Physical and Cognitive Development in Adolescence PDF

Human Development and the Family Chapter 13 Physical and Cognitive Development in Adolescence Department of Child Development Chapter Outline The Nature of Adolescence Physical Changes Adolescent Cognition The Nature of Adolescence Ado...

Human Development and the Family Chapter 13 Physical and Cognitive Development in Adolescence Department of Child Development Chapter Outline The Nature of Adolescence Physical Changes Adolescent Cognition The Nature of Adolescence Adolescence: transitional time between childhood and adulthood Tremendous physical and cognitive growth Time of risk-taking and opportunity  Adolescence G.Stanley Hall(1904) Adolescence is a time of “storm and stress.” Adolescence is the developmental stage between childhood and adulthood The age at which adolescence begins and ends is imprecise, partly because society is unclear about the roles of people in this stage Adolescence is a time of considerable physical and psychological growth and change! Physical Changes  Growth Spurt Termed “the adolescent growth spurt” → a period of rapid growth changes in height and weight The rate of growth matches the high growth rate of infancy Girls begin their growth spurts earlier (approximately 2 years) and complete them earlier  Puberty A period of rapid physical maturation involving hormonal and bodily changes that occur primarily during early adolescence Sexual maturation Males: appearance of straight pubic hair, voice change, beard growth, first ejaculation… Females: breast development, pubic hair, menarche (a girl’s first menstruation)  Timing of Puberty The timing of puberty is a key factor for how adolescents react to it Early maturation Early maturation for boys for girls Late maturation Late maturation for boys for girls  Timing of Puberty Early maturation for boys – Generally positive – Tend to be better at athletics, be more popular, have more positive self-esteem Late maturation for boys – Difficult – Smaller boys are seen as less attractive and a disadvantage in sports – These difficulties often lead to declines in self-concept which can extend into adulthood  Timing of Puberty Early maturation for girls – Generally difficult – Are more likely to smoke, drink, be depressed, have an eating disorder, date earlier, and have earlier sexual experiences Late maturation for girls – Can be overlooked and have low social status at first – However, when they catch up their self-esteem is high  Body Image: Reactions to Physical Changes Body image involves an adolescent’s own reactions to these physical changes Preoccupation with body image is especially strong throughout adolescence Girls are generally less happy with their bodies than boys and become more dissatisfied over time  Eating Disorders Anorexia Nervosa: A severe eating disorder in which individuals refuse to eat, while denying that their behavior and appearance, which may become skeletal, are out of the ordinary An intense fear of gaining weight that does not decrease with weight loss Having a distorted image of their body shape 10 times more likely to occur in females than males  Eating Disorders Bulimia: An eating disorder characterized by binges on large quantities of food, followed by purges of the food through vomiting or the use of laxatives Typically fall within a normal weight range Have a distorted body image, depressed, have an intense fear of becoming overweight A chemical imbalance results from constant vomiting or diarrhea Can have serious effects, including heart Adolescent Cognition  Piaget’s Theory Formal Operational Stage Age 11~ More abstract than concrete operational thought Thoughts of idealism and possibilities Hypothetical-deductive reasoning: Creating a hypothesis and deducing its implications  Hypothetical-Deductive Reasoning Twenty Questions Individuals are shown a set of 42 color pictures, displayed in a rectangular array (six rows of seven pictures each) and are asked to determine which picture the experimenter has in mind. The individuals are allowed to ask only questions to which the experimenter can answer yes or no. The object of the game is to select the correct picture by asking as few questions as possible. What are you going to do ?  Evaluating Piaget’s Theory Only about one in three young adolescents is a formal operational thinker Culture and education exert stronger influences on cognitive development than Piaget believed  Adolescent Egocentrism Tracy: “Oh, my gosh! I can’t believe it. Help!” Mom: “What is wrong? What is the matter?” Tracy: “Everyone in here is looking at me.” Mom: “Why?” Tracy: “Look, this one hair just won’t stay in place”  Adolescent Egocentrism A stage of self-absorption where the world is seen only from one’s own perspective As a result, adolescents are highly critical of authority figures, unwilling to accept criticism, and quick to find fault with others Adolescent egocentrism helps explain why teens often think they are the focus of everyone’s attention!  Adolescent Egocentrism: Two Distortions Imaginary Personal Fables Audience Adolescents think they are the focus of The belief that the everyone else’s adolescents is unique attention and exceptional and Constructing shared by no one else elaborate scenarios No one understands about other’s me thoughts/intentions Risk taking behavior