Welcome back—only 117 total
days until the national test and 92
school days until graduation. This
is going to be a smokin’
semester!!
To begin the spring semester:
Go over Fall Final exams
Chapter 8 Review Exercise
Tomorrow, we’ll begin Chapter 9
DUE DATE: Jan 25, 2010
Chapter project (two parts):
Interview a parent about YOUR personal
development as a baby: physically, intellectually,
socially and morally. Determine 7-10 “highlights”
between birth and when you started kindergarten
(i.e. your first words—what and when, your first
steps—age)
Interview a parent or grandparent about his/her life
as an adult—how he/she has changed physically,
socially, intellectually, and emotionally, how
he/she feels about those changes, and how he/she
views his/her later life.
Summarize in a 2-3 page paper
Hi! We’re the Hitch
twins, or, as Simoncini
calls us, wombmates.
We’re identical twins.
That’s right,
Caitlin. According
to Bourchard, 80%
of our similarities
are hereditary.
And as people
who know us can
tell you, we are
very similar in our
intelligence,
temperament,
gestures, posture
and pace of
speech.
Right again,
Caitlin. Our
behavior is not
always identical.
And the older we
have gotten, the
less alike we have
become.
So true, Bailey; but because
we look
alike people often treat us alike—the text
indicates that that fact may actually
cause twins to behave alike.
But everyone who
really knows us
realizes that in many
ways we are NOT
identical.
Very funny! This from the girl who
can’t walk across a room without
tripping or running into something.
Yeah, sure! But
those of us who
know you also note
extraordinary
similarities in your
personalities,
attitudes, facial
expressions and
temperament.
That’s right, Tara, they are very much
alike, although Caitlin is a much better
driver—at least she didn’t back into the
garage door ON HER WAY TO HER
DRIVER’S TEST!!!
The specialized study of how an
individual’s physical, social, emotional,
moral, and intellectual development
occurs in sequential interrelated stages
throughout the life cycle
Some researchers consider
developmental psychology an
applied research topic. Does
anyone know the reason why?
Researchers apply findings
and theories from other
Remembering back
to Chapter 2, what
areas
of
psychology
to
the
research techniques
do you think are most specific topic of human
development—for example,
often used?
learning, memory or motivation
Often-used research techniques:
longitudinal studies and cross-sectional studies
Longitudinal studies
Study the same group at regular intervals over a
period of years to determine if their behavior or
feelings have changed and, if so, how.
Example:
study the
blonde
cheerleaders
every 2 years
until 2029 to
determine if
ditziness
continues
Cross-Sectional Studies
People are organized into groups that are crosssections of the population. Then the groups are
randomly sampled and the members
of each group are surveyed, tested,
or observed simultaneously.
Example: age cross-sections
Middle-Aged
Teenagers
Young Adults
Elderly
Cohort-sequential study—better data
Take a cross section of the population, then
follow each cohort or group for a short period.
Less susceptible to bias; more accurate data
Identical twins: same genotype
effects of heredity should show
up more strongly.
Fraternal twins:
on average 50% of
genes in common;
studies of fraternal
twins serve as a
type of control group
Genes: contribute to intelligence, sexual
orientation, temperament and impulsive
behavior
Continuity: change is gradual—children become
more skillful in thinking, talking or acting in
much the same way that they grow taller
Discontinuity: development is more abrupt—
development can occur in bursts or stages
(the “terrible twos”); those stages define
periods of life initiated by distinct transitions
or changes in physical or psychological
functioning—people go through the same
stages in the same order, but not
necessarily at the same rate.
Genetic links: sexual orientation; risky behavior;
basic temperament and personality;
Huntington’s disease, depression,
schizophrenia and Tourette’s syndrome
Physical
Motor
Cognitive
Social
Emotional
Language
To begin the next segment of
this chapter, you will take on the
roles of child psychologists.
Take out a writing implement
and some paper and be
prepared to take notes on the
films you are about to see.
Record specific behaviors you
note at the various ages shown.
The Green Mile Rule is in
effect—no discussion of these
tapes outside of this classroom.
Peter—3 hours old; Niki—3 years old
Peter—4 months old; Niki—3 years old
Peter—11 months old; Niki—4 years old
Niki—1 year old
Niki—18 months old
Peter—2 years old; Niki—5 years old
Niki—2 ½ years old; friends—2 ½ & 3
Peter—3 years old
People learn faster and learn more
in their early years than at any
other time in their lives.
Developmental
psychology: the study
of changes that occur
as people grow up and
older.
Differentiation: the
process
by which
Differentiation:
an embryo’s cells
begin to specialize
as components of
particular organ
systems
Embryonic stem
cells: certain cells
that, before
differentiation, are
capable of forming
into any organ of
the body
The embryonic path
7-week old human embryo
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
mental retardation,
poor motor coordination,
impaired attention,
hyperactivity
Healthy 6-weeks
FAS 6-weeks
250,000 new neurons per
minute; 100 billion new
neurons produced by birth
Birth: from total protection to a world
of lights, sounds, touches and
temperature extremes.
Inherited, automatic,
coordinated reflexes
that help us survive.
Grasping reflex—
stimulus of touch on
palm of baby’s hand.
Inherited, automatic, coordinated
reflexes.
Rooting reflex: if baby is touched
anywhere near the mouth, move
head and mouth toward
source of the touch.
Part of the feeding
process
Inherited, automatic, coordinated
reflexes.
Sucking reflex: baby
can suck, breathe
air and swallow milk
twice a second without getting
confused.
