PSYCHOLOGY 133 A: Adolescent Development
Spring 2004
W & F 2-3.30pm, Young CS24
Professor: Jaana Juvonen, 2291C Franz Hall (middle building)
Phone: 825-8293, e-mail: Juvonen@psych.ucla.edu
Office hour: Wednesday 3.30-4.30pm
Teaching Assistant: Melissa Witkow, Franz 2344D (middle building)
e-mail: Mwitkow@ucla.edu
Office hour: Friday 1-2pm
Readings: 133 A Reader available at the ASUCLA Bookstore, Ackerman.
Course Description, Requirements & Evaluation:
This course covers research on social, cognitive, physical and psychological development
during the second decade of life. Topics most relevant to early adolescence, such as
pubertal development and its' social consequences, changing relationships with parents,
self and identity development, the increasingly important role of peers, school
adjustment, stress and coping, as well high risk behaviors will be covered. The emphasis
is on social development. The goals of the course include (1) learning to differentiate
between myths and facts regarding adolescent development, (2) to understand (a) the
role of theory, (b) limitations of research methods and results, and (c) the policy
implications of empirical findings.
Enclosed is the tentative schedule for reading assignments and the dates for the two
exams. The exams will consist of multiple choice questions. The final exam is based
mostly, but not entirely, on the latter section of the course. The first exam is worth about
40-45% and the second exam about 55-60% of the final course grade. There will be an
optional take-home assignment. If you choose to complete the take-home assignment, it
will count for about 20% of your final grade; in that case your first exam counts for about
35% and final exam about 45% of the final grade. This course is NOT graded "on a
curve" but a criterion-based evaluation method is used. This means that your grade will
not depend on others' performance but rather on your mastery of the content.
Collaboration with peers is highly encouraged. The cut-off percentages for grades are
listed on the bottom of this page.
There will be no make-up exams or assignments unless there is an official University
excuse with proof of emergency or illness. If you do not notify the instructor about
missing the exam within 24 hours from the time of the exam, you will receive 0 points for
the exam. Exams and assignments will only be given at the times noted on this page
unless otherwise informed.
Tentative Schedule & Reading Assignments:
4/7
Introduction to the course
4/9
Defining adolescence: Feldman & Elliott; Hines, Ch 2
4/12
NO CLASS (AERA), Rights of passage: Hines, Ch 3
4/16
Pubertal process: Connolly et al.
4/21
Sexuality: Brooks-Gunn & Furstenberg
4/23
Adolescent thinking: Steinberg (text)
4/28
Parent-adolescent relationships: Steinberg (Ch. 10)
4/30
Indirect effects of poverty: Felner et al.
5/5
Self and identity development: Harter
5/7
1st EXAM
5/12
Peers and peer cultures: Brown
5/14
Friendships: Berndt & Murphy
5/19
Peer harassment: Underwood--TAKE HOME ASSIGNMENT
5/21
Middle school transition: Eccles et al.--ASSIGNMENT DUE
5/26
Motivation and achievement: Kaplan & Maehr
5/28
High school experience: Brown & Theobald
6/2
Stress & coping: Phelan et al.
6/4
Health and risk-taking behaviors: Igra & Irvin
6/9
Adolescence-limited antisocial behavior: Moffit & Caspi
6/11
Long-term prediction of drug-use: Shedler & Block
6/16
Final EXAM: 8-11am
Cutoffs for grades (percentages refer to the portion of correct answers):
A
AB+
B
BC+
= 90%
= 87%
= 83%
= 80%
= 77%
= 73%
C = 70%
C- = 67%
D+ = 63 %
D = 60%
D- = 57%F < 57%
PSY 133 A Reader -2004, Spring
J. Juvonen
1. Feldman, S. S. & Elliott, G. R (1993). Capturing the adolescent experience. In S.S.,
Feldman & G. R. Elliott (Eds.). At the threshold: The developing adolescent (pp. 1-13).
Cambridge, Ma: Harvard University Press.
2. Hines, T. (1999). The rise and fall of the American teenager (Only a phase?, pp. 2742; Coming of age in utter confusion, pp. 43-56). New York: Avon.
