LESSON 1: Developmental Tasks of Middle and Late Adolescents I

Adolescents learn new cognitive skills that help them use creative problem-solving, decision-making, and conflict-
resolution strategies. They should be able to see into the future and understand the consequences of their actions.

Adolescence

• Adolescence is known as a period of change for young people. Adolescence is divided into three stages:

Developmental Stage Age

Early Adolescence approximately 10 to 13 years old

Middle Adolescence approximately 14 to 16 years old

Late Adolescence approximately 17 to 19 years old

Each developmental stage in adolescence is characterized by different milestones in the physical, cognitive, and socio-
emotional domains.

Physical development refers to changes in an individual's size, appearance, functions, and physical capacities.

Cognitive development pertains to different intellectual abilities and thought processes.

Socio-emotional development talks about regulating and managing emotions and feelings, interpersonal skills, and
different aspects of behavior

Principles of Development

Principle Definition

Sequential This principle of development happens in a fixed sequence.

Individualized This principle of development emphasizes that one’s development is influenced by his or her
genes and environment.

Gradual The idea of development, like the development of a tree, does not happen instantly.

Holistic In this principle of development, the person must be looked at as a whole

person.

Consequences of Change

Consequence Definition

Storm and Stress G. Stanley Hall claims that during these years, adolescents go through depressed moods due
to peer relations.
 Identity vs. Identity Confusion Erik Erikson stresses that individuals face certain conflicts at each stage of development and
must overcome them.

Imaginary Audience and Personal Fable According to David is on them. Elkind, adolescents think they are on a stage, and everyone’s
attention

Developmental Tasks In Relation to the SELF

1. Accept, care for, and protect one’s physical body. 3. Select and prepare for a job or career

2. Manage one’s sexuality and the roles that goes with it 4. Adopt a personal set of values to guide behavior

LESSON 2: Developmental Tasks of Middle and Late Adolescents II

Interpersonal Development Tasks

▪ The list of the development tasks is based on the Developmental Tasks of Adolescents Theory of Robert
Havighurst.”

1. Establish mature relationships with peers and both sexes

2. Recreate their relationships with parents

3. Build and embrace socially acceptable behavior and become socially responsible

4. Be knowledgeable about family life and home management matters

Adolescence can be challenging. There can be times when you would have difficulty going through the demands of the
lengthy wave of changes. It can be considered a time for you to think, re-evaluate yourself, and prepare for the future.
With this foretold, you tend to get pressured to do great. Most of the time, a good amount of pressure comes from you,
and some pressure comes from the society surrounding you.

Establish mature relationships with peers of both sexes.

You tend to spend more time with your friends, especially since you spend many hours of the day together in school. But
unlike your younger years, you now try to build mature relationships with them.

“In this stage, you tend to experiment and interact with others in order to create a more mature relationship with peers.
There is a high regard in terms of facing and acknowledging fears and insecurities.

Recreate their relationships with their parents.

Initially, you tend to withdraw from your parents as you try to establish your independence. But when you enter the late
adolescent stage, you will try to recreate your relationships with them.

“As teenagers, since there is still a feeling of angst from wanting independence from parents and exploring new horizons
as a new adult, we tend to withdraw from our parents. This also stems out from peer pressure wherein instances of care
and lambing given by parents were seen to be a source of tease from other classmates. However, as we age, we tend to
appreciate their love and care, and even their words imparted on us. We tend to see this as a guiding light onto adulthood.”

Build and embrace socially acceptable behavior and become socially responsible.

As you grow older, a certain level of maturity is expected of you. During adolescence, you are expected by your society to
act less like a child and more like an adult.

“Since maturity is often associated with adulthood and development, there is a huge change in terms of societal
responsibilities and pressure. This also builds one’s emotional identification out of decisions that were made by one’s own
self.”
Be knowledgeable about family life and home management matters.

Whatever path you will take as an adult regarding your preferences and choices in building a family, this is the stage where
you must develop an attitude or obtain knowledge about relationships, marriage, parenting, and managing the home.

“There are numerous ways to learn. Children can occasionally learn by hearing things out loud. But, watching people go
about their daily lives is how kids learn the most frequently. Since a child's family is their primary social group, they have
the largest effect over their learning and socialization.

