LESSON 2 ASPECTS OF
DEVELOPMENT
A REVIEW
Self-Awareness: Adolescence
• In adolescence, the self is defined by abstract
characteristics, social competence, and social
acceptance
• Adolescents can conceive of themselves in terms
of a variety of selves, depending on the context
• With friends, siblings, parents, etc…
• Adolescents create a variety of selves in their
search for identity
Self-Description
• I'm sensitive, friendly, outgoing, though I can also be
shy, self-conscious, and even obnoxious. I'd like to be
friendly and tolerant all of the time. That's the kind of
person I want to be , and I'm disappointed when I'm
not. I'm responsible, even studious every now and
then, but on the other hand I'm a good-off too,
because if you're too studious, you won't be popular.
I'm a pretty cheerful person, especially with my
friends, where I can even get rowdy. I can be my true
self with my close friends. I can't be my real self with
my parents.
They don't understand me.
Developmental Change in Self-
Concept
Preschoolers School-Age Adolescents
Possessions Emotions Attitudes
Physical Personality
Social Groups
Characteristics Traits
Comparisons Beliefs vary with
Preferences
with Peers the Setting
Future-oriented
Two general changes in self-
concept occur from preschool to
adolescence:
1.Self-concept becomes richer as children
grow. Adolescents simply know much
more about themselves than preschoolers.
2.The type of knowledge that children have of
themselves changes. Preschoolers’
understanding is linked to the concrete, the
real, and the here and now.
Adolescents’
understanding is more
abstract, more
psychological, and sees
the self as evolving over
time.
Definition of Adolescence…
Adolescence is a period of time between childhood and adulthood.
It is the parent’s responsibility to maintain control over their adolescent child’s decision-
making while they become trust-worthy and mature enough to understand the long-term
consequences of their decisions.
The child, however, may not be aware of their own maturity level and ability to make good
decisions. Therefore, the adolescent period becomes one of struggle: parent vs. child.
THIS IS NORMAL.
Characteristics of Adolescence…
The period of adolescence is characterized by 4 factors:
Adolescents tend to be age-
segregated. They interact
mostly with their own age
group, rather than with
younger children and older
adults. This may be largely
dictated by the organization of
our educational system into
‘grades’. Although
adolescents may prefer to
Jobs held by teens may give them an spend their time with others of
opportunity to spend time with other age the same age proximity, it
groups: babysitting or working at a daycare OR does limit their ability to guide
working in a retail store or fast-food restaurant. younger people and learn from
older ones.
Characteristics of Adolescence…
Adolescents often require a prolonged period of economic dependency, due
to the financial support they need while extending their education in
preparation for higher-skilled jobs.
An older child, still accepting financial
support, will also have to accept the
continuing control of the parents. Why
wouldn’t a parent who is providing
money to the child, still want to control
how that money is spent?
If the older child is still living in the
parent’s home, why wouldn’t they still
have to live by the parent’s rules about
This economic dependency may curfews, getting a job, keeping their
extend the period of adolescence for room clean, or helping with household
years… as long as age 24 or even 30. chores?
Characteristics of Adolescence…
Adolescents are deeply affected by, and develop strong opinions about the
events of the era and society in which they live. They tend to support
idealism, and participate in movements toward social reform.
In some countries, they may be called
upon to fight in a war; the jobs
available to them are strongly
influenced by economic booms and
downturns; they support radical
political and religious movements; they
volunteer and support causes.
participate in riots and protests.
Characteristics of Adolescence…
Adolescents are heavily targeted and influenced by mass media. With rapidly
developing physical and cognitive capacities, they are especially vulnerable to
the counterculture aspects of media programming. They seek excessive
stimulation, as they are bombarded with images and sounds of tragedy, sex and
violence via the internet, video games, social media platforms, etc.
Physical Growth… The rapid changes of adolescent physical
growth rival the rate of changes found in
prenatal development and infancy.
Unlike children, however,
adolescents monitor their
development carefully. They
constantly compare
themselves with ideal
standards or images,
becoming embarrassed,
fascinated or insecure. They
then revise their self-image.
How they and their parents
deal with the rapid changes of
adolescence will impact their WARNING: The reflection in
overall adjustment. this mirror may be distorted
by socially constructed
ideas of beauty.
