Adolescent Psychology
Chapter 1
Today we will…
Cover some history
Talk a bit about periods of development
Discuss a couple of developmental issues
Talk over a few theories
Touch on research methodology
By the way…all of this is from chapter 1!
What is Adolescence?
Adolescence: The period of transition from
childhood to adulthood; it involves
biological, cognitive, socioemotional
changes.
Preparation for adulthood
From development of sexual functions to abstract
thinking to independence
Historical Views on Adolescence
Early Greek philosophers: a time of developing reason
& self-determination
Middle ages: no distinction made between children,
adolescents, and adults
18th Century French philosopher Rousseau: period
between ages15-20, when selfishness is replaced by
interest in others
20th &21st Centuries: scientific exploration of
adolescence begins
Development of the Concept
G. Stanley Hall’s Storm and Stress view (1904)
Adolescence is a turbulent time charged with conflict & mood swings
Development determined by heredity & environment
Margaret Mead’s Sociocultural View (1928)
No conflict is necessary, if culture provides smooth gradual transition
Development determined by socio-cultural factors, not biology
Inventionist View
Concept of adolescence is a socio-historical creation
Industrial Revolution, WWI, WWII, Great Depression
Past to Present
“Those teenagers today…”
The problem with stereotypes
Adolescent Generalization Gap
Adolescents are NOT a homogeneous group
Generation gap bias
Toward a more positive view of adolescence
Positive Youth Development (2009)
Competence
Confidence
Connection
Character
Caring/compassion
Adolescents in the U.S. &
Around the World
In the U.S….
Social context is changing…
Social Policy is fragmented for adolescents in U.S.
Around the world…
Global youth culture
Many traditions remain constant, so adolescents in
different cultures have varying experiences
Change vs. tradition
Development Defined
Development: The pattern of change that begins at
conception and continues throughout the lifespan.
Includes both growth & decay.
Processes & periods
Biological, cognitive, &socio-emotional processes.
Development is a direct result of the interaction between
these 3 processes.
Biological = Physical changes
Cognitive = Changes in intelligence &thinking
Socioemotional = Changes in emotions, personality,
relationships & social context
o
Emerging fields (development cognitive neuroscience & social
developmental neuroscience) exploring interconnectedness!!
Developmental Processes
Developmental Changes are a Result of Biological,
Cognitive, and Socioemotional Processes
Fig. 1.3
Terms to know continued…
Contexts: Settings in which development occurs.
These settings are influenced by historical, economic,
social, & cultural factors. (e.g. socioeconomic, ethic,
gender, age, peer groups, families, schools)
How do you think various contexts influence
development?
Periods of Development
Childhood:
Prenatal
Infancy (birth-18/24 months)
Early childhood (infancy – 5/6 years)
Middle & late childhood (5/6 – 10/11)
Adolescence:
remember a combination of heredity, childhood &
adolescent experiences contribute to the course of adolescent
development.
Early: Middle school/Junior High (puberty)
Late: Career interests, dating, identity exploration are main tasks
Adulthood:
Early
Middle (many of adolescent’s parents)
Late
Adolescence
The key task in adolescence is preparation for adulthood.
This period begins at between 10-13 & ends between 18 -22.
Transition from childhood  adolescence determined biologically
Transition from adolescence  adulthood determined by experiences
& culture
Emerging adulthood (18-25) – experimentation & exploration
5 key features
Changes occurring during this period range greatly.
Development of sexual function, abstract thinking processes,
independence, identity…
Developmental Issues:
The Debates
Nature vs. Nurture
Determined by biological inheritance?
Determined by environmental experiences?
Continuity vs. Discontinuity
Gradual & continuous?
Discrete, abrupt, changes?
Early vs. Later Experience
Freud:
Psychoanalytic Theories
Psycho-sexual stages (1st stages of development)
Development as an unconscious, emotional process
Personality Structure
Id
Ego
Superego
Psychoanalytic
Freud
Defense Mechanisms
Unconscious methods the ego uses to distort reality and
protect itself from anxiety
Examples: Repression and Regression
Revisions of Freud’s Theories
Less emphasis on sexual motivations
More emphasis on social aspirations
Psychoanalytic:
Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages
Cognitive Theories
Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development:
Individual actively constructs understanding of the world through ongoing process
of organization & adaptation
•
Organization: to make sense of world, organize experiences and observations
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Adaptation: adjust to new environmental demands
Fig. 2.4
Cognitive Theories
Vygotsky’s Socio-cultural Cognitive theory:
Emphasizes how cultural &social interaction guide cognitive
development
No stages
Information-processing theory:
No stages
Individuals manipulate, monitor, & strategize about information
Develop a gradually increasing capacity for processing information,
allowing one to acquire more complex knowledge & skills
Behavioral
Skinner’s Operant Conditioning
The scientific study of observable behavior responses
and their environmental determinants
Behavior is learned and often changes according to
environmental experience
Social Cognitive
Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory:
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Observational Learning
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Self-Efficacy
Fig. 2.5
Bronfenbrenner’s
Ecological Contextual Theory
5 Environmental Systems with individual at the center:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Microsystem: contexts
Mesosystem: connections between contexts
Exosystem: links between contexts & other
environments
Macrosystem: culture in which individual lives
Chronosystem: environmental events & transitions over
the life
The Scientific Method
Conceptualize the problem
Collect information (data)
Analyze data
Draw conclusions
Theory
An interrelated, coherent set of ideas that helps to
explain and make predictions
Hypothesis
Specific assumptions and predictions that can be tested
Descriptive Research
Observe and record behavior
Observation
Surveys and Interviews
Standardized Tests
Experience Sampling
Physiological Measures
Case Studies
The Correlational Method
Describes the strength of the relationship between two or
more events or characteristics
Correlation Coefficient
+1.00 to -1.00
Negative vs. Positive
Size of the number
Correlation does not imply causation
Correlational Research
Possible Explanations of Correlational Data
Fig. 2.10
Random Assignment/Experimental Design
Fig. 2.11
Experimental Research
Experiment is a carefully regulated procedure in which one
or more factors believed to influence the behavior being
studied are manipulated, while all other factors are held
constant.
IV = the factor that is manipulated (E.G. Peer tutoring)
DV = the factor that is measured; it can change as the IV is
manipulated (% correct on exams)
Time Span of Research
Cross-sectional research
Research that studies people all at one time
Longitudinal research
Research that studies the same people over a period of
time, usually several years or more
The Field of Adolescent Development
Research
Journals
Journal of Research on Adolescence
Journal of Early Adolescence
Journal of Youth and Adolescence
Adolescence
Child Development
Research Challenges
Conducting Ethical Research
Gender Bias
Culture and Ethnic Bias
Ethnic Gloss
Being a Wise Consumer of Information
Be cautious of what is reported in the popular
media
Recognize the tendency to over generalize a small
or clinical sample
Be aware that a single study usually is not the
defining word
Remember that causal conclusions cannot be
drawn from correlational studies
Always consider the source of the information and
evaluate its credibility
Taking it to the Net
Master the material in this chapter by visiting the
Online Learning Center:
http://www.mhhe.com/santrocka13e
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Please complete Self Assessment: Do I Have the
Characteristics of an Emerging Adult, and bring results to
class with you!