Psychology: Adolescence and Adulthood

Adolescence and Adulthood

• Adolescence is a transition from childhood to adulthood
• It starts with puberty and ends with achieving independence
• Historically, adolescence was considered a time of "storm and stress"
• There's tension between biological maturity and social independence
• However, for many, adolescence is a time of vitality, rewarding friendships, and heightened idealism
• Adolescence is characterized by three types of development: physical, cognitive, and social

Adolescence: Physical Development

• Puberty is the beginning of adolescence, marked by a surge in hormones
• Puberty triggers physical changes including primary and secondary sexual characteristics
• Girls typically develop breasts, grow taller, experience menstruation, and develop pubic and underarm hair
• Boys typically experience penis and testicular enlargement, facial hair growth, and voice changes
• Teenage brains continue to develop, but their frontal lobes mature more slowly, leading to impulsivity and risk-taking behavior. The teenage brain is still developing and increasing their connections.

Adolescence: Cognitive Development

• Adolescent thinking develops reasoning ability
• This includes formal operational thinking, allowing for abstract reasoning, hypothetical situations, and complex moral reasoning.
• Kohlberg's theory of moral development outlines three levels: preconventional (obeying rules to avoid punishment or gain reward), conventional (following social rules and conventions), and postconventional (having personal ethical principles and values).
• Reasoning ability increases during adolescence, allowing young people to think more abstractly and critically about themselves and the world around them.

Adolescence: Social Development

• Forming an identity is a major aspect of social development in adolescence
• Adolescents question themselves, try different roles, and look for their identity
• Peers significantly impact social development
• Parent–child conflict may increase, but adolescents' approval of their parents remains high.

Emerging Adulthood

• Emerging adulthood is a distinct stage between adolescence and full adulthood
• People are unsettled without being fully adults
• They may live with family and experience feelings of "in between".
• People haven't taken on many of their adult responsibilities but are still being expected to be independent

Adulthood: Physical Development

• Early adulthood, 20's and 30's: peak in strength, reaction time, reflexes and cardiac output
• Middle adulthood, to age 65: Decline in physical capabilities including stamina, memory, neural processing and immune function begin to decline
• Life after 65: decline in visual sharpness, immune system weakens, further decline in cognitive ability

Adulthood: Cognitive Development

• Early adulthood: peak time in terms of learning and memory functions
• Middle adulthood: decline in ability to recall information
• Later adulthood: retaining meaningful information is preserved, but recall declines over time
• End of Life: marked by a terminal decline in cognitive function

Adulthood: Neurocognitive Disorders

• Neurocognitive disorders include Alzheimer's disease, brain injury, and substance-induced disorders
• They cause progressive decline in cognitive abilities. This may include memory, reasoning, and other cognitive abilities

Adulthood: Social Development

• Transitions and commitments: including mid-life crisis and forming close relationships (intimacy)
• Well-being across the life span: People who reach old age are relatively happy
• Social clock: This concept describes culturally expected times for certain life events
• Death and Dying: Coping with death, is unavoidable and varies by culture
• Biopsychosocial influences on successful aging: Biological, Social, and Physical factors contribute to aging

This quiz explores the stages of adolescence, highlighting the transition from childhood to adulthood. It covers key concepts such as physical, cognitive, and social development, focusing on the changes that occur during puberty. Understand the complexities of adolescence and the factors influencing this critical period in human development.