REMEMBER

Being able to perform interpersonal and self-relation developmental tasks can make us responsible adolescents.

LESSON 3: Peer Social Comparison

Roles of Peers In Adolescence

A peer is someone of the same rank, status, or background as the individual. In an individual's lifespan, peers have always
played a role in personality development.

Peers provide emotional support. You turn to your peers during difficult times in your lives. During this stage, peers help
you feel a sense of belonging and help you become comfortable with yourself.

Peers help develop skills. Constant interaction with your peers creates opportunities to practice life skills you will
need throughout adulthood, such as leadership and social skills.

Peers help mold behaviors and beliefs. Peers influence and reinforce certain behaviors and beliefs, as more time is spent with
them.

Why Do Adolescents Compare?

Due to the changes you go through in the different domains of your development, this behavior of comparing is almost
inevitable.

• Physical Development
• Cognitive Development
• Socio-emotional Development

Social Comparison Theory

● Leon Festinger believes humans have the innate tendency to evaluate themselves in various aspects of their lives.

● To make such assessments, individuals also look at people they can identify with for comparison

“According to psychologist Leon Festinger's social comparison theory, which was initially put forth in 1954, people have
an inbuilt urge to evaluate themselves in relation to others. Individuals assess themselves in many different ways, and one
of the key methods on how we perceive ourselves is through social comparison, or evaluating the self in relation to others.”

Two Ways of Comparing

Upward This type of comparison occurs when you compare yourself against someone you perceive as better or more successful
than you.

Downward This happens when you measure yourself against someone in a worse situation than you are.
 ● Self-concept – One of the propositions about self-concept that directly affects self-esteem is that what you know
about yourself is primarily a product of your relationships with others. The self-concept has three basic
components:

○ Physical characteristics – “I am fair-skinned.” “I am chubby.”

○ Personality traits – “I am trustworthy.” “I am outgoing.”

○ Social identity – “I am Leni’s daughter.” “I am a Muslim.”

● Self-esteem – Self-concept is greatly associated with self-esteem, which is the value you put on what you know
about yourself.

● Self-worth – Your high or low self-esteem may also affect your self-worth, which refers to how much you value
yourself.

Effects of Peer Comparison

Positive Effects Negative Effects

Improvement of one’s health dissatisfaction with

body image
one’s appearance

outlook in life Positive and motivated disposition insecurity and self-doubt

Inspired and genuinely happy for other people’s envy and the need to present self in an
social media
successes appealing way

Managing Peer Social Comparison

• Gratitude is the Key

• Be inspired
• Compete with your self

Erikson's Psychosocial Stages

Infancy 0-1 year

• Trust vs. mistrust

• Hope
• Trust (or mistrust) that basic needs, such as nourishment and affection, will be met

Early childhood 1-3 years

• Autonomy vs. shame/doubt

• Will
• Develop a sense of independence in many tasks

Play age 3-6 years

• Initiative vs. guilt

• Purpose
• Take initiative on some activities-may develop guilt when unsuccessful or boundaries overstepped
School age 7-11 years

• Industry vs. inferiority

• Competence
• Develop self-confidence in abilities when competent or sense of inferiority when not

Adolescence 12-18 years

• Identity vs. confusion

• Fidelity
• Experiment with and develop identity and roles

Early adulthood 19-29 years

• Intimacy vs. isolation

• Love
• Establish intimacy and relationships with others

Middle age 30-64 years

• Generativity vs. stagnation

• Care
• Contribute to society and be part of a family

Old age 65 onward

• Integrity vs. despair

• Wisdom
• Assess and make sense of life and meaning of contributions

Developmental Domain

• Physical Devt
• Cognitive Devt
• Socio Emotional Devt

Principles of Devt.

• Sequential
• Individualized
• Gradual
• Holistic

Consequences of Change

• Storm and Stress

• Identity vs. Identity confusion I
• maginary Audience and Personal Fable

Developmental task in relation to the self

• Accept, care for, and protect ones physical body

• Manage ones sexuality and roles that go with it
• Select and prepare for a job or career
• Adopt a personal set of values to guide behavior