Week 4 - Chapter 3 Social Transitions PDF

Summary

This document looks at the concept of social redefinition and its impact on adolescence. It explores topics such as the development of adolescence, social transitions, and the process of social redefinition as an individual moves towards adulthood. This chapter is appropriate for an undergraduate sociology or psychology course.

Full Transcript

Week 4 - Chapter 3: Social Transitions Wednesday, September 25, 2024 1:11 PM Chapter 3 Overview (1) - Dolphins are social mammals - travel together - Social Redefinition and Psychosocial Development - The Elongation of Adolescence - Adolescence as a Social Invention ○ The “Inventi...

Week 4 - Chapter 3: Social Transitions Wednesday, September 25, 2024 1:11 PM Chapter 3 Overview (1) - Dolphins are social mammals - travel together - Social Redefinition and Psychosocial Development - The Elongation of Adolescence - Adolescence as a Social Invention ○ The “Invention” of Adolescence ○ Emerging Adulthood: a New Stage of Life or a Luxury of the Middle Class? - Changes in Status During Adolescence ○ Drawing a Legal Boundary ○ Inconsistencies in Adolescents’ Legal Status - The Process of Social Redefinition ○ Common Practices in the Process of Social Redefinition - Variations in Social Transitions ○ Variations in Clarity ○ Variations in Continuity - The Transition Into Adulthood in Contemporary Society ○ Special Transitional Problems of Poor, Minority, and Immigrant Youth ○ The Effects of Poverty on the Transition Into Adulthood ○ What Can Be Done to Ease the Transition? - The Influence of Neighborhood Conditions on Adolescent Development ○ Processes of Neighborhood Influences Social Redefinition And psychosocial development (1) - Adolescent redefining who they are as a adolescent - Goal: identified but adult - legs behind cognitive change - Social redefinition: The process through which an individual’s position or status is redefined by society - In all societies the following is true: ○ Adolescence is a period of social transition. - legs behind cognitive change - Social redefinition: The process through which an individual’s position or status is redefined by society - In all societies the following is true: ○ Adolescence is a period of social transition. ○ The individual comes to be recognized as an adult. - The specific elements of this social passage from childhood into adulthood vary across time and place. - Identity ○ Attaining adult status causes adolescents to feel more mature and to think more seriously about future work and family roles. ○ How they see themselves how others see them - Autonomy ○ Adult status leads to shifts in responsibility, independence, and freedom. ○ The adolescent-turned-adult faces a wider range of decisions that have serious long-term consequences. ○ Behavioural independence or emotional autonomy or moral autonomy ○ Shift in rights and responsibility ○ All cultures recognize transition that a child is becoming an adolescence - Achievement ○ Adolescents must attain a certain age before becoming a full- time employee or leaving school of their own volition. ○ Becoming an adult means they need to achieve certain statuses - Relationships ○ Young person faces new decisions about intimacy, dating, and marriage. ○ Age of majority: The designated age at which an individual is recognized as an adult - age of majority where at a certain age they’ll be recognized as an adult (diff from legal status) ○ Statutory rape: Sex between two individuals, even when it is consensual, when at least one of the persons is below the legal age of consent; in the United States, the specific age of consent varies from state to state The Elongation of Adolescence - Adolescence lasts longer today than ever before. ○ Individuals start puberty earlier and enter into adult roles of work and family later. ○ Experts define adolescence as “beginning in biology (physical changes) and ending in culture (social change).” ○ Theory has go back 200 years ago: individuals are staying int his - Adolescence lasts longer today than ever before. ○ Individuals start puberty earlier and enter into adult roles of work and family later. ○ Experts define adolescence as “beginning in biology (physical changes) and ending in culture (social change).” ○ Theory has go back 200 years ago: individuals are staying int his adolescent phase much longer than previously - Menarche and marriage are probably the best markers to use for the beginning and end of adolescence. ○ In the middle of the 19th century, adolescence lasted around 5 years. ○ By 1900, it lasted 7 years. ○ By 2010, 15 years passed between menarche and marriage, on average. - Measures females time between menarche and marked off when they were married - Age of first period has decreased - Girls are staying in school, living at home, take longer to become financially dependent - "what if ppl don't get married" - use financial independence instead Adolescence as a Social Invention - How do we want to talk a look at social transitions? - Some argue that adolescence is mainly a social invention. ○ Innovationists: Theorists who argue that the period of adolescence is mainly a social invention --> was society, community - we invented thing called adolescence- didn’t exist before industrial revolution ○ Adolescence is defined primarily by the ways in which society does or does not recognize the period as distinct from childhood or adulthood. - Adolescence is defined differently in different cultures and historical periods. ○ Problems experienced during adolescence may be due to society’s definition of adolescence, not cognitive or biological changes. ○ This contradicts G. Stanley Hall’s view that psychological changes of adolescence are driven by