Direct gazes toward bright patterns
and faces—optimal focus of 12 inches;
distance vision is poor (20/500)
Infancy a period that lasts until approximately
Infancy:
18-24 months in age—when speech becomes
well developed
Soma
Soma
A neuron transmits its impulses or messages to
another neuron across the synapse by
releasing chemicals called neurotransmitters
Examples: endorphin—inhibits pain;
Acetylcholine—movement & memory
Dopamine—learning, emotional arousal &
movement
Social interaction skills: distinguish mother’s
voice; associate caregiver with certain odors;
quickly learn to manipulate parents (cooing,
smiling, crying); imitate simple facial
expressions
Synchronicity: close coordination between
the gazing, vocalizing, touching and smiling
of mothers and infants—babies respond and
learn, but also send out messages to those
willing to listen and love them
Emotional Development
Konrad Lorenz—pioneer in the
field.
1973 Nobel prize for
medicine or physiology
Used animals and their
behavior to study
human emotional
development.
Emotional Development
Discovered that infant geese
become attached to their mothers
in a sudden, virtually permanent
learning process called
imprinting.
Within a few hours of hatching,
follow first thing they see that
moves; treat as their mother.
Emotional Development
Lorenz--goslings learned most
easily during the critical period:
13-16 hours after birth
Emotional Development
Lorenz substituted himself or a
toy goose, drug across the ground
Emotional Development
Lorenz--goslings learned most
easily during the critical period:
13-16 hours after birth
If goslings had been imprinted
with a human or toy, the goslings
would prefer the human or toy
company to other geese.
Mary Ainsworth
Securely attached children: felt
close to mothers, safe, and more
willing to explore or tolerate a novel
experience
Insecurely attached children: react to
strange situations with anxiety and
ambivalence or with avoidance
Most children (about 66%) were securely
attached
Emotional Development
Harry Harlow studied
rhesus monkeys
Who can remember
Harlow’s experiment?
Later experiments: monkeys
raised without real mothers grew
up with serious emotional
problems.
Emotional Development:
Harlow’s Experiments
Would not play, mate, or defend
themselves.
When frightened by a strange
human, would attack their own
bodies rather than make
threatening signs of aggression.
Emotional Development
Babies begin to form an attachment to mothers or surrogate
mothers at about 6 months.
When they can distinguish one
person from another and are
beginning to develop object
permanence
Emotional Development
Attachment especially
strong: 6 months to
3 years.
Three years—child able
to remember and
imagine his/her mother
and retain a relationship
with her even if she is absent
Emotional Development
Separation anxiety
10-12 months—upset
when mother takes to
someone’s house and
leaves without them.
Emotional Development
Theories differ on affects of maternal
separation.
One theory: children separated
from mothers 6 months--3 years
may never be able to form
attachments to other people.
Institutionalization—possible
intellectual & psychological
damage to the child.
Psychosocial dwarfism and failure to thrive
Psychosocial dwarfism: The lack of a close,
loving relationship in infancy can affect
physical growth—slower growth and bone
development
Failure to thrive: lack of parental love and
nurturing causes wasted-looking, withdrawn
and apathetic infants
The Maturation Process
The infant will generally:
Lift head at 3 months
Smile at 4 months
Grasp objects at 5-6
months
The Maturation Process
Crawl at 8-10 months
Pull self into standing
position also at 8-10
months
Walk 3-4 months
after pulling into a
standing position
Maturation process: internally
programmed growth.
Month
0
Activity
Fetal posture
1
Chin up
2
3
Chest up
Reach and miss
Month Activity
4
Sit with support
5
6
7
Sit on lap;
grasp object
Sit on high chair;
grasp dangling object
Sit alone
Month
8
9
Activity
Stand with help
Stand holding furniture
10
Creep
11
12
Walk when led
Pull to stand by
furniture
Month
Activity
13
Climb stairs
14
Stand alone
15
Walk alone
Remember, the maturational plan
inside each child is unique.
No two babies are exactly alike,
and no two mature according to
the same time table.
Saltation: alternation between active and
inactive growth phases
Several days showing no growth
Sudden growth spurt (as much as
a half inch in 24 hours)
APGAR score
Anna Mulrine,
“Are Boys The
Weaker Sex?”
U. S. News and
World Report,
July 30, 2001
“Are Boys the Weaker Sex?”
•70% of Ds and Fs
•Two thirds of “learning disabled” students
•90% of alcohol and drug violations
•4/5 of crimes in juvenile court
•80% of high school dropouts & ADD
diagnoses
•2007: universities—9.2 million women
6.9 million men
•OHS Class of 2009 top 15: 9 G; 6 B
“Are Boys the Weaker Sex?”
• Real biological differences making boys
•More impulsive
•More vulnerable to benign neglect
•Less efficient classroom learners
Girls ahead of boys in almost every
measure of well-being
Average 11th grade boy writes with
the proficiency of an 8th grade girl
“Are Boys the Weaker Sex?”
• Male fetus at greater risk of peril from
almost all obstetric complications
•By the time a baby boy is born—trailing
average girl developmentally by 6 weeks
•Boys more attuned and more sensitive
than previously thought
“Are Boys the Weaker Sex?”
• Brains—males less gray matter than
females; more white matter
• Females—thicker corpus callosums
Two-lane highway vs. narrow path
• Females—more facile in verbal skills
• Boys—more white matter (excel at gross
motor skills)
• Male emotional brain—more primitive
Learning
Do things that produce rewards
and avoid doing things that
produce punishments.
Imitate other people
Respond to the
environment.
