Chapter 04 - Adolescence and Adulthood

Adolescence Adolescence: transition period from childhood to adulthood, extending from puberty to independence Due to improved nutrition, sexual maturation occurs earlier nowadays Psychologists note that adolescence is often marked by mood swings Begins with puberty: period of sexual maturation, during which one first becomes capable of reproducing; 2-year period of rapid development usually beginning in girls at age 11 and in boys at age 13 Primary sex characteristics: body structures (ovaries, testes, and external genitalia) that make sexual reproduction possible Secondary sex characteristics: nonreproductive sexual characteristics female breasts and hips, male voice quality and body hair Landmarks of puberty for boys are first ejaculation at about 14 and first menstrual period for girls at about 13 Menarche: first menstrual period Although variation in the timing of growth spurt has little effect in height, there are psychological consequences Early maturation is good for boys stronger, more athletic, and tend to be more popular, selfassured, and independent Early maturation for girls is stressful; but later when peers catch up, helps enjoy greater prestige and self-confidence Reasoning is often self-focused may believe private experiences are unique and no one understands the feelings Kohlbergs Moral Ladder 1. Preconventional morality (before age 9) Obey to either avoid punishment or to gain concrete rewards; If you dont feed the dog, he will die; If you do the dishes, you can have desert 2. Conventional morality (by early adolescence) Morality evolves to a more conventional level that upholds laws simply because they are laws and rules; since able to see others perspectives, follow actions that gain social approval or maintain social order; if you steal, everyone would think you are a thief 3. Postconventional morality Those who develop abstract reasoning of formal operational thought; follow what affirms peoples rights or what one personally perceives as basic ethical principles; if you steal the drugs, you would not have lived up to your own ideal; Robin Hood is a hero because he stole from the rich for the poor As our thinking matures, our behavior becomes less selfish and more caring To refine sense of identity, adolescents in western cultures try out different selves Different selves gradually reshape to form identity: ones sense of self; according to Erikson, the adolescents task is to solidify a sense of self by testing and integrating various roles

 Identity searching continues past teen years; as it becomes clearer, self-esteem increases Erikson contended that after identity stage is developing capacity for intimacy: ability to form close, loving relationships; primary developmental task in late adolescence and early adulthood As identity is formed, separation from parents occur Adulthood Physical abilities peak in early adulthood; world-class sprinters and swimmers peak in their teens or early twenties; but decline of abilities not noticed till later in life Women, because of early maturation, peak earlier than men Foremost biological sign of aging in women is menopause: time of natural cessation of menstruation; refers to biological changes a women experiences as ability to reproduce declines Menopause does not usually create psychological problems for women Womens expectations and attitudes regarding menopause influence its emotional impact Men experience decline in sperm count, testosterone level, and speed of erection and ejaculation With age, eyes pupil shrinks and lens becomes less transparent reducing light reaching retina Disease-fighting immune system weakens more susceptible to life-threatening disease; but due to lifetime collection of antibodies, less suffering of short-term ailments Since early adulthood, small, gradual loss of brain cells, but can be compensated by active growth of neural connections in people who remain active Some do suffer brain ailment such as Alzheimers disease: progressive and irreversible brain disorder characterized by gradual deterioration of memory, reasoning, language, and physical functions; deterioration of neurons that produce neurotransmitter acetylcholine Hard for older people to recall meaningless info, but if it is meaningful, their rich web of existing knowledge helps them catch it Cross-sectional study: study in which people of different ages are compared with one another; cross the age groups Show that younger people do better than older ones Longitudinal study: research in which same people are restudied and retested over long period; a group of people for a long time Show that until late in life, intelligence remains stable Found that because cross-sectional use people of different eras, other variables may skew the results; but longitudinal may be at fault as those who survive the end of test may be the healthiest, smartest Conclude that whether intelligence increases/decreases depends on type of intellectual preformance measured Crystallized intelligence: ones accumulated knowledge and verbal skills; tends to increase with age; As time passes, hardens = stronger (increases with time) Fluid Intelligence: ones ability to reason speedily and abstractly; tends to decrease with age Types of intelligence explain why mathematicians and scientists produce creative work in early adulthood while those in literature produce best work in late adulthood Social clock: culturally preferred timing of social events such as marriage, parenthood, and retirement 2 basic aspects of lives dominate adulthood: intimacy (forming close relationships) and generativity (being productive and supporting future generations) Children are the most enduring of life changes

 When children leave home, the empty nest is for most people a happy place and they report greater happiness and enjoyment of marriage People of all ages report similar levels of happiness and satisfaction with life; teenagers have quick changing range of moods while adults have less extreme, but more enduring moods Death and Dying Elisabeth Kubler-Ross proposed that terminally ill pass through 5 stages (Dabda): Denial; unacceptance of ill Anger or resentment; Why me? Bargaining; with God Depression; loss of everything and everyone Acceptance; peaceful, accepting ones fate

Bibliography Myers, David G., Psychology Fifth Edition. Worth Publishers, Inc. New York, NY 1998

Development in Adolescence
Adolescence is the transition period from childhood to adulthood, a period that brings sometimes tumultuous physical, social, and emotional changes. Adolescence begins with the onset of puberty and extends to adulthood, usually spanning the years between 12 and 20. Puberty is the period during which the reproductive system matures, a process characterized by a marked increase in sex hormones. Physical development. Physical development in adolescence includes a growth spurt as the body fills out, voice changes (especially in males), and an increase in sex hormones. Secondary sex characteristics, such as breasts in females and beards in males, appear. Girls' first menstruation ( menarche) usually occurs between the ages of 11 and 14. Social development. According to Erik Erikson, appropriate social development in adolescence requires solving the major challenge of ego-identity vs. role diffusion. To resolve this life crisis, adolescents must form an ego-identity, a strong sense of who I am and what I stand for, or they may suffer role diffusion (running from activity to activity), with the increased likelihood of succumbing to peer pressure.