puberty. The “Invention” of Adolescence (1) - The Impact of Industrialization - Children = 21-24 ○ Industrialization broke the connection between what individuals learned in childhood and what they would need to The “Invention” of Adolescence (1) - The Impact of Industrialization - Children = 21-24 ○ Industrialization broke the connection between what individuals learned in childhood and what they would need to know as adults. ○ Parents encouraged younger people to stay in school longer. ○ Staying in school lessened job competition between adolescents and adults. ○ 1940-1950 mass immigration into country - competition about jobs ○ Child protectionists: Individuals who argued, early in the 20th century, that adolescents needed to be kept out of the labor force to protect them from the hazards of the workplace ○ Bc of dangerous working environment or taking jobs from adults ○ Created schools bc couldn't have children (adolescence term arose - training them for the future and for life after school) term "peer groups" - The Origins of Adolescence as We Know It Today ○ In the late 19th century, adolescence came to be viewed as a lengthy time of preparation for adulthood. ○ This view started in the middle class and spread. ○ Teenager: A term popularized about 75 years ago to refer to young people; it connoted a more frivolous and lighthearted image than did adolescent - focus on experiencing new things, and leisure ○ Youth: Today, a term used to refer to individuals ages 18–22; it once referred to individuals ages 12–24 - Figure 3.1: As society changes, so do our ideas about what it means to be an adult. Between 2002 and 2012, there were significant declines in how important people thought completing one’s education, working full time, marriage, and parenthood are as marking adulthood. Figure 3.1: As society changes, so do our ideas about what it means to be an adult. Between 2002 and 2012, there were significant declines in how important people thought completing one’s education, working full time, marriage, and parenthood are as marking adulthood. Emerging Adulthood: A New Stage of Life or a Luxury of the Middle Class? - Emerging adulthood is a term for ages 18–25, caught between adolescence and adulthood. ○ Emerging adults are characterized by five main features. § The exploration of possible identities before making enduring choices § Instability in work, romantic relationships, and living arrangements - revolving door parenting (living at home) § A focus on oneself and independent functioning - egocentric/feeling of being teetertotter - one step in adolescence but one on adulthood § The feeling of being caught between adolescence and adulthood § The sense that life holds many possibilities ○ Development: looking at it from a lifespan perspective ○ Jeffery Onett - father ot term adulthood: studied that bc of adolescence being elongated - it’s a extension of adolescence ○ This period of time = freedom ○ Emerging adult hood (15-16 yrs. ago) and adulthood Is Emerging Adulthood Universal? - Emerging adulthood does not exist in all cultures. - specific to our culture [western European] ○ Several recent analyses indicate that there is great variability among people in their mid-20s in the nature of emerging adulthood. ○ The existence of emerging adulthood may have a lot to do with values and priorities, not just the economy. Emerging adults want to take time before assuming full adult responsibilities. Psychological Well-Being in Emerging Adulthood (1) - Very little research has examined psychological development and functioning during emerging adulthood. ○ Can be a difficult time of floundering and financial instability ○ Can be a time of carefree independence ○ Significant rates of mental illness and suicide - It is possible that economic forces have delayed the transition to - Very little research has examined psychological development and functioning during emerging adulthood. ○ Can be a difficult time of floundering and financial instability ○ Can be a time of carefree independence ○ Significant rates of mental illness and suicide - It is possible that economic forces have delayed the transition to social adulthood without changing the transition into psychological adulthood. Figure 3.2: For some, early adulthood is a time of improved mental health, as indicated by decreases in depression and increases in self-esteem. Developmental Task domains Table 3.1: Descriptions of Developmental Task Domains. Source: Schulenberg et al., 2004. - Depending on what area discussed = you have 3 diff categories 1. Emerging adults that are succeeding 2. Emerging adults that are maintaining 3. Emerging adults that are stalling Changes in Status During Adolescence - Adolescents experience a two-sided change in status: both increased 1. Emerging adults that are succeeding 2. Emerging adults that are maintaining 3. Emerging adults that are stalling Changes in Status During Adolescence - Adolescents experience a two-sided change in status: both increased privileges and increased expectations for responsibility. ○ Ex. driving = freedom but now accountability (paying for gas) ○ Initiation process: getting license, sweet 16s, moving out, going to college or walk about… - Drawing a Legal Boundary - distinctions ○ Initiation ceremony: The formal induction of a young person into adulthood ○ Adult status allows people able to participate in certain activities: gambling, buying alcohol, and seeing X-rated films. ○ Status offense: A violation of the law that pertains to minors but not adults (An adult can leave school or home without official penalties.) ○ Juvenile justice system: A separate system of courts and related institutions developed to handle juvenile crime and delinquency ○ Criminal