Mod 15

Question 1

How is adolescence defined, and how might the definition change across time and culture?

Answer 1

the years spent morphing from child to adult

in cultures where teens are self-supporting, adolescence hardly exists. And in Western cultures, where sexual maturation is occurring earlier and independence later, adolescence is lengthening

Question 2

What are the physical developments that occur in the brain during adolescence?

Answer 2

pruning of unused neurons and connections
frontal lobes also continue to develop - continuing growth of myelin
limbic system development
biased towards immediate rewards - risky, impulsive behavior

Question 3

What is selective pruning?

Answer 3

pruning of unused neurons and connections

Question 4

What are the 3 levels of moral development and what characterizes each level?

Answer 4

Preconventional - avoid punishment, obtain rewards
Conventional - belong and obey rules
Postconventional - make and keep promises, social contract, greatest good

Question 5

Understand Haidt’s concept of moral intuition.

Answer 5

moral intuitions—“quick gut feelings.”

the mind makes moral judgments in much the same way that it makes aesthetic judgments—quickly and automatically

Question 6

What is the relevance of “moral action” in regard to moral development?

Answer 6

doing the right thing, and what we do also depends on social influences

Moral action feeds moral attitudes.

In service-learning programs, teens have tutored, cleaned up their neighborhoods, and assisted older adults. The result? The teens’ sense of competence and desire to serve has increased, school absenteeism and dropout rates have fallen, and violent behavior has diminished

Question 7

How does the delay of gratification contribute to ability to act morally?

Answer 7

Delaying gratification fosters flourishing.

Those who have learned to delay gratification—to live with one eye on the future—have become more socially responsible, academically successful, and productive

Question 8

What are Erikson’s 8 stages of moral development, when does each generally occur, and what is the major task of each stage?

Answer 8

1. Trust (0-1)
2. Autonomy (1-3)
3. Initiative (3-6)
4. Competence (6-adolescence)
5. Identity (adolescence-20s)*
6. Intimacy (20s-40s)
7. Generativity (40s-60s)
8. Integrity (60s-death)

Question 9

How does the emerging adulthood relate to adolescence?

Answer 9

Adolescents are now taking more time to establish themselves as adults. Today’s adolescents are less likely to work for pay, drive, or have romantic attachments