1. Adolescent in society
CHAPTER 6

2. Oh adolescence
The life stage of adolescence – from about age 12 to 19 – can be a difficult one. Teenagers face an increasing number of decisions, responsbilities, and pressures. In 1999 nearly 50% of high school seniors smoked weed, and almost 65% smoked cigarettes. About 1/3 of teens have sex by 15. Adolescence can be a dangerous period as well, with accidents, homicide, and suicide being the top 3 killers of teens. Sociologists study a number of issues related to adolescence, ranging from the social causes of teen drug use to dating behaviors among teens.

3. Critical thinking
What do you think are some important issues related to adolescence that sociologists should study?
Why do you think so many adolescence do drugs, smoke cigarettes, and have sex at such an early age?
Do you think society has always been this way? Has it changed recently? Or are we more aware now because of how quickly news diffuses?

4. 6.1 adolescence in our society
No longer children…not quite adults
Adolescence: period between normal onset of puberty and the beginning of adulthood
Puberty: physical maturing
that makes an individual
capable of sexual reproduction
Adolescence does not exist
as a concept in many parts of
the world
Puberty does

5. Concept of adolescence
Beginning and end dates are blurred
Puberty Rites
Strength, endurance, tattooing or scarring
Prior to Civil War, adolescence does not exist
Small adults
3 factors to the development of adolescence
1. Education
2. Exclusion from workforce
3. Juvenile-justice system

6. Characteristics of adolescence
BIOLOGICAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
Puberty is biological not cultural
Growth spurts/weight changes
Sexual characteristics
Complexion problems

7. Characteristics of adolescence
UNDEFINED STATUS
Children and adults have clear expectations
Adolescence remains unclear
16 to marry (parental consent
18 to vote/fight

8. Characteristics of adolescence
INCREASED DECISION MAKING
Prior to adolescence most decisions are made for you
Adolescence = many decisions
Courses, sports, clubs, college/career,?
Some decisions are of little long-term importance
Some are very significant

9. Characteristics of adolescence
INCREASED PRESSURE
Parental pressure
School, sports, socially, career
School pressure
Assignments, attendance, extracurriculars
Peer pressure
“In group”

10. Characteristics of adolescence
SEARCH FOR SELF
When people know who they are, what they want out of life, and which values will serve them best…they are in a better position to make the most of adulthood.
Anticipatory socialization: learning the rights, obligations, and expectations of a role to prepare for assuming that role in the future
Playing house
Part time job, club membership, and dating

11. GO TO BED. SERIOUSLY, BUT NOT NOW
YOU NEED MORE SLEEP THAN BABIES
ADOLESCENTS REQUIRE ROUGHLY 9 HOURS AND 15 MINUTES OF SLEEP A NIGHT
NOTHING “COOL” IS GOING ON WEDNESDAY MORNING AT 12:17 AM SO GO TO BED

12. Get your timeline on BREAK INTO GROUPS OF NO MORE THAN 4 PEOPLE
YOUR JOBS ARE TO USE THE SOCIOLOGY BOOK I GIVE YOU, ALONG WITH THE COMPUTER TO MAKE A TIME LINE OF DATING AMONGST YOUTH STARTING AT THE INDUSTRIAL EVOLUTION TO PRESENT DAY
YOU ARE TO INCLUDE:
ALL VOCAB WORDS: dating, courtship, homogamy, courtship buggy
DATING PATTERNS
DATING NORMS/ACTIVITIES/TRADITIONS/UNIQUE THINGS
EXPLAIN WHY PEOPLE DATE

13. Courtship and dating Before dating, interaction was through:
Courtship: express purpose is eventual marriage
Dating can lead to marriage but casually for entertainment and amusement
Courtship much more strict than dating
Between steady dating and engagement
Young man asked permission, marriage was the intent, under close supervision, rarely left alone

14. Emergence of dating CAUSE EFFECT INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION
People moved from farms to the cities, where young adults could gain more economic freedom and their own homes. As a result, parental control over young adults and courtship decreased.
PUBLIC EDUCATION
By the 1900s most secondary-school students attended coeducational public schools, which increased interaction between boys and girls.
AUTOMOBILE
Young adults had more freedom of movement away from parents.
TELEPHONE
Young adults could more easily talk to members of the opposite sex.
EQUALITY OF WOMEN
More women entered the workforce and took on more active community roles, which increased the interaction between single adult men and women.