justice system: The system of courts and related institutions developed to handle adult crime Adolescents as Criminal Defendants (1) - Should juveniles who commit crimes be viewed as less blameworthy than adults? - If a young person has committed a violent crime, should they be treated as a child (and processed as a delinquent) or tried as an adult (and processed as a criminal)? - Should young teenagers and adults who are convicted of the same crime receive the same penalties? - Are adolescents competent to stand trial and make other legal decisions? - Many experts believe that young defendants are incompetent to stand trial because of cognitive or emotional immaturity. - Research has shown the following: ○ One third of children aged 13 and under, and one fifth of children aged 14 or 15, are as impaired in their abilities to serve as competent defendants as mentally ill adults. - to fully understand legal rights is crazy [ most jurors use 16 as cut off for trying as an adult] ○ Juveniles are less likely than adults to understand their rights, more likely to confess, less likely to consider long-term consequences of plea agreements, and less likely to discuss disagreements with their attorneys. understand legal rights is crazy [ most jurors use 16 as cut off for trying as an adult] ○ Juveniles are less likely than adults to understand their rights, more likely to confess, less likely to consider long-term consequences of plea agreements, and less likely to discuss disagreements with their attorneys. Inconsistencies in Adolescents’ Legal Status - Blurs transitions: gov doesn't allow drinking till 19 but can vote or enlist in military at 18 [inconsistency] - Rulings about adolescents’ legal status have been inconsistent. - The age at which adolescents are allowed to engage in adult behaviors like driving, drinking, voting, and so on, varies from one domain to the next. - Adolescent behavior is typically restricted if it is viewed as potentially dangerous or damaging. ○ Buying alcohol - Autonomy is generally granted when the behavior is considered to have potential benefits. ○ Having access to contraceptives (buy at any age) - Gradual increase in responsibilities = good thing My plate is full… overwhelmed, busy, lots of responsibilities, stressed The Process of Social Redefinition - In contemporary America, the process of redefinition generally begins at age 15 or 16 and continues well into young adulthood. - In many cultures, the social redefinition of young people occurs in groups. ○ Cohort: A group of individuals born during the same general historical era ○ Quinceañera: An elaborate sort of “coming out” celebration for adolescent girls that is practiced in many Latinx communities ○ On college campuses, sororities and fraternities conduct group initiations. - Timetable is affected by economics, politics, and culture. --> influences transition - Goal of transition: to be recognized as an adult in society Common Practices in the Process of Social Redefinition (redefining who you are you move into adulthood) (1) - Real or Symbolic Separation From Parents ○ In some societies, young people are expected to sleep in households other than their own. ○ Examples from contemporary society include summer camps, Common Practices in the Process of Social Redefinition (redefining who you are you move into adulthood) (1) - Real or Symbolic Separation From Parents ○ In some societies, young people are expected to sleep in households other than their own. ○ Examples from contemporary society include summer camps, boarding schools, and colleges. ○ Real: moving out or symbolic: having own bank account - An Emphasis on Differences Between the Sexes ○ Stress the physical and social differences between males and females ○ Bar (Bas) Mitzvah: In Judaism, the religious ceremony marking the young person’s transition to adulthood Common Practices in the Process of Social Redefinition (2) - Transferring information, tradition, social norms from older to younger generation - Passing on Information From the Older Generation - This information concerns several different categories. ○ Matters thought to be important to adults but of limited use to children ○ Matters thought to be necessary for adults but unfit for children ○ Matters concerning the history or rituals of the family or community - In both traditional and contemporary societies, adolescence is a time of instruction in preparation for adulthood. - Many societies have body rituals that are not used until adolescence. ○ Scarification: The intentional creation of scars on some part or parts of the body, often done as part of an initiation ceremony (ex. shaving, wearing makeup, dying hair or body piercing to show that were are an adult now) Variations in Social Transitions - Societies differ in the process of social redefinition on two important dimensions: ○ Clarity (explicitness of transition) -how clear or explicit the transition is ○ Continuity (smoothness of transition) - continuity or how smooth is this transition - Describe how transition will happen (child-to adult) Variations in Clarity (1) - In the United States, there are few or no formal ceremonies marking the transition from adolescence to adulthood. smooth is this transition - Describe how transition will happen (child-to adult) Variations in Clarity (1) - In the United States, there are few or no formal ceremonies marking the transition from adolescence to adulthood. ○ Most people in their late teens and their 20s say they are adults in some ways and not in others. (could be society view as well: can vote = adult but cant drink = child) ○ There is no clear indication of when responsibilities and privileges as an adult begin. - Because there are no clear transitions, adolescents’ views of themselves are instructive. - Studies of how people define adulthood in contemporary society indicate three interesting trends: ○ There is less emphasis on attaining a specific role and more emphasis on self-reliance. ○ There has been a striking decline in the importance of marriage and parenthood as defining features of adulthood. ○ Now there are similar criteria for males and females and fewer gender-typed role expectations. - In most traditional cultures, social redefinition is clearly recognized. - Typically, the passage into adolescence is marked by a formal initiation ceremony. (usually not multiple ceremonies just one) ○ For boys, timing of ceremony varies. It can be at puberty, at a designated chronological age, or when community decides individual is ready for status change ○ For girls, timing is usually linked to onset of menstruation. - around 15 ○ Physical appearance is often changed (clothing, scarification). ○ CAPPING: boys recived a cap and girls get a pin - take bath, special clothes, get note from elders, tea ceremony - Adults are clearly differentiated from children. Clarity of social redefinitions in Previous Eras (1) - The baby boom generation is often used as a point of comparison for young people. (born in 1940s teenage in 1960s) ○ Baby boom: The period following World War II, during which the number of infants born was extremely large ○ Finishing school, moving out, and getting married all happened earlier than today and within a narrow time frame. - However, transition in the early 19th century was just as disorderly and prolonged as it is today. - Many people moved back and forth between arenas where they were viewed differently: INDISTRIAL REVOLUTION ○ Finishing school, moving out, and getting married all happened earlier than today and within a narrow time frame. - However, transition in the early 19th century was just as disorderly and prolonged as it is today. - Many people moved back and forth between arenas where they were viewed differently: INDISTRIAL REVOLUTION ○ School—viewed as children ○ Work—viewed as adults - The timetable for the assumption of adult roles depended on household or family needs. - Emerging adulthood is not a new phenomenon. Variations in Continuity - How continuous social redefinition is varies depending on the culture and the historical era. ○ Continuous transitions: Passages into adulthood in which adult roles and statuses are entered into gradually (limited stress following family footsteps/path ex. farming) ○ Discontinuous transitions: Passages into adulthood in which adult roles and statuses are entered into abruptly (teenage becoming pregnant) The Continuity of the adolescent passage in Contemporary Society - Transition to adulthood is discontinuous. - Adolescents are given little preparation for the three important roles of worker, parent, and citizen. ○ Adolescents are typically segregated from these types of activities. ○ Jobs available to teenagers are not like those they will hold as adults. ○ Most young people have little training in child rearing and related matters. ○ Adolescents are segregated from most of society’s political institutions. - People are required to assume these roles when they reach the age of majority (adult status). The Continuity of the adolescent passage in Traditional Cultures - In most traditional cultures, transition to adulthood is continuous. ○ Adolescents’ preparation for adulthood comes from observation and hands-on experience. ○ They become involved in work tasks that have meaningful connections to the work they will perform as adults. ○ Modernization and globalization are making the contemporary, - In most traditional cultures, transition to adulthood is continuous. ○ Adolescents’ preparation for adulthood comes from observation and hands-on experience. ○ They become involved in work tasks that have meaningful connections to the work they will perform as adults. ○ Modernization and globalization are making the contemporary, more discontinuous transition more common around the world. The Continuity of the adolescent passage in previous eras - During earlier periods in American history, the transition into adult roles began at a younger age and proceeded along a more continuous path. - Many adolescents learned to work on the family farm or by accompanying their father. - Many others left home early to work as apprentices or servants. - They lived semi-independently under adult supervision from about age 12–22 or beyond. - Living with large families better prepared young people for family life. Current trends in home leaving (1) - In many industrialized countries, individuals are living with their parents for longer periods. ○ This probably is caused by increased costs of housing and transportation. - Rise in drug and alcohol use is much less among young adults living at home than among most students who leave home for college. Current trends in home leaving (2) Figure 3.3: During the first half of 2020, the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic forced many young people to move in with their parents. Figure 3.3: During the first half of 2020, the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic forced many young people to move in with their parents. EXAM: 62 questions from 3 chapters - Chapter 1 = 21 questions - Chapter 2 = 30 questions - Chapter 3 = 12 questions All multiple choice - she chose the questions [what she covered in lectures] --> No eating disorders or obesity from chapter 1 Chapter 3 will only be questions up to end of this lecture Difficult questions: Scenario questions or think about a concept - Circle questions on the booklet - she'll look if she cant read scantron

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