Intellectual Development
Jean Piaget
Swiss psychologist
Studied intellectual
development of
children
Most influential of
child psychologists
Intellectual Development
Intelligence, or the ability
to understand, develops
gradually as the child
grows.
Children aren’t “dumb” in the
sense of lacking a given amount
of information.
Intellectual Development
Rather, they think a different
way than older children
and adults—they use a
different kind of logic.
Thus, intellectual development involves quantitative
changes (growth in the
amount of information) . . .
. . . as well as qualitative changes
(differences in the manner of
thinking.)
Understanding
the world
involves the
construction of
schemas, or mental representations
of the world.
Assimilation—we try to fit the
world into our schema.
Accommodation—
change our schema to
fit the characteristics
of the world.
Intellectual Development
Piaget: newborns have a set of
ready-made responses:
Blink in bright light
Grasp objects
Suck things put
near their mouths
Sequence: same; speed: variable
Piaget: four stages of cognitive
development
Sensorimotor Stage
Birth to 2 years
Thinking displayed in
action
18 months—understands
concept of object permanence
Intellectual Development
Object Permanence
If you hide a toy
of an infant, she acts
as if it had ceased to
exist—grabs whatever
else she might find.
Intellectual Development
If you hide a toy of a 7-12 month
old, while she is watching, she
will search for it, near where she
saw you hide it.
If you do more than once and
hide it once behind your back, she
will continue to search in the
original place.
Intellectual Development
Object Permanence
If you hide a toy of a 12-18 month
old, she will search in the last
place she saw it. But if you try to
conceal it as you pretend to hide
it, the child will act surprised but
continue to search in other places.
She knows that it must be somewhere.
Intellectual Development
Object Permanence
Latter step is major-- the child has
progressed from a stage where
her own actions were “the center
of the world” to one where she
realizes that people and objects
are independent of her actions.
Intellectual Development
Object Permanence: “Things
continue to exist even though I
cannot see or touch them.”
When a child achieves object
permanence, Piaget says she has
begun to engage in representational
thought.
Intellectual Development
That sure
is a cool
car that our
neighbors
bought.
Representational thought: the
child’s intelligence is no longer
one of action only; the child can
now picture (or represent) things
in her mind.
Piaget’s daughter and
the temper tantrum—
an excellent imitation
using symbols.
Piaget: four stages of cognitive
development
Preoperational Stage
2-7 years
Beginning of symbolic
representation
First language; drawing of
pictures that represent things
Problem solving: cannot do
in head
Piaget: four stages of cognitive
development
Preoperational Stage
Egocentrism—self-centered focus
Animistic thinking
Centration
Irreversibility
Piaget: four stages of cognitive
development
Concrete Operational Stage
7-11 years
Can think of
several dimensions
at same time
Elementary arithmetic problems
Intellectual Development
Principle of Conservation
The principle that a given quantity
does not change when its
appearance is changed.
Most children acquire around
ages 5-7
Intellectual Development
Principle of Conservation
Children under 5 do
not generally think
about 2 dimensions
They do not seem to
understand that a change
in width can be compensated for
by a change in height
Intellectual Development
Principle of Conservation
Children 7 and older will
be able to determine that
the second jar contains
the same amount as the
first.
Intellectual Development
Between 5 & 12, children develop
a working knowledge of the world—
cognitive advancement.
But, their thinking is
very “concrete”—must
physically work out
problems—can’t solve
in their heads or use
abstract reasoning.
Other issues in intellectual
development
Sexual identity
4-5 years—boys want to
play with boys; girls
with girls
4 years—children believe that people can
change their sex by wearing clothes
designed for the other sex & similar
external changes
Socialization
Learning the rules of behavior of
the culture in which you are born
and grow up in.
Acceptable and
unacceptable
behavior in living
with others.
Socialization
Some social rules are clear and
inflexible. Example: incest
Most social rules: room for
individual decisions or gray areas
between right and wrong.
Some rules change from situation
to situation
Socialization
Some rules apply to certain
categories of people (boys & Girls)
Children must
learn the rules
of society and
when to apply
them
Socialization
The second dimension of socialization: acquiring an identity as a
member of a particular
society and as an individual
Socialization
The third dimension of socialization
is learning to live with other
people and with
yourself
Others have rights
You have limits
Theory of Mind: an awareness that other
people’s behavior may be influenced by
beliefs, desires, and emotions that differ
from one’s own—those mental processes
underlie behavior
Smiling
Essential to human communication—
the baby’s first smile is probably
generated automatically by
genetically controlled processes;
smiles are signs of positive feelings
and are also due to expectations of
others
Jerome Kagan’s theory of
temperament
Temperament is an individual’s
characteristic manner of
behavior or reaction—strong
genetic basis
Ten-fifteen percent of babies are born
bold or born shy; because of the baby’s
temperament, people are less likely to
interact and be playful with a shy baby,
accentuating the child’s initial disposition
The Four Parenting Styles
Authoritarian, Authoritative,
Permissive, Uninvolved
The Four Parenting Styles and Their Effects
Authoritative: children: confident, self-reliant,
enthusiastic, happier, less
troublesome, more successful
Parents tend to take a more
involved, interactive role, forming
a stronger social-emotional
attachment with children vis-à-vis
parents using other styles
Mixed messages of day care
Most children thrive intellectually and socially;
poor quality facilities: children tend to be
aggressive, depressed, maladjusted—generally
poorest, most disorganized, most highly stressed
families
Gender differences in socialization
Play: boys more aggressive than girls;
girls: small, cooperative groups; boys: larger
groups with hierarchical structure with frequent
aggressive behavior
Freud & Psychosocial Development
All children are born
with powerful sexual
and aggressive urges
that must be tamed.
