Unit 7 Flashcards
Describe puberty and sexual maturation in girls and boys and how they differ
Puberty in girls and boys, is triggered by the pituitary glands that signals the brain to produce hormones such as androgens for boys and estrogens for girls, which produces many physical changes; for instance, female hormones start a process called Menarche, which begins menstruation around the are 11-12. The secondary characteristics, is the development of breasts, followed by pubic hair. On the other hand, puberty in boys begins at the age of 13-16. First, their penises get
Describe threats to normative adolescent development, such as eating disorders, substance abuse, and sexually transmitted diseases
Starting with eating disorders, Anorexia nervosa psychological influences of troubled body image because of popular cultural and the Medias ideas of how woman should look. When adolescence have a growth spurt their bodies require a balanced diet of nutritious food that include Iron and Calcium to prevent health risks; however, the psychological factor is that they see themselves as disgustingly fat.
Drugs, Adolescents use drugs for many reasons. Some seek the pleasure they provide. The drugs they use may no longer provide a ‘high,’ but may be necessary to maintain the perception of normalcy. Drugs can also prevent adolescents from dealing with reality by not confronting or solving their problems that led to the drug use in the first place.
Alcohol, heavy drinking by adolescents is three times higher than among older adults. In British Columbia it is reported that Males students are more likely to binge drink than their female counterparts and that one-quarter of drinkers experience memory loss and regrets as a consequence of their drinking. Alcoholics learn to depend on alcohol and are unable to stop drinking. Genetics plays a role: alcoholism runs in families, adolescents with an alcoholic parent or family member, alcoholism can be triggered by efforts to deal with stress, which .matters less than getting help.
• Sexually transmitted infections (STI): There is the historically known STI called Gonorrhea and Syphilis can be treated effectively. Finally, Genital herpes is a virus not unlike a cold sore that appear around the mouth.. Contracting an STI is a problem during adolescence, but it can be a problem in later life. So as infections increase the chances of infertility and cancer
Describe Piaget’s formal operations stage of cognitive development
Describe Piaget’s approach to cognitive development, Adolescents can consider problems in abstract rather than concrete terms by using formal operations stage (starts around ages 12-15), to solve problems, which is the ability to think abstractly. This changes the adolescent’s everyday behaviour. They are now able to process a general theory about what causes a certain outcome, and then by reasoning abstractly, why that outcome occurs. This makes adolescents more interesting as they actively seek to understand the principles and explanations they encounter. in addition,
Describe the increasing complexity of adolescent thinking about themselves in terms of self-concept and self-esteem
The self-concept: What I am like? When adolescents describe who they are, they take into account both their own and others’ views; for instance, a teenager might describe themselves by their ideology (I’m an environmentalist) or a physical characteristic (I`m a fat runner). Furthermore, Their self-concept determines their self esteem; for instance, an adolescent might have high self-esteem regarding academic performance, but lower self-esteem in relationships or the opposite might apply
Describe some of the challenges to healthy self-concept in adolescence
adolescents can be troubled by the complexity of their personalities such as wanting to be sociable or the opposite and be alone. By the end of adolescence, however, teenagers find it easier to accept that behaviours and feelings change with the situation.
Describe how Erikson encapsulates this as identity-versus-identity-confusion
Erickson`s theory , suggests teenagers try to figure out what is unique and distinctive about themselves, a task they manage with increasing sophistication due to the cognitive gains of adolescents. In this process, adolescents seek to understand who they are by narrowing and making choices about their personal, occupational, sexual, and political commitments. Erikson calls this the identity-versus-identity-confusion stage
Describe sexual maturity, sexual behaviour, and teenage pregnancy in adolescence.
Sexual maturity starts when hormonal changes that trigger the maturation of the sexual organs start new range of emotions, feelings, and thoughts about sex. Sexual behaviour, most adolescents’ sexual development is heterosexual, sexual attraction and behaviour directed to the other sex, and in some cases their own sex, or both sexes. Teen pregnancy, adolescent mothers faces a heightened risk of pregnancy complications both for her-self and her child, in large part because young mothers fail to receive appropriate prenatal care. In many cases, mothers care for their children without the help of the father. Lacking financial and emotional support, the mother might have to abandon her own education and be relegated to unskilled, poorly paying jobs for the rest of her life.
Describe Aboriginal approaches to adolescence and maturity (2)including the differences in relationships within collectivist communities where individualism is not necessarily seen as an important goal to attain during the teenage years.
Anderson states, “Puberty among Algonquian peoples was considered an optimal time for learning, experiencing spiritual enlightenment, and building commitment. Because of this powerful and liminal (Situated at the threshold) state, it was extremely important how a girl conducted herself during this time: her behaviour during seclusion would determine how she would live her life. In contrast, Markstrom, in addition, “conceptions of the personality: wholeness, harmony; moderation and containment (balance); complementary constructs; and the coexistence of values if interdependence and cooperation with individualism and personal autonomy. These conceptions are reflected in values that ultimately serve to direct behaviors. Furthermore, they have applications to puberty rituals…, most particularly in respect to personality development. As a result, individualism and personal autonomy are not independent from the social environment of the young person, but are most strongly realized with social endorsement and approval with the expectations that pursuits of the individual will ultimately benefit others.
Describe gender and sexual diversity in adolescence, particularly as observed in Aboriginal cultures and the impact of diversity within a historically marginalized group
Aboriginal, two-spirits community advocating for LGBTTQ rights to native and non-native peoples to be self-aware that their own values and biases that could harm an individual overall health and self-esteem.
