1. What developmental tasks are the adolescents pursuing?
According to Havighurst, Jonathon is pursuing a number of different developmental
tasks. Some of these tasks include achieving a masculine social role, achieving emotional
independence from his parents and other adults, achieving assurance of economic
independence, and developing intellectual skills and concepts necessary for civic
competence (Berman, Snyder, and Frandsen, 2016, p. 317). For this particular situation
in which Jonathon and his friends vandalized rural mailboxes, the two developmental
tasks most relevant to this type of behavior would be achieving emotional
independence from his parents and other adults as well as achieving a masculine social
role.
2. What topics/subjects might cause Jonathon and his parents to disagree?
Subjects that would cause Jonathon and his parents to disagree will include risky
behavior that adolescents partake in due to their unmatured brains and susceptibility to
peer pressure. The limbic system (responsible for impulses) is more sensitive to
stimulation in adolescents, while the pre-frontal cortex, the area of higher cognition and
the integration center for decisions, is one of the last areas of the brain to mature
(Gardner and Steinberg, 2015). Also, adolescents place less value on risk and more value
on the reward relative to adults. For example, on gambling tasks, adolescents make
decisions based on potential reward more than the risk. In terms of peer pressure,
research has shown that a “risky shift” occurs in adolescents where people in this age
group tend to make more risky decisions in groups than they normally would
individually (Gardner and Steinberg, 2015). All of this can be attributed to differences in
brain maturation between adolescents and adults. Parents will be focused on the risky
aspects of situations while Jonathon is not cognitively mature enough to fully weigh his
risks and rewards until after making his impulsive decisions, especially with the
influence of peer pressure. Jonathon, being an adolescent, is yearning for independence
from his parents while his parents are still trying to enforce necessary rules for their
child as he is still a minor.
3. What suggestions/explanations might be given to Jonathon’s parents to help them understand
what he is experiencing at this age, as well as how to improve their relationship with him?
I would explain the developmental differences between adolescents and adults and why
Jonathon is acting the way he is. I would also explain to the parents that Jonathon has a
short-term future orientation. Adolescents typically have shorter term goals than adults
and consider more short term consequences of decisions rather than the long term
consequences (Gardner and Steinberg, 2015). It is important for parents to know these
differences in decision making for Jonathon. I would also suggest for the parents to
encourage Jonathon to get involved in extracurricular activities that he enjoys. By
putting energy into these constructive activities, it leaves less time for him to fall prey to
impulsive decision making and peer pressure. Both of these can lead to poor choices
made by Jonathon. I would also remind the parents that this is part of the
developmental stage that Jonathon is currently in, and that social deviance can be a
normal aspect of growth for adolescents. Another way to improve their relationship
with Jonathon might be to explain to him some of the social deviance activities that they
did when they were growing up, then explain to him what they learned from their
actions. By hearing these stories from his parents, it will help Jonathon put things into
perspective and help him to realize that he should not be doing things like vandalizing
mailboxes. Having family discussions about these matters can help Jonathon grow from
these experiences instead of feeling demonized for his actions.
References
Berman, A., Snyder, S. J., & Frandsen, G. (2016). Kozier & Erb’s fundamentals of nursing:
Concepts, process, and practice (10th ed.). Boston: Pearson.
Gardner, M., & Steinberg, L. (2015). Peer Influence on Risk Taking, Risk Preference, and Risky Decision
Making in Adolescence and Adulthood: An Experimental Study. Developmental Psychology, 41(4),
625-635. doi:10.1037/0012-1649.41.4.625