Controlling urges leads
to a sense of right and
wrong.
Boys & girls differ in development
Freud & Psychosocial Development
boys and
First years of life
girls: similar
experiences
Erotic pleasure through the mouth:
sucking on mother’s breast
Weaning—period of frustration.
Child first experiences not getting
what he/she wants
The Oral Stage
Freud & Psychosocial Development
Stage 2: Anal Stage of development
Anus: source of erotic pleasure
Child enjoys holding in
or pushing out feces
Toilet training curbs
freedom; child learns social control
Failure to resolve: anal retentiveness;
an obsession with control and order
Freud & Psychosocial Development
Stage 3: Phallic Stage
Major conflict: ages 3-5
Child discovers he/she
can obtain pleasure
through genitals
Child becomes aware of differences
between genders
Freud & Psychosocial Development
Rivalry established between child
and parent of same gender
for affections of
parent of opposite
gender
Unconscious
struggle
Freud & Psychosocial Development
Son for mother: Oedipal
conflict
Oedipus Rex
Hates, but also fears, dad
To prevent punishment (castration)
the boy buries sexual feelings &
tries to emulate the father
Freud & Psychosocial Development
Boy’s process: identification with
the aggressor—assumes the
father’s values and moral principles
As he learns to behave like a
man, he internalizes his father’s
morality
Father’s voice: voice of conscience
Freud & Psychosocial Development
Girls experience Electra Complex
Wants to possess father and
exclude mother
To escape punishment
and possess father,
she begins to identify
with her mother
Freud & Psychosocial Development
Girls experience mother’s triumphs
and failures as if her own
Experiences penis envy: suspects
that her mother has removed the
penis she once had.
To make up for this “deficiency,”
desires to marry a man like dad.
Freud & Psychosocial Development
Stage 4: Latency Stage
Age 5
Sexual desires pushed into
background—explore world
and learn new skills
Sublimation: redirecting sexual
impulses into learning tasks
Freud & Psychosocial Development
How the child resolves the Oedipal/
Electra complex influences his/her
relationships with opposite gender
throughout life.
Freud & Psychosocial Development
Stage 5: Genital Stage
Adolescence
Equal satisfaction giving
and receiving pleasure
Freud: Adolescence = completion
of development
Erik Erikson
Socialization is neither
so sudden nor so
emotionally violent as
Freud claims
Psychosocial development—social approval—
just as important as a child’s
sexual and aggressive urges
Erik Erikson
Development is a lifelong process
People develop depending on how
other people respond to their
efforts
Develop sense of autonomy if efforts
are applauded; doubts value of
achievements if ignored or punished
Erik Erikson
Eight sequential stages of psychosocial
development
Age 0-1: Trust vs. mistrust
Age 1-3: Autonomy vs. doubt/shame
Age 3-6: Initiative vs. guilt
Age 6-12: Competence vs. Inferiority
Transition from childhood to
adulthood . . .
involves changes in patterns of
reasoning and moral thinking, and
adjustments in personality and
sexual behavior.
Uh, Simoncini, are there actually
psychological theories of
adolescence?
There certainly are,
Joycelyn. The main ones
are those of G. Stanley Hall
and Margaret Mead.
Hall (1904): Adolescence is a transitional
stage of life; a time of “storm and stress.”
Teens are marginal beings, confused,
troubled, and highly frustrated.
Margaret Mead
In some cultures, adolescence
is a highly enjoyable time of
life and not at all marked by
storm and stress. She
proposed that storm and
stress were byproducts of an
industrialized society
Most psychologists agree that there is
some stress during adolescence.
Havinghurst—must master many
developmental tasks (p. 95)
Watch the following clip from the 1985
commercial film, The Breakfast Club. Record the
themes discussed in the scene. Are they
themes of “storm and stress?” Be prepared to
discuss if they are similar to issues faced by
teens in Oakdale in 2008.
So, in this section we shall
study the various types of
adolescent development:
physical, sexual, cognitive,
moral, identity, and social
and look, in depth, into some
key problems facing
teenagers today.
Physical growth
End of childhood: Puberty
(sexual maturation)
Hormones
Trigger a series of internal
and external changes
Males/females: different growth
patterns
Rights of passage
Some cultures:
children move
directly into
adulthood through
rituals.
American culture:
acquiring a
driver’s license or
high school
graduation
Boys
Age 12: pubic hair
and larger genitals
Ages 12-13—first
ejaculation (spermarche)
Growth spurt: 24-27 months later
than girls—lasts 3 years longer
Boys’ Secondary Sex Characteristics
Lose fat/gain muscle
Voices deepen
Facial, leg, chest hair
Time of greatest physical difference
between boys and girls
Girls
Age 10—begin to grow
Fat tissue develops before growth
spurt. As they get older, they retain
the fat tissue, and even add to it.
Girls
Grow 2-3.5 inches
Breasts and hips fill
out
Growth of pubic hair
Usually between 11-15:
menarche—first menstrual period
Within 12-18 months, periods
will become regular—capable of
conceiving a child
Puberty can be awkward time for
both boys and girls.
Asynchrony—condition of uneven
growth or maturation of bodily
parts
Hands and feet may be too
large for rest of the body
Adolescents tend to be desperate
for peer acceptance.
Conform to peer
ideals of dress,
how to act, and
how to look I feel so
ugly.
