Lifespan Dev: Ch 8 & 9

PHYSICAL, COGNITIVE AND SOCIOEMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT Chapter 8 and 9

The Teenage Brain • Frontal lobe, still under construction • Insulating myelin sheath will not reach mature form for many years • Dramatic pruning

Identity Decisions begin to form the core of what the individual is all about as a human • Possible career?

• Political views • Religious identity • Relationship status • Achievement, intellectual identity • Sexual orientation • Cultural/ethnic identity • Hobbies/interests • Physical identity

Identity • Crisis (exploration): a period of identity development during which the adolescent is exploring alternatives • Commitment: part of identity development in which adolescents show a personal investment in forming an identity

Adolescence Stage of life defined as “storm and stress” • intense moodiness, emotional sensitivity, and risk-taking tendencies Became a distinct stage of life in twentieth century when going to high school was routine

Three Aspects of “Storm & Stress” 1. Adolescents are socially sensitive Research indicates that in emotionally charged situations, teens become more vulnerable to negative peer pressure.

• There is a tendency for immediate gratification over future rewards.

2. Adolescents are risk takers 1997−2008 research indicates that 1 in 6 teens had been arrested by age 18. By 23, arrest rate is 1 in 3!

• Research indicates that most U.S. high school seniors report having sampled alcohol.

• 2 in 10 report binge drinking (5 or more drinks at one time) • Good news: Most high school seniors report not using drugs, but this is based on selfreport.

3. Are adolescents more emotional, more emotionally disturbed, or both? Yes and no!

• Research indicates that adolescents live life on an intense emotional plane, shifting from euphoria to deep depression.

• However, teens are not irrational or emotionally disturbed.

• Other research found that most teens are typically confident, zestful, and hopeful about the future.

• While most teens are flourishing, about 6 percent reported feeling overwhelmed by life. § This can lead to risky behaviors such as selfmutilation or substance abuse to deal with the stress.

Consequences of “Emotional Storm” • 1 in 3 high school students engage in non-suicidal self-injury • Depression rate is significant with women being more susceptible than men.

Egocentrism Elkind’s theory attempts to make sense of teens’ emotional states • Become aware of others flaws, and in turn makes them more aware of their own flaws • Imaginary Audience: feel “on stage” everyone is judging them • Personal Fable: feel unique, nothing can hurt them, males à engage in risky behavior

Puberty Hormonal and physical changes that contribute to sexual maturity and adult height –

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Two Command Centers: Adrenal Androgens and HPG Axis (hypothalamus, pituitary, gonads) Development of Primary and Secondary Sex Characteristics Menarche and Spermarche Growth spurt Environmental contexts will affect child’s reaction to puberty

Sex Education Abstinence only programs: Do they work?

Abstinence Only Sex Education Shelly Donahue says . . . .

If a guy gets sperm anywhere near a girl’s vagina, it will turn into a “little Hoover vacuum” it will suck it right up and she will become pregnant

Abstinence Only Sex Education: • States with abstinence only education have the highest teen pregnancy rates • Only 13 states require that the information provided in a sex education class be medically accurate and contain verifiable facts • The United States leads the world in teen pregnancy rates and teen birth rates

•  $50 million of US taxpayer money is made available annually for grants to promote sexual abstinence Teens who received comprehensive sex education were 60% less likely to get pregnant

Body Image Issues • Peer pressure – Teasing

• Dating • Media – Presents unrealistic images (digitally altered) – Strong influence in promoting body dissatisfaction in both genders

Media: Popular Music • Determines what is beautiful or ugly and significant of love • Influences well-being

Eating Disorders • Anorexia Nervosa – Affects 1 in 1,000 teenagers (majority girls) – Self-starvation to being 85% or less of healthy body weight – Menstruation ceases – Distorted body image

• Bulimia Nervosa – Cycles of binging and purging – Consequences: mouth sores, loss of tooth (gray teeth), esophageal ulcers, esophageal cancer

Dating Who is having sex?

• Average first intercourse: 17 • 1 in 10 Girls & 1 in 7 Boys “sexual debut” by age of 15 • Older Significant Others • Peers • Media?

• The Double Standard?

Families

Most uplifting experiences occur when with family, however bad experiences out weight good 10 to 1

Includes: • Parental management & monitoring • Evolutionary Perspective à Attachment • Parent-adolescent conflict

Peers • Friends become more important in meeting social needs • Move away from parents and toward their friends • More secure relations with friends à more positive romantic relations at 20 - 23

Peers • Clique: small group who engage in similar activities • Crowds: larger than a clique, formed based on reputation, members may or may not spend much time together – Throwing up flags that signal “I’m your type of person, be friends with me”

Crowds Who are they?

What are different “types� of crowds? What kinds of activities do they engage in?

Bad Crowds: Problems Adolescent Problems: • Juvenile delinquency • Depression • Suicide Deviancy Training: Socialization of a young teen into delinquency through conversations centered on performing antisocial acts

Delinquency Causes (per Erikson) • Restricted from acceptable social roles • Feel as though they cannot measure up to the demands placed on them • Choose negative identity in an attempt to establish identity Hostile Attributional Bias: Reinforced message from antisocial peer groups à gangs

Gangs Close-knit delinquent peer group – Provide members with status, protection, and income – More prevalent in communities where life is dangerous and there are few options for a successful adult life – Changing the environment may not be the solution