3. Connolly, S. D., Painkoff, R. L., & Buchanan, C. M (1996). Puberty: The interplay of
biological and psychosocial processes in adolescence. In G. R. Adams, R. Montemayor,
& T. P. Gullotta (Eds.), Pschosocial development during adolescence (pp. 259-299).
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
4. Brooks-Gunn, J. & Furstenberg, F. Jr. (1989). Adolescent sexual behavior. American
Psychologist, 44, 249-257.
5. Ryan, G. & Futterman, D. (1998). Lesbian and gay youth: Care and counseling (pp.
7-19). New York: Columbia University Press.
6. Steinberg, L. (1996). Adolescence (Cognitive transitions; pp. 63-98). New York:
McGraw-Hill.
7. Steinberg, L. Autonomy, conflict, and harmony in the family relationships. (1993). In
S.S., Feldman & G. R. Elliott (Eds.). At the threshold: The developing adolescent (pp.
255-276). Cambridge, Ma: Harvard University Press.
8. Felner, R. D., Brand, S., DuBois, D. L., Adan, A. M., Mulhall, P. F., & Evans, E. G.
(1995). Socioeconomic disadvantage, proximal environmental experiences, and
socioemotional and academic adjustment in early adolescence: Investigation of a
mediated effects model. Child Development, 66, 774-792.
9. Harter, S. (1993). Self and identity development. In S.S., Feldman & G. R. Elliott
(Eds.). At the threshold: The developing adolescent (pp. 352-387). Cambridge, Ma:
Harvard University Press.
10. Brown, B. B. (1993). Peer groups and peer cultures. In S.S., Feldman & G. R. Elliott
(Eds.). At the threshold: The developing adolescent (pp. 171-196). Cambridge, Ma:
Harvard University Press.
11. Berndt, T., J. & Murphy, L. M. (2002). Influences of friends and friendships: Myths,
truths, and research recommendations. In R. Kail, (Ed). (2002). Advances in child
development and behavior, Vol. 30 (pp. 275-310). San Diego, CA, US: Academic Press.
12. Underwood. M. K. (2003). Social aggression among girls (Adolescence: Girl talk,
moral negotiation, and strategic interactions to inflict social harm, pp. 93-178). New
York: Guilford.
13. Eccles, J.S., Midgley, C., Wigfield, A, Buchanan, C. M., Flanagan, C., & Mac Iver,
D. (1993). The impact of stage-enviro9nment fit on young adolescents’ experiences in
schools and in families. American Psychologist, 48, 90-101.
14. Kaplan, A. & Maehr, M. L. (2002). Adolescents’ achievement goals; Situating
motivation in sociocultural context. In F Pajares & T. Urdan (Eds.), Academic
motivation of adolescents (125-167). Greenwich, Con: Information Age Publishing.
15. Brown , B. B. & Theobald, W. (1998). Learning contexts beyond the classroom:
Extracurricular activities, community organizations, and peer groups. In K. Borman & B.
Schneider (Eds.), The adolescent years: Social influences and educational challenges
(pp. 109-141). The 97th yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education.
Part I. Chicago: National Society for the Study of Education.
16. Phelan, P., Yu, H. C., & Davidson, A. L. (1994). Navigating the psychosocial
pressures of adolescence: The voices and experiences of high school youth. American
Educational Research Journal, 31, 415-447.
17. Igra, V. & Irvin C. E., Jr. (1996). Theories of adolescent risk-taking. In R. J.
DiClemente, W. B. Hansen, & L. E. Ponton (Eds.), Handbook on adolescent health risk
behavior (pp. 35-51). New York: Plenum.
18. Moffitt, T. E. & Caspi, A. (2001). Childhood predictors differentiate life-course
persistent and adolescence-limited antisocial pathways among males and females.
Development and Psychopathology, 13, 355-375.
19. Shedler, J. & Block, J. (1990). Adolescescent drug use and psychological health: A
longitudinal inquiry. American Psychologist, 45, 612-630.