Me too. Hey! We’re
not alone: 44% of
American girls and
23% of boys
feel ugly.
Strong correlation
between a negative body
image and feelings of depression.
What teen girls tend to
look most for in boys
(according to research)
Intelligence
Attractiveness
Ability to hold a
conversation
What teen boys tend to
look most for in girls
(according to research)
Attractiveness Friendliness
Intelligence
Teens of both genders tend to be
sensitive about traits they consider
sex-inappropriate
Boys: “underdeveloped” genitalia
or fatty breasts;
Girls: “underdeveloped” breasts or
dark facial hair
Individual differences in growth
significantly affect personality of
young adolescents.
Research indicates that boys who
mature early are at an advantage.
Later-maturing boys tend to be at a
disadvantage—losing self-confidence,
often with feelings of inadequacy.
Some withdraw or rebel
Mountain man Kyle;
note lack of facial
hair and baby face.
Effects of late maturing in males
often last well into adulthood
Research: early maturing boys
have higher occupational and
social status compared to those
who matured later.
Situation lasts into the forties
Opposite situation for girls
Girls who mature early may feel
embarrassed rather than proud
of their height and figure at first.
Some date older boys and
become bossy with peers
Later-maturing girls tend to be less
quarrelsome and tend to get along
with peers more easily.
Why does physical growth have such
powerful psychological effects?
Theory of the self-fulfilling prophecy
Later-maturing people may believe
they do not meet culture’s ideal
and, therefore, may not pursue
success as doggedly.
Belief actually brings about failure
the person feared.
Piaget: four stages of cognitive
development
Formal Operational Stage
11-adult
Thinking: more abstract
and hypothetical
Able to consider many alternative
solutions to problems
Contemplate future; form values
Profound physical changes
High levels of estrogen
and testosterone
Frontal lobes: remodeling:
new
circuits
Profound physical changes
Because of those physical
changes, we tend to
experience increases in
sensation-seeking and risktaking behaviors.
That’s right, Pete. We
also have an increasing
preoccupation with our
body images, sex and
social-emotional issues.
Erik Erikson
Adolescence:
Identity vs. role confusion
I’m
comfortable with
who I
am.
I’m so
confused!!!
Identity Development
According to Erikson,
building an identity is a
task that is unique to
adolescence
To achieve some sense of themselves,
teens must go through an identity crisis:
a period of inner conflict during which
adolescents worry intensely about who
they are
The task of a teen is to
become a unique
individual with a valued
sense of self in society
Adolescents need to organize their
needs, abilities, talents, interests,
background, culture, peer demands,
etc., to find a way to express themselves
through an identity in a socially
acceptable way.
What do you think a major
criticism of Erikson’s theory
would be?
Crisis is not the normal
state of affairs for teens.
Crises that do occur are
most often triggered by external
factors, such as a divorce or
moving, rather than internal, identity
upheaval
Cognitive Development
Thinking patterns characteristic
of adults emerge
Respond to hypothetical questions
understand abstract principles that
deal with analogies & methphors
Deal with overpowering emotional
feelings through rationalization
Process where individual seeks to
explain an often unpleasant emotion
or behavior in a way that will preserve
his/her self-esteem
Cognitive Development
Variations in cognitive maturity
Some are more introspective
OK, in my last speech, I
didn’t argue my main
point well enough. The
next time, I’ll try a
different approach.
Egocentrism—tendency to be overly
concerned with sudden changes in
lives
Cognitive Development
Some can develop a sense of
self-efficacy: a sense that they possess
an internal locus of control—the belief
that one can control events in his/her
life through his/her actions
Changes in thinking patterns usually
accompanied by changes in personality
and social interactions
Become idealistic; grow rebellious
Messiah Complex: believe can
Save the world from evil
Impatient with adult generation’s failures
David Elkind (1984)
described some problems
stemming from teen
immaturity coupled with
the development of
abstract thought processes
David Elkind (1984)
Finding fault with authority figures
Argumentativeness
Indecisiveness
Apparent hypocrisy
Self-consciousness
Invulnerability
Social Development
While families are very important
in teenage development, one of
the principal developmental tasks
for teens is becoming independent
of their families.
Can often lead to
crises, not the least
of which is a teen’s
unpredictable
behavior
Peers are very important in teenage
social development
Trust peers not to treat like children
Friends help teens define themselves
High school groups are important
Fairly rigid hierarchy: everyone knows
who belongs to which group and
what people in that group do with
their time
Belonging to a clique—a group within a
group --is very important to most
teens because it fills a need for
closeness with others and gives the teen
a means of defining herself/himself
Cliques may help teens achieve
self-confidence, develop a sense of
independence, clarify values, and
experiment with new roles;
but one draw back is, due to a fear of
being disliked, a teen may move
toward conformity:
. . .acting in accordance with some
specified authority, often the glue that
holds a peer group together
Peers tend to set standards on matters
such as fashion & tastes in music
But in basic matters (religion, marriage,
politics, etc.) teens tend to accept their
parents’ beliefs and follow their advice.
Some basic
values (sexual
behavior &
alcohol use,
for example):
some differences,
but they change
as teens become
adults/parents.
Peer groups do not tend to
pose threats to parental authority
Teens of both sexes tend to choose
friends with values close to those of
their parents; so peer
groups aid the teen in
making the transition
from dependent child
to independent adult.
Judith Rich Harris (1998)
peer groups, not parents,
teach children how to
behave in the world. So,
the parents’ main influence over the
child’s development is in providing the
environment in which children meet
peers.
