Puberty and adolescence Flashcards
Adolescence
The period between childhood and adulthood.
Sees a major development in physical, social and cognitive development.
Puberty
The physical changes to the body during adolescence, that lasts around 4 years
Mean age is around 13. Ranges 11-18.
This has decreased in the last century.
Females usually develop earlier than males.
Sees sexual maturation due to changes in testosterone and oestradiol levels
Why has the age for puberty decreased over the last century.
Adolescents now are more healthy physically due to greater nutritional intake.
Puberty onset is associated with girls reaching a critical body mass, around 48kg, and body fat, 17%.
In females it is thought that menstruation occurs when the body has enough physical resources. The development of these resources now occurs at an earlier age.
Psychology of adolescence
Changes in the physical body stirs up feelings of dissatisfaction:
Females tend to be less satisfied about that outcome compared to males.
The social expectation for bodies in women is usually pre-adolescence.
There is a comparison about body development with peers which is counterproductive as development occurs at different ages
Mood changes:
Could be hormonal, but is not likely.
Research shows that life experiences and events affect mood.
Cognitive development in adolescence
Developments in:
Abstract thinking
Multi-dimensional thinking
Metacognition- thinking about thinking
Also an increase in self absorption
Increased risk taking and development of decision making
Self absorption in adolescence
Individuals start to develop this ‘imaginary audience’, that critiques everything they do.
Creation of a personal fable:
Individuals start to think that they are exceptional and that everyone notices things that they pay attention to- like a spot.
Risk taking in adolescence
Adolescence show an increase in risk taking.
Risk taking is important for trying out new identities.
Increased risky behaviour like:
Increased alcohol consumption
Motor vehicle use
Increase sexual activity
These activities are all part of socialisation into adulthood
Males are more likely to partake in risky behaviour to show masculinity.
Females either conform to or rebel against feminine social roles which influence risky taking.
Adolescents and decision making
Despite the improvement in decision making capacity, adolescents are make bad at making decisions.
This is due to them becoming more self-absorbed and egocentric.
The creation of a personal fable is dangerous as it increases unhealthy behaviour:
“I won’t get pregnant”
“I won’t crash”
Misperceived norms
Adolescents tend to overestimate the activities of their peers:
Seen with alcohol consumption and sexual activities
This has a false consensus effect as it influences people to increase risky behaviour.
Tackling misperceived norms can help tackle overdrinking.
Adolescent-parent/adult relationships
Although adolescents spend less time in family interactions, they still have a strong or even stronger quality of interaction with parents.
Decline spent in time is due to other commitments like work, friends, not dislikes of parents.
Independance is also due to adolescents developing more emotionally and behaviorally independent.
