Adolescence and Adulthood Development (MV2-3) PDF

Adolescence & Adulthood Dr. Maureen Vincent 23/75 Lecture Overview Adolescence and adulthood will be discussed in terms of 3 types of development: Physical Development Cognitive Development Social Development Adolescence Adolescence – is a transition period from childhood to adulthood...

Adolescence & Adulthood Dr. Maureen Vincent 23/75 Lecture Overview Adolescence and adulthood will be discussed in terms of 3 types of development: Physical Development Cognitive Development Social Development Adolescence Adolescence – is a transition period from childhood to adulthood Starts with the physical beginnings of sexual maturity (puberty) and ends with the social achievement of independent adult status (independence)  Adolescence – Storm & Stress Historically, adolescence was considered a time of “storm and stress” Belief that there was tension between biological maturity and social independence A time when teens crave social acceptance, but often feel socially disconnected Not a time of storm & stress But for many, adolescence is a: Time of vitality, without the cares of adulthood Time of rewarding friendships, heightened idealism and a growing sense of life’s exciting possibilities  Adolescence: Physical Development Puberty Teenage Brain Adolescence begins with puberty (sexual maturation)  9 - 15 Years Old gjerjht;gwlrhg  Primary and Secondary Sexual Characteristics Primary characteristics are the reproductive organs and external genitalia Secondary characteristics are the non reproductive traits  Puberty Girls: 8-13 (average 11 years) Boys: 9-14 (average 12 years) Early puberty (precocious puberty) Girls: Before age 8 The sequence of puberty (e.g. visible pubic hair before Boys: before age 9 menarche) is far more predictable than the timing of puberty Delayed Puberty: Girls: 14 years Boys: 15 years  Adolescence - Physical Development Sex Maturing Body Effects GIRLS Early maturing Negative effects: such as (very challenging) Teasing Interest in boys Start dating earlier Sexual harassment More likely to develop an anxiety disorder BOYS Early maturing Positive Effects: (has mixed effects) More popular self-assured, and independent because they are stronger and more athletic Negative Effects: risk for increased alcohol use, delinquency, and premature sexual activity  WHY? Girls are reaching puberty earlier Increased body fat today than in the Increased hormone mimicking chemicals in the diet past Increased stress Adolescence – Physical Changes Adolescence begins with puberty (sexual maturation) Puberty follows a surge of hormones, which may: intensify moods and which trigger the bodily changes (primary and secondary characteristics) The sequence (e.g. visible pubic hair before menarche) of puberty is far more predictable than the timing For eg. some girls start their growth spurt at 7, some boys as late as 15 Adolescence: Physical Development Teenage brain Is still a work in progress Up to puberty, brain cells increase their connections, like trees growing more roots and branches During puberty - Selective pruning (get rid) of unused neural connections to make pathways more efficient - What we don’t use, we lose. As teens mature, their frontal lobes continue to develop  Teenage Brain Continuing growth of the myelin (fatty tissue around axons and speeds transmission) enables better communication with other brain regions This results in improved judgement impulse control and long-term planning But frontal lobe maturation lags behind that of other systems which may explain: occasional Impulsiveness, risk behaviors (smoking, drugs, drinking, risky driving) emotional storms (e.g. slamming doors) ADOLESCENCE: COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT Adolescence: Cognitive Development Adolescent thinking is characterized by developing: Reasoning power (Piaget’s 4th stage- Formal Operational) Morality Kohlberg’s Moral stage of development  Adolescence: Piaget’s 4th Stage: Formal Operational Stage apply abstract reasoning debate human nature, good from evil, truth and justice Reason hypothetically Deduce consequences detect inconsistencies spot hypocrisy in others’ reasoning The above can lead to heated debates with parents Adolescence: Cognitive Development Adolescents’ increased ability to reason = gives them a new level of social awareness. In particular, adolescents may think about: Their own thinking What others are thinking What others are thinking about them How ideals can be reached. They criticize society, parents, and even themselves  Adolescence: Cognitive Changes (Morality) Morality develops Morality – is being aware of right from wrong and it develops your character — “controls impulses” – e.g. your morality may stop your stealing Moral reasoning guides moral actions To be a moral person is to think morally and act accordingly Piaget argued that moral judgments build on cognitive development Adolescence: Cognitive Changes Kohlberg: described the development of moral reasoning by posing moral dilemmas to children and adolescents He wasn’t interested in whether their answer was correct or not, but the reasons they gave Adolescence: Cognitive Changes- The Heinz Dilemma A woman was near death from cancer. Only one pharmacist in the whole town had the medicine to save her. The pharmacist was charging 10 times the production cost for the medicine. The sick woman’s husband, Heinz went to everyone he knew to borrow the money, but he could only get together about half the money. He begged the pharmacist to sell the medicine cheaper or let him pay later. But the pharmacist said, “No”. Heinz got desperate and broke into the pharmacist’s store to steal the drug for his wife. Should Heinz have stolen the drug?  