Many psychologists disagree with
Harris claiming there is a strong
relationship between parenting styles
and social development of youth
James Marcia (1966): teens
struggle with crisis and commitment in
four different ways:
Identity moratorium adolescents:
seriously consider issues but no
commitment
Identity foreclosure adolescents: firm
commitments on issues based on
suggestions of others
James Marcia (1966): teens
struggle with crisis and commitment in
four different ways:
Identity confused or diffused teens:
not yet given any serious thought to
making decisions and have no clear
sense of identity
Identity achievement adolescents:
considered many possible identities and
have freely committed themselves to
occupations and other important life
matters
For some, adolescence can be a time
of moderate to great difficulty.
Two of those difficulties deal
with sex, on one hand, and life
in general on the other. We are
now going to study those issues
in depth over the next two days.
First, we are going to discuss
Anna Mulrine’s article “Risky
Business,” (U. S. News and
World Report, May 27, 2002)
Yummy! I don’t care
about the risks—she
is HOT!!!
The GOOD couple!!!
How much can I tease Evan
right now?
Key Points from Mulrine Article
Kids from all walks of life are having sex
at younger ages: 1 in 10 reports losing
virginity before 13
16% of high school sophomores: 4+
sexual partners
1 in 4 sexually active teens: STD
20% of sexually active girls 15-19 get
pregnant each year
Key Points from Mulrine Article
Girls 15-19: higher rates of gonorrhea
than any other age group—gonorrhea
of the throat is one variant
½ of teens ages 13-19 have had oral sex
Early initiation into sexual behaviors is
taking a toll on teens’ mental health—
dependency, depression, lack of goals
Less intercourse; but many don’t view
other sexual behaviors as real sex
Key Points from Mulrine Article
24% of teens consider anal sex as
abstinent behavior
Pledges of abstinence: delay age of
sexual debut by 18 months, but when
those people did have sex, less likely to
use contraception
Early sex and self-esteem are linked; but
opposite effects on boys and girls: boys
doing what society expects; girls—a
sign of bad behavior
Moral Development
Lawrence Kohlberg—six
stages of moral development
Stage 1: Egocentricity—do not
consider other people’s points
of view; no sense of right &
wrong
Main concern: avoiding punishment
Kohlberg & Moral Development
Stage 2: Marketplace Orientation
Help someone if he helps you;
hurt someone if he hurts you
Stage 3: Acute sensitivity to what
other people want and think—
want social approval; they apply
rules of others literally & rigidly
Kohlberg & Moral Development
Stage 4: Law and Order
Law=moral rule—obeyed because
of a strong belief in established
authority
Moral thinking at this stage is very
rigid; many people remain at Stage 4
their entire lives
Kohlberg & Moral Development
Stage 4: Law and Order
You big
jerk!
Remember
what
Simoncini
says: “No
means no!”
Kohlberg & Moral Development
Stage 5: Main concern—is a law
fair or just? Laws are never
absolute; must change as society
changes
Stage 6: Acceptance of ethical
principles that apply to all.
The Golden Rule: moral laws can’t
be changed—more important than
any written law
Kohlberg & Moral Development
Those who get past Stage IV
Law=moral rule—obeyed
because of a strong belief
in established authority
adolescence is a period of the most
profound moral development
Reaching Kohlberg’s higher levels of
moral thinking involves the ability to
abstract—to see a situation from
another’s viewpoint. That is why such
moral development tends to occur in
adolescence, when individuals gain
the capacity for formal operations
thinking.
But (Kohlberg & Tunel, 1971) only about
1/10 teens actually show higher levels of
moral reasoning
Overall, psychologists agree that a
person’s moral development depends
on many factors, especially the kind of
relationship that the individual has with
his or her parents or significant others.
Criticizing Kohlberg
Kohlberg’s higher stages have not been
found in all cultures—the emergence
of Stages 5 and 6 appears to be
associated with high levels of verbal
ability and formal education
Carol Gilligan (1982): Kohlberg’s theory
has a male bias and ignores uniquely
feminine conceptions of morality—for
women morality is embedded in social
relationships and personal caring,
indicating a plateau at Stage 3
To begin our study of adulthood and
old age, we are going to watch a film
clip from the 1991 film City Slickers,
about the mid-life crisis in men.
Observe the characters Ed, Phil and
Mitch and take notes about how
each is dealing with middle age.
Next, we are going to take a
survey to see how much you
know about adulthood.
Answer True or False to the
following 10 questions.
10.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
As
Older
A
The
Mental
Depression
Aging
decrease
people
majority
people
disorders
of the
age,
in
isof
intelligence
are
have
brain
more
life
people
they
occur
more
satisfaction
more
leads
common
tend
over
cautious
more
as
difficulty
to
the65
way
in
islive
&
1. Decreasing
likely
than
less
become
than
usually
in
frequently
older
measured
for
nursing-home
deterioration
likely
younger
people
experienced
more
to
among
bymake
than
IQ
people
alike.
of
tests
type
older
inattend
risky
other
younger
by
in
institutions.
and
older
adapting
people
decisions
bodily
other
people.
than
to
younger
people
to
church.
than
a
among
measures
systems
changing
younger
younger
and
ofenvironment.
cognitive
functions.
people.
people.
functions is
one of the inevitable changes that
occur with age.
Assume “younger” as under 65 and “older” as past the
65th birthday.
You recently interviewed a significant adult
in your life. Looking at the chart below, and
recalling things that individual told you, let’s
briefly discuss what happens to adults the
older they get.