Gender
Gender differences in behaviors or mental processes continue to develop during adolescence. Research has indicated that experience and learning have a greater impact on such behaviors than do biological factors. Gender identity, the recognition of being male or female, develops by age 3. Once they have established gender identity, children usually try to adapt their behavior and thoughts to accepted gender-specific roles. A gender role consists of the behaviors associated with one's gender. Gender-related activities help an individual to establish an identity. Sometimes a person adopts gender-role stereotypes, beliefs about the typical behavior of males and females expected by society.

 One meaning of the term androgynous is having adopted both behaviors associated with males and those associated with females. Androgynous males can do hard physical labor and yet care for babies; androgynous females can be homemakers and yet fix cars or drive taxis. Peer pressure. Peer pressure, a term used to denote legitimization of activities by a peer group, has been used to explain many adolescent societal difficulties. Although a peer group rarely forces an adolescent to try new activities, it may legitimize those activities by indulging in them. Sexual behavior. During the past few decades, the sexual behavior of adolescents has been heavily investigated. While the threat of AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) has changed some behaviors, many surveys indicate a dramatic increase in adolescent sexual activity through the twentieth century. The famous Kinsey survey in the 1940s reported that 50% of the men and 20% of the women surveyed reported having engaged in premarital intercourse by age 20. Three surveys in the 1980s found a substantial increase in the activity, with premarital intercourse reported by 68% of college men and 59% percent of college women. Studies have also shown that teenagers are still largely uninformed about contraception. Problems during adolescence. Adolescent problems are many and often involve the adolescents' relationships with their peer group as well as their search for identity. These problems not only may affect physical survival in adolescents but also may have lifelong physical and psychological effects. Substance abuse is a major health threat. Legal and illegal substances available to adolescents include tobacco, caffeine, alcohol, glue, paint vapors, and pills. In one survey, 30% of the adolescents reported using illicit drugs, such as amphetamine and cocaine. The spread of AIDS infections by use of dirty needles increases the seriousness of this health threat.

Development in Early & Middle Adulthood

Adulthood has no signpost to announce its onset (as adolescence is announced by puberty). In technologically advanced nations, the life span is more than 70 years. Developmental psychologists usually consider early adulthood to cover approximately age 20 to age 40 and middle adulthood approximately 40 to 65. Early adulthood. In early adulthood, an individual is concerned with developing the ability to share intimacy, seeking to form relationships and find intimate love. Long-term relationships are formed, and often marriage and children result. The young adult is also faced with career decisions. Choices concerning marriage and family are often made during this period. Research shows that divorce is more likely among people who marry during adolescence, those whose parents were divorced, and those who are dissimilar in age, intelligence, personality, or attractiveness. Separation is also more frequent among those who do not have children. Most people who have divorced remarry; consequently, children may experience more than one set of parents. Such alternatives to marriage as living together ( cohabitation) have become more common. In 1997, the Census Bureau estimated that 4.13 million unwed couples lived in the United States. Work/career choice affects not only socioeconomic status but also friends, political values, residence location, child care, job stress, and many other aspects of life. And while income is important in both career selection and career longevity, so are achievement, recognition, satisfaction, security, and challenge. In the modern cultures of many nations, the careers of both

spouses or partners frequently must be considered in making job choices. Middle adulthood. In middle adulthood, an important challenge is to develop a genuine concern for the welfare of future generations and to contribute to the world through family and work. Erik Erikson refers to the problem posed at this stage as generativity vs. self-absorption. Robert Havighurst lists seven major tasks in the middle years. accepting and adjusting to physiological changes, such as menopause reaching and maintaining satisfaction in one's occupation adjusting to and possibly caring for aging parents helping teenage children to become responsible adults achieving adult social and civic responsibility relating to one's spouse as a person developing leisure-time activities While a midlife crisis is not regarded as a universal phenomenon, during one's 40s and 50s comes the recognition that more than half of one's life is gone. That recognition may prompt some to feel that the clock is ticking and that they must make sudden, drastic changes in order to achieve their goals, while others focus on finding satisfaction with the present course of their lives.

Development in Late Adulthood

Late adulthood (old age) is generally considered to begin at about age 65. Erik Erikson suggests that at this time it is important to find meaning and satisfaction in life rather than to become bitter and disillusioned, that is, to resolve the conflict of integrity vs. despair. It has been estimated that by the year 2030, Americans over 65 will make up 20% of the population. Despite the problems associated with longevity, studies of people in their 70s have shown that growing old is not necessarily synonymous with substantial mental or physical deterioration. Many older people are happy and engaged in a variety of activities. Gerontology, an interdisciplinary field that studies the process of aging and the aging population, involves psychology, biology, sociology, and other fields.