Adolescence: Cognitive Changes Kohlberg found that people of similar ages, provided similar responses – and concluded that one’s morality is related to their cognitive (thinking) development E.g. young children = a simplistic morality and older people have a more abstract morality Based on people’s responses, Kohlberg developed a theory of moral development. Belief: as all individual’s develop, they pass through 3 levels of moral thought or development. The stages move from simplistic to the more abstract  Children under age of 9 Moral reasoning is based on self interest Rules are obeyed to: avoid punishment or gain rewards Examples: “You should not steal the drug because you will go to jail” Level 1: Preconventional “If you save your dying wife, you’ll be a hero” Morality Level 2: Conventional Develops in early adolescence (9-16 years) Focus of morality is following rules and conventions Uphold laws and rules to: gain social approval and maintain social order Duty to family, to marriage vows and to country Examples Stealing is illegal OR if you steal the drug, everyone will think you are a criminal You should steal the drug because you have a duty of care for your wife  Level 3: Postconventional Morality Postconventional morality is when people decide based on what they think is right rather than just following the rules. This means that people at this level of morality have their own ethical principles and values and don’t just do what society tells them to do. At this level, people think about what is fair, what is just, and what values are important. Must have attained formal operations stage (Piaget - 4th stage) to reach this stage Social Development Social Development 3 areas in which adolescents develop socially: Forming an identity Intimacy Parent and peer relationships a. Forming an Identity  a. Forming an Identity Adolescent’s begin to question: * Who am I? * What do I want to do with my life? * What do I believe in? What are my values? What is the real me?  Task of adolescence is to synthesize: the past, present and future possibilities into a clear sense of self a. Forming an Identity  a. Forming an identity Erikson noted that some adolescent’s simply adopt their parent’s values and expectations Others adopt the identity of a particular group – brains, anime-manga lovers, dance club Traditional or collectivist cultures, teach adolescents who they are, rather than encourage them to decide on their own Bicultural adolescents form complex identities as they integrate multiple group memberships  a. Forming an Identity In Western cultures, many adolescents try out different selves before settling into a consistent and comfortable identity a. Forming an Identity  a. Forming an Identity Erikson – Adolescence involves a struggle - identity versus role confusion – which continues into adulthood Teenagers work at refining a sense of self by testing roles and then integrating them to form a single identity, or they will become confused about who they are Healthy identity formation is followed by a capacity to develop intimacy, the ability to form emotionally close relationships b. Intimacy  b. Intimacy Once you have a clear and comfortable sense of who you are, you are then ready for a close relationship Adolescence: Develop the capacity for intimacy Intimacy is “the ability to form an emotionally close relationship” c. Parent and peer relationships c. Parent and Peer Relationships Adolescence is a time of: diminishing parental influence and growing peer influence Although teens become independent of their parents as they grow older, teens still see their parents as influential – relating to their parents on a number of things, including religiosity and career choices  Parents parent-child arguments increase but most adolescents report liking their parents Peers peers influence behavior peer approval matters c. Parent and Peer social networking is often extensive and Relationships exclusion can be painful  c. Parent and Peer Relationships Peers Most teens are herd animals they talk, dress, and act more like their peers than their parents What their friends are, they often become, and what “everybody’s doing,” they often do ADULTHOOD  Emerging Adulthood Western culture: 18 to mid-twenties not-yet-settled phase of life feelings being “in between” stages May involve living with and still being emotionally dependent on parents not yet assume adult responsibilities or have full independence  Early adulthood: 20’s and 30’s Middle adulthood: To age 65 Late adulthood: After 65 Within each of these stages, these are differences in physical, psychological, and social development Adulthood PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT  Early stage-Physical Development In mid-20’s: muscular strength, reaction time, sensory acuteness and cardiac output are in peak condition  Middle stage- Physical Development Physical decline is gradual and gradual decline in fertility Female Male Menopause - “cessation of No equivalent to menopause - no menstruation” - around age 50 cessation of fertility but men do Physical symptoms (hot flashes, decline in experience a decline in: oestrogen) sperm count, testosterone level, erection Different attitudes about menopause - and ejaculation speed losing her femininity or sexual Psychological distress = decreased virility attractiveness (negative) OR liberation (strength, energy, having a strong sex form contraceptive use, menstrual drive, manliness) and physical capabilities periods, fear of pregnancy (positive)  Life after 65-Physical Development Life expectancy worldwide has increased from 46.5 to 70 years Decrease: Visual sharpness, distance perception, and stamina Immune system weakens Speech slows Neural processing slows down: brain regions related to memory begin to atrophy (waste away) susceptibility