7: Adolescence
- Page ID
- 54372
\( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)
\( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)
\( \newcommand{\dsum}{\displaystyle\sum\limits} \)
\( \newcommand{\dint}{\displaystyle\int\limits} \)
\( \newcommand{\dlim}{\displaystyle\lim\limits} \)
\( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)
( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\)
\( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\)
\( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\)
\( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\)
\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)
\( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\)
\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)
\( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\)
\( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\)
\( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\)
\( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\)
\( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\)
\( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\)
\( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\)
\( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)
\( \newcommand{\vectorA}[1]{\vec{#1}} % arrow\)
\( \newcommand{\vectorAt}[1]{\vec{\text{#1}}} % arrow\)
\( \newcommand{\vectorB}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)
\( \newcommand{\vectorC}[1]{\textbf{#1}} \)
\( \newcommand{\vectorD}[1]{\overrightarrow{#1}} \)
\( \newcommand{\vectorDt}[1]{\overrightarrow{\text{#1}}} \)
\( \newcommand{\vectE}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash{\mathbf {#1}}}} \)
\( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)
\(\newcommand{\longvect}{\overrightarrow}\)
\( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)
\(\newcommand{\ket}[1]{\left| #1 \right>}\)
\(\newcommand{\bra}[1]{\left< #1 \right|}\)
\(\newcommand{\braket}[2]{\left< #1 \vphantom{#2} \right| \left. #2 \vphantom{#1} \right>}\)
\(\newcommand{\braopket}[3]{\left< #1 \vphantom{#2}\vphantom{#3} \right| #2 \vphantom{#1}\vphantom{#3} \left| #3 \vphantom{#1}\vphantom{#2} \right>}\)
\(\newcommand{\qmvec}[1]{\mathbf{\vec{#1}}}\)
\(\newcommand{\op}[1]{\hat{\mathbf{#1}}}\)
\(\newcommand{\expect}[1]{\langle #1 \rangle}\)
\(\newcommand{\dfn}[1]{\emph{\textbf{#1}}}\)
Learning Objectives
-
Adolescence is a period of development that begins at puberty and ends at emerging adulthood: the typical age range is from 12 to 18 years, with some predictable milestones
-
Puberty involves distinctive physiological changes in height, weight, body composition, and sex characteristics that are largely influenced by hormonal activity
-
During puberty the adolescent develops secondary sex characteristics (such as deeper voice in males, and the development of breast and hips in females) as their hormonal balance shifts
-
The adolescent growth spurt involves rapid increases in height and weight as a result of increases in the release of growth hormones, thyroid hormones, androgens and estrogens.
-
Because of the variable rates of development, puberty can be a source of pride or embarrassment
-
Jean Piaget describes adolescence as the stage wherein thoughts start taking more abstract forms, and egocentrism shifts. The adolescent can think and reason with a wider perspective
-
The Constructivist Perspective takes a quantitative state-theory approach, hypothesizing that adolescent cognitive improvements are sudden and drastic.
-
The Information Processing perspective derives from artificial intelligence models, and attempts to explain things in terms of the growth of specific components of the thinking process
-
Improvements in basic thinking abilities generally occur in five areas: attention, memory, processing speed, organization, and metacognition.
-
Metacognition is relevant in social cognition, increasing introspection, self- consciousness and intellectualization. It also encourages adolescents to question rules, assertions and such.
-
Wisdom, or the capacity for insight and judgment, is developing through experience, and increases steadily through age 25... however, young adolescents have an increased tendency to engage in risky behavior
-
The relationships adolescents have with their peers, family and members of their social sphere play a vital role in their development
-
As adolescents work to form their identities they pull away from their parents, and their peer group becomes very important. This may increase conflict with parents
-
Peer groups offer their members the opportunity to develop social skills; however, they can also be a sources of negative influence, such as peer pressure
-
Culture is learned and socially shared, and affects all aspects of an individual's life. Social responsibilities, sexual expression, and belief system development all vary by culture
-
Adolescents develop unique belief systems through their interaction with social, familial and cultural environments. Cultural attitudes may promote positive or negative developmental influences
Adolescence is a socially constructed concept. In pre‐industrial society children were considered adults when they reached physical maturity; however, today we have an extended time between childhood and adulthood known as adolescence. Adolescence is the period of development that begins at puberty and ends at emerging adulthood; the typical age range is from 12 to 18 years, and this stage of development has some predictable physical milestones.