Psychology 203 Human Development

Physical and Cognitive Development in

Adolescence (Chapter 11)

ADOLESCENCE: A DEVELOPMENTAL TRANSITION

Adolescence: Developmental transition between childhood and adulthood entailing major physical, cognitive, and psychosocial changes.

Puberty: Process by which a person attains sexual maturity and the ability to reproduce.

Pubescence: Term meaning puberty.

PUBERTY: THE END OF CHILDHOODPHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Secular trend Trend that can be seen only by observing several

generations, such as the trend toward earlier attainment of adult height and sexual maturity, which began a century ago.

Adolescent growth spurt Sharp increase in height and weight that precedes

sexual maturity

Adolescent growth spurt

Throughout childhood, boys and girls are similar in height. At puberty, girls surge ahead briefly, but then boys overtake them at about age 14.

Height in centimeters

190

170

150

130

110

90

70

50

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18Age in years

Boys Girls

Primary and Secondary Sex Characteristics

Primary sex characteristics Organs directly related to reproduction,

which enlarge and mature during adolescence.

Secondary sex characteristics Physiological signs of sexual maturation

(such as breast development and growth of body hair) that do not involve the sex organs.

Areolae The pigmented areas surrounding the nipples,

which enlarge during puberty.

Signs of Sexual Maturity

Sperm Production and Menstruation Nocturnal emission

An involuntary ejaculation of semen (commonly referred to as a wet dream) that happens at night in males.

Spermarche Boy's first ejaculation

Menstruation The monthly shedding of tissue from the lining of the

womb. Menarche

Girl's first menstruation Pheromones

Odorous chemicals that attract mates in animals and possibly in humans.

Signs of Sexual MaturitySperm Production and Menstruation

Signs of Sexual MaturityTime Table

PHYSICAL HEALTH

Physical Fitness Most are and stay in good health High School boys tend to get more exercise

the girls Sleep Needs

Circadian timing system: The natural sleep‑wake cycle of the brain, lasting 24 hours (School timing different then cycle)

Melatonin: A hormone secreted by the pineal gland which promotes sleep.

Nutrition and Eating Disorders

Obesity Body Image and Eating Disorders

Descriptive and evaluative beliefs about one's appearance.

Anorexia Nervosa: Eating disorder characterized by self‑starvation.

Bulimia nervosa: Eating disorder in which a person regularly eats huge quantities of food and then purges the body by laxatives, induced vomiting, fasting, or excessive exercise.

Binge eating disorder: Frequent bingeing without subsequent fasting, exercise, or vomiting.

Use and Abuse of Drugs Risk Factors for Drug Abuse

Poor impulse control and sensation‑seeking Family influences Difficult temperament Early and persistent behavior problems Academic failure and lack of commitment to

education Peer rejection Associating with drug users Alienation and rebelliousness Favorable attitudes toward drug use Early initiation into drug use

Use and Abuse of Drugs

Death in Adolescence Deaths from Vehicle Accidents and

Firearms

Suicide

COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT

Formal operations: Piaget's final stage of cognitive development, characterized by the ability to think abstractly.

Hypothetical‑deductive reasoning: Ability, believed by Piaget to accompany the state of formal operations, to develop, consider, and test hypotheses

Metacognition: Awareness and monitoring of one's own mental processes and strategies.

Social perspective‑taking: The ability to understand another person's point of view and level of knowledge and to speak accordingly.

Immature Characteristics of Adolescent Thought

(Elkind)

Six Characteristics of Immature Adolescent Thought:1. Idealism and Criticalness – Adult systems are not perfect2. Argumentativeness – Ability to reason3. Indecisiveness – Ability to see different sides in decision4. Apparent Hypocrisy – Realize adults are less than perfect5. Self‑consciousness – Assume everyone is thinking and

watching them6. Specialness and Invulnerability – no concept of death

Imaginary audience: an observer who exists only in an adolescent's mind and is as concerned with the adolescent's thoughts and actions as the adolescent is.

Personal fable: the conviction that one is special, unique, and not subject to the rules that govern the rest of the world.

Moral Reasoning: (Kohlberg's Theory)

As moral development progresses, the focus of concern moves from the self to the wider social world

Morality of abstractprinciples: to affirm

agreed-upon rights andpersonal ethical principles

Morality of law andsocial rules: to gainapproval or avoid

disapproval

Morality of self-interest:to avoid punishment

or gain concrete rewards

Postconventionallevel

Conventional level

Preconventional level

Evaluating Kohlberg's Theory

Family Influences – Parents influence on moral issues

Validity for Women and Girls – May not apply to girls

Cross‑cultural Validity Female genital mutilation: Female

circumcision.

Social Development

The changing parent-child relationship

100%

80

60

40

20

0 2 to 4 5 to 8 9 to 11 Ages of child in years

Percent withpositive, warm

interactionwith parents

Influences on School Achievement

Self‑Efficacy Beliefs and Academic Motivation Self‑efficacy: Belief in one's own mastery of

situations, such as mastery of academic material.

Use of Time Socioeconomic Status and the Family

Environment

Influences on School Achievement Parental Involvement and

Parenting Styles

Authoritative parents Those who are warm, involved, and

encourage their adolescents to be independent while maintaining reasonable control and discipline.

Authoritarian parents Those who are controlling without warmth,

rigid, overly punitive, and discourage inquiry.

Permissive parents Those who seem not to care about

adolescent grades and make no rules, and who are relatively uninvolved with their adolescents.

Influences on School Achievement School Factors

Dropping Out of High School Active engagement: Involvement in

schooling and Vocational Preparation Influences on Students' Aspiration Guiding Students Not Bound for College Should High School Students Work Part

Time?