1. Introductory Psychology: Developmental Psychology
AP Psychology: unit III
Topic: Adolescence

4. The Nature of Adolescence
A “Carefree Time” versus G. Stanley Hall’s “Storm and Stress”
Trends today?
How is your adolescence different than my adolescence?
How is your adolescence different than your parents adolescence?
Cultural differences?

5. Adolescence: Physical Development
Part ONE

6. Adolescence: Physical Development
Characteristics of the Teenage Brain
Volume of white matter increases; significant growth of myelin sheath
Leads to enhanced conductivity & connectivity in the brain
Volume of gray matter decreases; synaptic pruning
Elimination of less-active synapses
Myelination & pruning are most pronounced in the frontal lobe/prefrontal cortex
“Executive control center”
Frontal lobe development lags behind the limbic system; not thought to be complete until the mid-20s

7. Adolescence: Physical Development
Sexual Development
Growth spurt
Girls (age 10); boys (age 12)
Puberty generally occurs (on average) two years after the initial growth spurt
Pubescence
The two-year span preceding puberty during which the changes leading to physical & sexual maturity take place
Secondary sex characteristics begin to develop during this period

9. Adolescence: Physical Development
Puberty
The onset of sexual maturation; marks the beginning of adolescence; lasts approximately 5 years
Primary sex characteristics reach full maturity during this period
Menarche & Spermarche
Generational differences in puberty?

10. Adolescence: Physical Development
The impact of puberty, especially early developers?
Adolescent sexual activity
Approximately ¾ of males and ½ females (between 15 and 19) have engaged in sex
Average: 16 and 17 for males & females respectively
Teenage pregnancy
Rate of teen pregnancy has fallen in the last 50 years
Highest in U.S. of all industrialized nations

11. Adolescence: Cognitive Development
Part two

12. Adolescence: Cognitive Development
Piaget’s Stage Theory
Formal Operational
Characteristics of Stage
Due to the continuing maturation of the frontal lobes, abstract and hypothetical thinking become possible
***Not all adolescents use their formal operational thought processes equally well…

13. Adolescence: Cognitive Development
Characteristics of Adolescent Thought
Introspection
Hypocrisy
Personal Fable (form of egocentrism)
Type of thought common to most adolescents
The belief that they (+ their experiences) are unique and therefore, they are protected from harm/invulnerable
“You just don’t understand me, I’m different from you!”
“It can’t happen to me, I’m special!”

14. Adolescence: Cognitive Development
Characteristics of Adolescent Thought
Imaginary Audience (form of egocentrism)
Type of thought common to most adolescents
The belief that other people are just as concerned about their thoughts & characteristics as they themselves are

15. Adolescence: Cognitive Development
Moral Development (Lawrence Kohlberg, 1973)
As with all developmental stage theories, the sequence is unvarying
Preconventional
Conventional
Postconventional
Adolescents & adults can be found in all 3 levels

16. Adolescence: Cognitive Development
Preconventional
Typical of very young children
Focused on self-interest; consequences determine morality
Obey rules to: (1) avoid punishment or (2) gain concrete awards
EXAMPLE
A child who steals a toy from another child & DOES NOT get caught does not see that action as wrong
(A: Punishment-Avoidance & Obedience)
(B: Exchange of Favors)

17. Adolescence: Cognitive Development
Conventional
Typical of older children, adolescents & most adults
Conformity is right; nonconformity is wrong
One upholds the law simply because it’s the law
EXAMPLE
A child criticizes his or her parent for speeding because speeding is against the law
(C: Good Boy/Good Girl)
(D: Law and Order)

18. Adolescence: Cognitive Development
Postconventional
(About 20% of the adult population)
Moral principles determined by the individual; may disagree with societal norms
Actions are judged “right” because they come from self-defined, basic ethical principles
EXAMPLE
A reporter who wrote a controversial story goes to jail rather than reveal the source’s identity
(E: Social Contract)
(F: Universal Ethical Principle)

19. Adolescence: Cognitive Development
Criticisms of Kohlberg’s Stage Theory
Carole Gilligan (1982)
Male-oriented; used only males in his study; proposed that men & women have different perspectives on morality
Men: actions that lead to a fair or just end
Women: actions that are nonviolent & hurt the fewest people
Biased against collectivist societies such as China and India
Kohlberg’s methods?

20. Adolescence: Psychosocial Development
Part three

21. Adolescence: Psychosocial Development
Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial Stage Theory
Identity versus Role Confusion (Stage 5)
The premier challenge of adolescence is the struggle to form a clear sense of identity
Stable concept of oneself as a unique individual
Adoption of values that provide a sense of direction
“Who am I?”
“Where am I going in life?”
Recognized that this struggle often extends beyond adolescence

22. James Marcia: Identity Statuses
CRISIS
Present
Absent
COMMITTMENT
Identity Achievement
Successful achievement of a sense of identity
Identity Foreclosure
Unquestioning adoption of parental or societal values
Identity Moratorium
Active struggling for a sense of identity
Identity Diffusion
Absence of struggle for identity, with no obvious concern about it
James Marcia: Identity Statuses

23. Adolescence: Psychosocial Development
Jeffrey Arnett, Emerging Adulthood
A new transitional period?
Ages 18-25; attributed to a variety of demographic trends
Length of education; delay of education; delay of parenthood; increasing barriers to financial independence
Characteristics
Exploration and instability
A feeling of “in-betweenness”
“Age of possibilities”
(Identity formation well into young-adulthood)