:  Less emphasis on attaining a specific role and more emphasis on self-reliance  Decline in importance of family roles  Similar criteria for males and females, fewer gender-typed role expectations

17. Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 17 Social Transitions: Clarity in Industrialized Societies  Given the absence of clarity  People of the same chronological age may feel more mature or less mature than age-mates  No clear indication of when adult responsibilities and privileges begin  How adolescents view themselves today  Less emphasis on attainment of specific roles  Less emphasis on importance of family roles  Fewer gender role differences

18. Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 18 Social Transitions: Clarity in Traditional Cultures  Social redefinition is clearly recognized  Formal initiation ceremony  Boys: timing of ceremony varies  Girls: timing usually linked to menarche  Physical appearance is often changed (clothing, circumcision)  Adults clearly differentiated from children Insert photo

19. Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 19 Social Transitions: Clarity in Previous Eras  Baby boom generation (1950s- 1960s)  Finishing school, moving out, getting married all occurred early and within narrow timeframe  Transition in the early 19th century was more disorderly and prolonged (like today)  School – viewed as children  Work – viewed as adults  Timetable depended on household/family needs

20. Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 20 Continuity and Discontinuity  Continuous transitions  Gradual transitions, in which the adolescent assumes the roles and status of adulthood bit by bit  Discontinuous transitions  Sudden transitions, in which the adolescent’s entrance into adulthood is more abrupt, with little or no training

21. Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 21 Continuity and Discontinuity  Ruth Benedict - modern society has discontinuity  Little preparation for roles of worker, parent, citizen  Call to improve “school- to-work transition”  Youth apprenticeship model  Options for non-college- bound high school students  Traditional cultures  Previous eras Insert photo

22. Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 22 The Transition into Adulthood in Contemporary Society  Adolescents are living at home longer than ever before  55% U.S. 20- to 22- year-olds  May be a result of increased costs of housing and transportation

23. Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 23 Special Transitional Problems of Poor and Minority Youth Special Transitional Problems of Poor and Minority Youth  “Americanization”  associated with worse outcomes (compared to immigrants)  Many factors involved including poverty, discrimination, and segregation  Experiencing poverty during adolescence has an especially negative effect on school achievement

24. Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 24 What Can Be Done to Ease the Transition to Adult Work? What Can Be Done to Ease the Transition to Adult Work?  Restructuring of secondary education  Expand work and volunteer opportunities  Improve the quality of community life for adolescents and their parents  Expand opportunities in the workplace to make high school a “bridge”

25. Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 25 The Influence of Neighborhoods  Adolescents growing up in poor, urban communities are more likely to  Bear children as teenagers  Become involved in criminal activities  Achieve less in or drop out of high school

26. Copyright © 2008 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. 26 How Do Neighborhoods Affect Adolescent Development? If neighborhoods are poor:  Undermine collective efficacy of neighborhood  Stress of poverty undermines the quality of interpersonal relationships  Fewer chances to engage in activities that facilitate positive development; fewer resources available during difficult times