to life-threatening disease increases Exercise slows aging and stimulates brain cell development and neural connections COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT  Cognitive Development: Aging and Memory Adulthood Memory functions Early peak time for some learning and memory Middle greater decline in ability to recall (remember) information Late better able to retain meaningful information than meaningless information (e.g. remember dgfhti), and experience longer word production time (takes longer to think of the word to say) End of Life End of life is characterized by terminal decline (a gradual decline or deterioration in cognitive function) May be due to a host of genetic, environmental, and other factors Typically occurs during last three/four years of life Neurocognitive disorders & Alzheimer’s disease Neurocognitive disorders Acquired disorders marked by cognitive deficits E.g. Alzheimer’s disease, brain injury or substance-induced neurocognitive disorder. Results in the erosion of mental abilities that is not typical of normal aging Neurocognitive disorders & Alzheimer’s disease Alzheimer’s disease Strikes 1 in 9 people by age 65 A progressive decline in memory and other cognitive abilities Memory deteriorates, then reasoning As disease continues: emotional flatness, disorientation and disinhibition (e.g. impulsive, poor risk assessment), incontinence, and mental vacancy occurs SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT  Social Development Transitions Mid life crisis Social Clock Adulthood Commitments Intimacy Generativity Wellbeing across the life span Death and dying  Social Development: Transitions: Mid-life Crisis As people enter their 40’s (transition into middle adulthood), they realize that life will soon mostly be behind instead of ahead of them. Some psychologists argue that many people will experience this mid life transition as a Midlife crisis - “a time of great struggle, of regret or feeling struck down by life” Give up dreams Question work and family commitments Result - turmoil and despair Popular image of the mid life crisis – myth or reality?  Social Development: Midlife Crisis For the 1 in 4 adults who report a life crisis, the trigger is NOT age, but a major event such as illness, divorce or job loss. Some middle-aged adults describe themselves as a “sandwich generation” – supporting their aging parents AND their emerging adult children or grandchildren Social Development: Mid-life Crisis Some psychologists do not believe in a mid life crisis. WHY? Because the following do not increase during mid-life: Unhappiness Job dissatisfaction Marital dissatisfaction Anxiety Suicide Divorce Social Development: Transitions: Social Clock Social clock — the definition of the right time to: leave home get a job marry have children retire — varies from era to era and culture to culture Social Clock: Culturally preferred time for things such as moving out of parent’s home, marriage, parenthood, etc  Research: All societies have a social clock (either conscious or unconscious) that dictates when events should occur If the events do not occur at the expected time, people often experience stress because they feel they are not living up to their family’s or society’s expectations  Social Development: Adulthood’s Commitments Erikson: Two basic aspects of our lives dominate adulthood: Intimacy - forming close relationships (flirt, fall in love, commit, marriage, divorce) Generativity – Work: being productive and supporting future generations A healthy adult is one who can love and work Work: provides a sense of competence, accomplishment, and self-definition for many adults  Social Development: Wellbeing across the life span Teens to midlife – people typically experience a strengthening sense of identity, confidence and self-esteem In later life: challenges arise – lower income, fewer work opportunities, the body deteriorates, memory fades, energy wanes, family members and friends die or move away and death looms closer Terminal decline phase: life satisfaction decreases as death nears  Social Development: Well being across the life span To live is to get older When people are asked what they would do differently if they could relive their lives, some answers have been: Taken my education more seriously and worked harder I should have told my father I loved him I regret I never travelled overseas Focus is usually on REGRETS – the things one failed to do – rather than the MISTAKES they made  Wellbeing across the life span Prior to the end, the over 65’s are: relatively happy Self-esteem remains stable More positive than negative feelings Experience fewer problems in relationships – less anxiety, stress and anger BUT Have a smaller social network, fewer friendships and greater loneliness With age – we become more stable and more accepting BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL INFLUENCES ON SUCCESSFUL AGING Biological Influences No genetic predisposition to early cognitive or physical decline Appropriate nutrition Social-cultural Influences Support from family and friends Cultural respect for aging Safe living conditions Psychological Influences Optimistic outlook Physically & mentally active lifestyle Death and Dying  Death and Dying Death is our inevitable end Most people will cope with the death of relatives and friends For most, death of a partner is the most difficult separation they will ever experience – a loss suffered by 4 times more women than men For some, grief is severe, especially when a loved one’s death comes suddenly and before its expected time on the social clock Such tragedies may trigger a year or more of memory laden mourning that eventually subsides to a mild depression For some, the loss is unbearable Death and Dying The End