Physical Growth…
The hypothalamus is the part of the brain that
controls the pituitary gland; the pituitary gland is
the master gland of the body.
Since birth, the body of each individual has
been producing hormones from endocrine
glands. Hormones are biochemical
substances that are secreted into the
bloodstream. Each body, both male and
female, have been producing hormones
called androgens and estrogens.
Physical Growth… At the beginning of adolescence, however,
the pituitary gland and hypothalamus
release additional hormones.
Adolescent hormones cause an…
A. overall growth spurt, including increased size, strength, and stamina;
adolescents may experience clumsiness adjusting to rapidly growing bodies.
B. increased activity in sebaceous (oil-producing) glands which can cause skin
breakouts
Cognitive and
Emotional Development…
The amygdala (ah MIG dull luh)
of the brain is where emotions
are regulated. This area is
influenced heavily by hormones
produced during adolescence.
Risky behaviors and emotional
outbursts may result.
Cognitive & Emotional Development…
The frontal and temporal lobes of the
adolescent brain are still developing.
These are the regions of the human brain
related to judgment, planning, behavioral
and emotional control.
Adolescents are more susceptible to
emotional highs and lows; questionable
judgment, inability to plan ahead and
understand the consequences of the
decisions they make and actions they take
today. That makes them risk-takers.
Risky behaviors occur less in adolescents
with high self-esteem and a stable family
with good parent-child communication.
Psychosocial Development…
Psychologist G. Stanley Hall (1844-1924) was
considered the father of ‘ scientific studies of
adolescence’. He coined the phrase referring to the
adolescent period as one of ‘storm & stress’.
According to Hall, the adolescent period is full of
contradictions and wide swings in mood and
emotion. He considered it a turbulent time charged
with conflict.
In 1964 psychologist Albert Bandura (1925- )
theorized that when society presumes
adolescence to be a period of radical tension,
it runs the risk of creating a ‘self-fulfilling
prophecy’. He believed the adolescent
experience was heavily influenced by the
social and cultural environment.
Psychosocial Development…
Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development has withstood many
challenges. Earlier in their life, they should have accomplished stages 1-4:
trust, autonomy, initiative, and industry; now they are ready for
stage 5… IDENTITY. Who am I? What are my strengths
and weaknesses? How will I fit into
society? Do I want to go to college or
get a job right out of high school?
What career will I pursue? Do I want
to marry and have children?
Erikson referred to the time one
spends in this stage as an ‘identity
crisis’, and not being able to move
through this stage as ‘identity
confusion’.
Social Development…
Adolescents rely upon peer groups and/or
cliques for some advice. Peer groups involve
larger numbers of people, a crowd of 15-30,
whereas cliques may have just 3-9 people.
Cliques are more cohesive than crowds.
About 20% of adolescents are loners… not
members of groups or cliques. When this is
voluntary, it doesn’t seem to present a problem.
When it is not a ‘choice’, it can contribute to
difficulty in identity formation.
Social Development… Initial dating gives adolescents
experience without deep
emotional involvement. Girls
tend to start dating at earlier
ages than boys. Boys tend to be
more interested in sexual
intimacy; girls tend to be more
interested in emotional intimacy.
Dating, especially early on, is ‘practice’. The
adolescent is still trying to establish their own
identity, and must decide who THEY are before they
are truly ready to share themselves with another.
Positive Coping Skills…
To support positive adolescent
development, we need to support and
strengthen families, provide teens with
activities in which they can be
successful, encourage them to look
beyond their own circumstances and
help others, and teach them positive
coping skills.
Examples of positive coping skills: pursue hobbies, work hard at something
(keep busy) or volunteer, express your feelings, state your needs and wants and
develop the ability to say ‘no’, develop friendships, take advantage of community
resources, set goals, plan for the future, set priorities, balance leisure and work,
look at things from a different perspective, pursue physical fitness, take care of
yourself (bathe, dress, rest, eat healthily), learn how and take time to relax, and/or
find purpose and meaning for your life (develop spiritually, meditate).
JIGSAW ACTIVITY
• Let us be more aware and informed of the theories that explain an
adolescent’s Cognitive and Psychosocial Development.
• (Procedure attached to LP)