Age
20s
30s
40s
50s
Strength
Appearance
Health
Senses
Intellect
Emotions
Personality
Other
Next, we are going to watch a film
clip from the 1995 commercial film,
Father of the Bride II. Observe the
characters George and Nina and be
prepared to record your thoughts on
how they deal with the mid-life
transition.
Erik Erikson
Early Adulthood:
Intimacy vs. isolation
Intimacy: capacity to make a
full commitment to another
person; must resolve the
conflict between wanting to
establish closeness to another
and fearing the vulnerability
and risks closeness can bring
Challenging Erikson’s sequence
•Trend of living together before
marriage
•Struggles with identity issues
•Multiple marriages
Divorce rate is 4 times
greater than that 50 years ago
•Cohabitation rather than marriage
Factors in high divorce rate
•Seeking intimacy before resolving identity
•Unrealistic expectations:
Partners
What constitutes
ideal marriage and
family structure
Factors of modern day marriages
•See as partners and friends
•Less likely to feel constrained by
old social stereotypes (male boss;
female doing “women’s work”)
•Peer marriages
•Key: communication—both feel
free to openly express hopes &
fears
•Life-long works in progress
John Gray, Ph.D.
Copyright 1992,
HarperCollins
Publishers,
New York, NY
“The classic guide to understanding the
opposite (gender).”
And remember, everyone, Dr. Gray’s
work is a theory; but one based on
years of research.
OK, you psychology
students. What is
the most frequently
expressed
complaint that
women have about
men?
Dr. Gray, that’s an easy
one: men don’t listen.
When I want empathy, he
thinks I want solutions.
Miss Becky, that is exactly
what my research has
discovered. OK, then, what
is the most frequently
expressed complaint men
have about women?
Dr. Gray, I believe it is that women
are always trying to change us
men.
Hey! We feel responsible for
assisting you guys grow—to
help you improve the way
you do things.
I, an open-minded person,
appreciate that point.
Research, however, shows
that while women think they
are nurturing us, men feel
that women are trying to
control them. What men
really want is acceptance.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Simoncini
are right in their points. So
how can we solve those two
problems? Well, we must first
understand why men offer
solutions and women seek to
improve. To do that, we need
to explore life on both planets.
Let’s first head to Mars.
Martians value power,
competency, efficiency, and
achievement. They like to do
things to improve themselves
and develop their power and
skills.
A man’s sense of self is defined
through his ability to achieve
results.
…a man mistakenly
assumes she is
looking for some
advice.
So when a
woman
innocently shares
upset feelings or
explores out-loud
the problems of
her day…
Once he has offered a solution, however, and she
continues to be upset, it becomes increasingly difficult
for him to listen because his solution is being rejected
and he feels increasingly useless.
Now we’ll travel to Venus; and
we’ll find that Venusians have
different values from Martians.
Venusians value love, beauty,
communication, and relationships. They spend a lot of time
supporting, helping and
nurturing one another.
A woman’s sense of self is
defined through her feelings and
the quality of her relationships.
That’s so true, Dr. Gray. We
Venusians are more concerned
with living together in harmony,
community and loving cooperation.
Communication is of primary
importance. To share personal
feelings is much more important
than achieving goals and success.
Wow!, Dr. Gray. That’s hecka
hard for a guy to understand.
I know it is, Pete. Just think of
the difference this way: men are
goal oriented, while women are
relationship oriented—they are
more concerned with
expressing their goodness, love
and caring.
Words Women Use
Fine: the word women use to end an
argument when they are right and the
man needs to shut up.
Five Minutes: if she is getting dressed,
this is half an hour; 5 minutes is only
five minutes if you have just been given
5 more minutes to watch the game before
helping out around the house.
Nothing: this is the calm before the storm.
It means “something” and the man should
be on his toes. Arguments that begin with
“nothing” usually end in “fine.”
Words Women Use
Go ahead: this is a dare, not permission;
Guys: DON’T DO IT!!!
Loud sigh: although not actually a word,
the loud sigh is often misunderstood by
men. A loud sigh means she thinks you
are an idiot and wonders why she is
wasting her time standing here and
arguing with you over “nothing.”
Words Women Use
That’s OK: this is one of the most
dangerous statements that a woman can
make to a man. “That’s OK” means that
she wants to think long and hard before
deciding how and when you will pay for
your mistake.
Thanks: This is the least used of all words
in the female vocabulary. If a woman is
thanking you, do not question it. Just say:
“You’re welcome” and back slowly out
of the room.
Note the
happy
couple to
my left (your
right.) By
paying
attention to
my theories
you will
have a
better
chance of
love like
theirs NOT
turning into
the following
story.
Erik Erikson
Middle Age: Generativity vs.
Stagnation
Generativity: desire to use
one’s accumulated wisdom
to guide future generations
Stagnation: hangs on to the past,
becomes preoccupied with health, or is
bitter about his life’s direction
Erik Erikson
Later Adulthood: Ego Integrity v. despair
Increasing awareness of one’s own
mortality and the changes in one’s body,
behavior, and social roles will set the
stage for late adulthood;
Ego integrity: ability to look back on life
without regrets and enjoy a new sense of
wholeness
Despair: futility, self-destruction due to
unfulfilled aspirations
Developmental Sequence
Model
0-17: Childhood and adolescence
17-22: Early
Adult Transition
Developmental Sequence
Model—Early Adult Era
22-28—Entering
the Adult World
28-30—Age
30 Transition
33-44:
Settling down
Developmental Sequence
Model—Middle Adult Era
40-45—
45-50—
Mid-Life
transition
Entering
Middle
Adulthood
50-55
55-60:
Age 50 Culmination of
Trans. Middle Adulthood
Developmental Sequence
Model—Late Adult Era
60-65: Late Adult Transition
65
Late Adult Era
What happens to former high school
psychology teachers
Three major eras:
17-40: Early adulthood
40-60: Middle
adulthood
60 on: Late adulthood
22-28:
Novice in adult world
Resolve the conflict between the
need to explore options of the
adult world and the need to
establish a stable life structure.
