Adolescence Flashcards
Age
10-19 years
Physical changes
- Occur at a rapid pace
- Puberty
- Hormonal changes (testoterone / estrogen)
- Different parts of the body grow at different rates
- Hair & skin becomes oily / acne
- Increased sweating & body odour
Hormonal changes…
Stem from the hypothalamus –> pituitary gland in the brain
Psychological implications…
- Self-conscious
- One’s appearance compared to peers
- Emotional reactions to development
- Body image
- Changes in family relations (more independent, less close to parents, conflict, moodiness, bouts of depression, variable energy levels and restlessness, spending more time with peers or other social settings)
Erikson - Which stage?
5 - Identity vs. Role Confusion
Neurocognitive Development…
- Brain is remodelled through synaptic pruning
* Intense period of change - fast-growing synapses and sections that remain unconnected
Synaptic pruning occurs…
from back (amygdala - limbic system) of the brain to the front (prefrontal cortex)
Prefrontal cortex
reasoning, logic, thinking, planning, judgement, decisions
Amygdala (limbic system)
emotions, instinct, reactive, impulsive
Neurocognitive consequences
- Risk-taking
- Novelty / sensation seeking
- Poor judgement
- Disorganization
- Forgetfulness
- Acting before thinking
- Overconfidence
- Emotional
What impacts the teen brain?
Substances - alcohol and drugs
- Impacts memory, attention, processing speed & executive functions
- Poor academic performance
- Smaller hippocampal, prefrontal cortex, and poorer quality of white matter, inhibition problems
- Higher rates of depression and anxiety
Stress
- Acute
- Chronic (continuous adrenaline and cortisol)
- Relates to development of current and later emotional disorders (depression) and anxiety
Two hormonal systems affected by stress?
- “Flight or fight” - sympathetic nervous system (epinephrine & norepinephrine)
- Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis - slower more protracted hormonal response
Which stage of Piaget’s theory?
4th: Formal operations stage (12 to adulthood)
Moral reasoning
instrumental hedonism - “you scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours”
Moral Reasoning: Damon & Hart (1992)
- Morality becomes part of an adolescent’s identity
- More sensitive to expectations of others
- “I am how I act with others”
Eisenberg’s theory (1989)
In rebuttal to Kohlberg’s theory:
- Kohlberg’s theory too rigid
- Children can reason from several different levels and can use any level
- Moral development defined by empathetic reasoning
Dunedin Study & offending behaviour… Two types of groups…
- Adolescence -limited offenders
2. Life-course-persistent offenders
Peer influence
Laurence Steinberg
Marcia’s Theory (1966)
Identity formation
Marcia’s 4 categories of identity formation
- Achieved
- Foreclosed
- Moratorium
- Diffused
Diffusion Status:
Not yet thought about or resolved identity issues. “I haven’t really thought much about religion… I don’t really know what I believe.”
12-15 yrs
Foreclosure Status:
Seems to know who s/he is but has latched on to an identity prematurely, without much thought. “My parents are Baptist and I’m a Baptist.”
12-15 yrs
Moratorium Status:
Currently experiencing an identity crises and is actively raising questions and seeking answers. “I’m in the middle of evaluating my beliefs… I like my catholic upbringing, but I’ve become skeptical…”
18 yrs
Identity Achieved Status:
Has resolved the crisis and made a commitment to the belief, goal or value. “I finally found what I believe in.”
20+ yrs
