exam 2 Flashcards
Define family systems theory
relationships in families change most dramatically when individual members or family circumstances are changing
At what age is there peak changes in family relationships for both males and females?
boys and families is around 13/14
females is around 11/12
primary because of the different onsets in puberty
What do adolescents and parents usually fight about?
conflicts focus on mundane issues (curfews, leisure time activities, clothing, cleanliness of their rooms)
stem from differing perspectives on issues and violations of expectations
struggles generally over who has authority
Define midlife crisis
a psychological crisis over identity believed to occur between the ages of 35 and 45
increased concern about bodies, attractiveness, looking toward limited future while children have everything ahead of them
What is an occupational plateau?
point at which adults can tell how successful they are likely to be
How is the mental health of teenager’s parents?
2/3 of mothers and fathers describe adolescence as most difficult stage of parenting
this negatively affects the way they interact with their children - mental health does not generally decline with an empty nest
What are some examples of changes in family needs and functions?
cost of clothing, a car
college
parents belong to a sandwhich generation
families role during adolescence less clear than in childhood - shift to importance of peers.
What role does puberty play in transforming their family relationships?
change in balance of power
adolescents try to play a more forceful role in the family, parents take time to allow adolescent influence
to adapt requires a shared sense of what they are experiencing and how they are changing
role of puberty
bio + cog maturation at puberty throws off family system/balance
diminished closeness due mostly to increased teen privacy and less physical affection than to serious loss of love or respect
first 1/2 of adolescence can be a particularly strained and distant time
Are there differences in the family relationships of sons and daughters? If so, examples?
Very few differences, they are minimal - interact in similar ways, similar degrees of closeness, rules, patterns of activity, etc - generally no differences
How do adolescents relate to their parents? Is it different for mom vs. dad?
Here, there are differences. Often closer to mothers, fathers viewed as relatively distant authority figures, fight more with mothers and view them as more controlling
What critical aspects of parenting and different partening styles did Diana Baumrind suggest?
Parental responsiveness
Parental demandingness
Authoritative
Authoritarian
Indulgent
Indifferent
Why is the authoritative parenting the best type of parenting? What happens to the children raised with parents who are authoritarian, indulgent, or indifferent?
Children raised in authoritative houses are
more pysch mature
responsible
self-assured
creative + curious
socially skilled
academically successful
it provides the best balance - the link between healthy dev and authoritative parenting has been found in wide studies all around the world - neglect/abuse/hostile parenting has been proven to harm adolescents mental health and dev
authoritarian homes
more dependent
more passive
less socially adept
less self-assured
less curious
indulgent
less mature
less responsible
more conforming to their peers
indifferent
impulsive
more likely to be involved in delinquent behavior and in precocious experimentation with sex, drugs, alc
What are the 10 basic principles of good parenting?
what you do matters
you cannot be too loving
be involved in your childs life
adapt your parenting to fit your child
establish rules and set limits
help foster your childs independence
be consistent
avoid harsh discipline
explain your rules and decisions
treat your child with respect
What are some ethnic differences in parenting practices?
authoritative parenting is less prevalent among Black, asian, latinx families than white
ethnic minority parents are often more demanding
many asian + asian americans use a “strict-affectionate” parenting style - no negative outcomes
How does authoritative parenting work?
provides appropriate balance between restrictiveness & autonomy that sets standards yet promotes self control
promotes intellect dev that is the foundation of maturity
based on warm parent-child relationship, more likely to admire & form strong attachments to parents
childs own behavior, temper, personality shape parenting practices
child-centered, democratic
How do sibling relationships change during adolescence?
becomes more equal
becomes more distant
becomes less emotionally intense
quality is sib relationships affected by the quality of parent-child relationships
quality of sib relationships affects ad relationships with peers and vice versa
Define behavioral genetics
the scientific study of genetic influences on behavior
Define molecular genetics
the scientific study of structure and function of genes
Define alleles
different versions of the same gene
What are some shared vs. nonshared environmental influences?
shared = nongenetic influences that make individuals living in the same familiar similar to each other (common experiences between siblings)
nonshared = nongenetic influences in individuals lives that make them diff from people they live with (seperate experiences, friends, teachers, etc if varied)
genetic and nonshared environ influences are very strong during adolescence, shared environmental influences are less so
adolescents with same genetic predispositions dev diff in diff environments
What is the diathesis-stress model?
problems are the result of an interaction between a preexisting condition (the diathesis) and exposure to stress in the environment
What is the differential suscpetibility theory?
the idea that the same genetic tendencies that make an individual especially susceptible to develop problems when exposed to adverse environmental influences
also especially likely to thrive when exposed to positive environmental influences
Why are siblings often so different?
varying differences in family experiences
treated differently by parents
perceive similar experiences in diff ways
grow up at diff times in families lives
unequal treatment often creates conflict - negative outcomes
treating sibs differently may actually be good as long as they are both treated well
experiences outside family may also influence each sib differently
How has “the family” undergone many changes in the last 50 years?
high rates of divorce
cohabitation
childbearing outside of marriage
changing international economy
proportion of single parent families at stabilized at high levels in 90s
What is the divorce rate for first and second marriages?
50% first, 67% second (around these #s)
Key details about single parenthood
60% of all children born outside of marriage
significant # of these children are still living with more than one adult
How does divorce impact adolescents?
quality of relationship matters more so than the # of parents present in the household
process of going through divorce can have a greater impact than the resulting fam structure
exposure to marital conflict and disorganized parenting
genetic differences between adolescents whose parents have divorced and those whose parents have not
same goes for adults, those who divorce may have genetic differences from those who do not, differences that are continuously passed on
boys, younger children, those with difficult temper, without supportive relationships outside adults, whose parents transition into adolescence - all struggle more with short-term effects of divorce
What are the specific impacts of marital conflict?
hostile marital conflict -> adolescent emotional insecurity -> adolescent behavior probs
Define sleeper effects
sleeper effects may not be apparent until much later
developmental challenges related to relationships will not be apparent until the adolescent has a romantic relationship (refusing to get married later on bc parents had divorce)
pread and ad whose parents divorce often have adjustment difficulties, even into 30s
basically effects that are not apparent until later on when they are faced with relationships - they have the adjustment difficulty later on rather than when they were an actual child going through the divorce
