Cornell Adolescent Psychology.docx - Adolescent Psychology:...

Adolescent
Psychology:
Notes 1
Discussions (Surge B 167)
Lecture 1 – Social Transitions
Human development – Every person is in certain respects like all other people, like some other
people, like no other people.
When is someone an adult?
Context influence experience – varies across cultures and societies.
Biological, cognitive, and social transitions don’t always line up nicely .
CONTEXT
influences all of these.
Early Adolescence (10-13)
Middle Adolescence (14-17)
Late Adolescence (18-21)
Emerging adulthood (Early to mid – 20s) 18 -25
What is Adolescence?

People always exist in contexts.
Microsystems; Exo-system; Macro-system (changes through time)
Nature? Nurture? Both?
Genetic:
Genes/biology -> youth outcomes
Social-Contextual (ecological perspective):
Contexts or other people -> youth outcomes
Relational
People and contexts influence each other
Contemporary views of Adolescent
A transitional period of the lifespan
 Puberty
 Search for separation – autonomy
 Develop cognitive maturity
 Formulate an identity
 Take on adult roles
Does transitional = turbulent? A time of “storm and stress”? – G. Stanley Hall
On average, mood becomes less positive across early adolescence, then levels out . Average
happiness is positive!
More intra-individual variation in later adolescence (especially for girls)
Identity
Identity related to statuses (being a daughter/son or sibling; your race/ethnicity; your gender) or
based on interest, aspirations, or self-selected identities or characteristics (artist/nerd; future
lawyer, psychologist; studious, member of various clubs)
Some may become more important in different periods of time.
Social Transitions

Social redefinition – the process of characterizing youths’ position or status in society
In all societies:
 Adolescence is a period of social transition
 Age of majority (the individual comes to be recognized as an adult)
Theoretical perspectives
Recapitulation Theory (Ernst Haeckel, used by G Stanley Hall )
Ontogeny (human lifespan) recapitulates (following) phylogeny (evolutionary history)
Early development follows evolutionary stages
Adolescence-emergence of unique adult forms
Adolescence as a Social Invention (purely Social)
Adolescence defined primarily by social perception
Because we perceive adolescence as distinct, it exists as a distinct period of the lifespan
Expectations thought to be adolescent issues may be due to society’s definition of adolescence
Contradicts G. Stanley Hall’s view on adolescent development (driven by biology)
A changing View of Adolescence
Industrialization
Young people excluded from labor force
Formal schooling was lengthened to emphasize preparation for work and social contribution
New terminological developed (Teenager Youth Emerging adulthood.)
Changes in Status
Age of majority (two-sided alteration in status such as increasing privileges and responsibility )