The Age 30 Crisis:
a major transition
Many questions
about the choices
of a marriage
partner, career, and life goals are
reopened.
Begins settling down, carving his
niche in society and Becoming One’s
Own Man (BOOM phase).
Age 40: Mid-life transition
“What have I done with my
life?”
“What have I accomplished?”
“What do I still wish to accomplish?”
Relationship with wife
becomes a significant
factor—have they grown
together or apart?
Late 40s: true adulthood can
be achieved.
More sensitive;
more tolerant;
willing to balance
need for friends
and need for privacy.
But can also be a time of extreme
frustration and unhappiness
Far less research on women’s
mid-life development
Many welcome
more personal
freedom
Many go back to college,
re-enter the workforce, or
begin new careers.
For many, a time of
opportunity; not one of crisis
Tend to be more conscious
of aging process than men
Often must adjust to a
different self-image: less attractive
Empty nest syndrome—departure of
the last child.
Many reorganize
their lives by
focusing on new
interests and
activities.
Some, however, do not
experience a sense of new
freedom
Women 2-6 times more likely than
men to suffer from middle-aged
depression.
Some experience a sense of loss
and personal worthlessness
Can be exacerbated by menopause
By: Bernadine Healy, M.D.
U. S. News and World Report
The Seven Dwarfs of Menopause
Thanks to Anna Hild
Class of 2005
Current female life expectancy: 80
Menopause: when women stop
menstruating
 Disappearance of a woman’s
eggs from ovaries
Baby girl: 2 million immature eggs
 400 Menstrual cycles in life
 By 12 (menarche): 300,000-600,000
 Late 30s: 25,000
Average age of menopause: 51
Range of ages: 45-55
Smoking: comes 1-2 years sooner
Meat & alcohol: later menopause
Hypothalamus: “cascade of neurohormonal events”
Unpredictable hot flashes (1-2 years)
Disturbances in sleep
Changes to the body:
Breasts become less firm
Fat redistributes to abdomen
Skin thins
Bones lose great amounts of calcium
Cardiovascular system—prone to
hardening of the arteries, stroke
and heart attack
Possible affect on brain (Alzheimer’s)
When people with terminal
illnesses learn about them,
they and their families must
cope with a truth that many
of us do not want to face.
Elizabeth Kulber-Ross
(1969) studied how the
terminally ill react to
their impending deaths
Kubler-Ross’s studies
led to the establishment
of thanatology—the study
of death and dying.
She identified five stages of
psychological adjustment.
Stage 1: Denial
First reaction to news is
shock, numbness, then denial
Kubler-Ross Model
Stage 2: Anger
“Why me?”
Likely to alienate
themselves from
others—no one can
relieve their anger.
Kubler-Ross Model
Stage 3: Bargaining
Change attitude and
try to bargain with
fate
May try to make
a bargain with
God
This stage is relatively short
Kubler-Ross Model
Stage 4: Depression
Become aware of
losses they are
incurring. . .
. . . and of the losses that
are to come—everybody
and everything
Helpful for others to let these
people express their sadness
Kubler-Ross Model
Stage 5: Acceptance
Recognition that the struggle is
over—sense of calm
In some cases, the approach
of death feels peaceful or
appropriate
Kubler-Ross Model
Not all terminal patients
progress through all of the
stages of the Kubler-Ross
Model—some die in the
denial stage: some can’t
psychologically get
past denial; for others, the
disease proceeds too fast
Kubler-Ross Model
An addendum to
the Kubler-Ross
model in light of
the 2005 Terri
Schiavo situation
Book written by: Mitch Albom
Movie directed by: Mick Jackson
Morrie Schwartz
Professor of Sociology and
Psychology at Brandeis
University, Waltham, MA
Amyotrophic Lateral
Sclerosis (ALS)
Lou Gehrig’s Disease
What is ALS?
ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative
disease that attacks nerve cells in the
brain and the spinal cord. Motor neurons
reach from the brain to the spinal cord
and from the spinal cord to the muscles
throughout the body. The progressive
degeneration of the motor neurons in ALS
eventually lead to their death. When the
motor neurons die, the ability of the brain
to initiate and control muscle movement
is lost. Therefore in the later stages of the
disease, patients become totally paralyzed.
For more information about ALS,
Log on to The ALS Association Website
www.alsa.org
Morrie Schwartz wrote several books
His disease and his wisdom
made famous by the book:
Tuesdays With Morrie: an
old man, a young man, and
life’s greatest
Lesson, by Mitch Albom
Albom’s book made into the movie:
Oprah Winfrey Presents: Tuesdays
With Morrie, in 1999, directed by Mick
Jackson and starring Jack Lemon and
Hank Azaria
Assignment: write a reaction to Oprah Winfrey
Presents: Tuesdays With Morrie, describing how
you believe the movie was or was not a good
encapsulation of what we learned in our
study of developmental psychology. Ensure
that your essay includes references to
specific issues or scenes from the film.
One page; due tomorrow.