15. Gimme yo digits WHY DATE? Entertainment/fun
Socialization: learn about opposite sex
Fulfills psychological needs:
Conversation, companionship, & understanding
Attain status: judged by those we date
Outta your league gives you the bump
Spouse selection

16. Dating patterns TRADITIONAL Pre 1960’s Arranging the date = man
Selecting time, place, activity = man
Paying for expenses = man
Date night
Going steady: class ring, letterman, ID bracelet

17. Dating patterns CONTEMPORARY Aren’t as many set stages of dating
Equality in dating
Women now as men
Women pay for men or pay for themselves
Women being the romantic ones; gifts
Women listening to men’s needs

18. Riddle me this What are some benefits/drawbacks to teen dating?
What can be learned from teen dating? If anything?
Do males and females view dating differently?
If so, how?
As a teen, what do you want to get out of dating?

19. 6.3 Challenges of adolescence
New challenges exist that didn’t in childhood
Carving out your ID, future planning, independence, developing close relationships
Life can seem overwhelming
1980’s and 90’s research began to focus on the adolescent stage of development
Problems teens face: sex, drugs, and suicide

20. Teenage sexual behavior
Sex behavior varies from society to society
Some preindustrial societies permit sexual behavior
Trobrianders actually encourage it; prep for marriage
Western societies (U.S.) strict norms against premarital sexuality.
Outgrown from Puritan & Victorian views

21. Sexual revolution 1960’s and 1970’s Birth Control Youth counterculture
Feminist movement
Human sexuality openly discussed and explored
98% of TV programs have sexual reference
Physical intimacy found in almost every movie without “G”
Advertising
Resulting, current teen sexual activity

22. Rate of Teen Sexual Activity
1970: 29% unmarried females were active
1995: 50%
1970: 22 births per 1,000 unmarried teen females
1996: 43
Recent numbers show drops since the mid 90’s
Encouragement of abstinence or birth control
Some success: teen sex V, teen BC ^, teen pregnancy V

23. Influences on early sexual activity
Explanations for early sexual activity: social and economic factors
Family income level
Parents’ marital status, and religious participation
Two parent/higher income= lower sexual activity
Teens who practice their religion= lower sexual act.
Friends influence friends activity
Risk-taking behaviors; drugs/sex

24. Consequences of early sexual activity
Often negative consequences
Less than 1/3 teen girls use BC
~1M girls become pregnant every year
Teen pregnancy has further negative consequences:
Teen moms w/ low birth weights
Less likely to finish high school/college
More likely to experience learning troubles
Higher risk of becoming teen parents as well
Emotional stress
STDs: 4M teens contract each year

25. Teen drug use
Drug: any substance that changes mood, behavior, or consciousness.
Drug use 3,000 years ago (Greeks: opium)
Aztecs: hallucinogens, U.S.: cocaine and heroine until early 1900’s for nonmedical use
Drug violence (crack)
Alcohol, cigarettes, and weed
Why use?
Attitude towards drug use?

26. Teen suicide
Youth suicide occurs every 2 hours, 12 a day, 84 a week, over 4,000 a year
3rd cause of death age behind accident and homicide
4th among y.o.
’99: HS 8% said they attempted, 20% seriously thought and 14% had made a plan
Suicide is twice as high in ages 75-84

27. Teen suicide Durkheim: most comprehensive study to date
Why some groups w/in society have higher rates…
Social integration: degree of attachment people have to social groups or to society as a whole
High levels: putting group needs above yours
Low levels: rapid social change, moving, change in econ.
Teens focus on the present more than future