Adolescence and Adulthood Chapter 11 OVERVIEW Eriksons theory

Adolescence and Adulthood Chapter 11

OVERVIEW ® Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development ® Adolescence ® Storm and Stress Model ® Adolescent Generalization Gap ® Physical, Cognitive, & Socioemotional Development ® Gender Identity ® Adulthood ® Physical, Sensory, & Sexual Changes ® Theories of Aging ® Health in Late Adulthood ® Death & Dying

Erikson: The Search for Self ® Based on Freud’s psychosexual stages of development, Erikson (1902 -1994) developed his own Psychosocial theory of development

Erikson: The Search for Self • A healthy personality • actively masters the environment • shows a certain unity of personality, • is able to perceive the world and self correctly • Childhood is defined by the initial absence of these characteristics and by their gradual development in complex steps of increasing differentiation • Growing up is a process of achieving Ego Identity - a set of thoughts, feelings, values, attitudes, and behaviours that defines a person’s self

Erikson: The Search for Self • Ego Identity has 2 aspects: 1. First/inner-focused aspect is knowing and accepting oneself 2. Second/outer-focused aspect is the individual’s recognition of and identification with his or her culture • People who have attained ego identity have a clear picture and an acceptance of both their inner essence and the group culture in which they live

Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory of Development • Psychosocial theory of development - the demands of society at each stage of development promote the development of a unique personality and ensure that individuals acquire attitudes and skills that help them become active and contributing members of their society • According to Erikson, a basic psychosocial conflict, which is resolved along a continuum from positive to negative, determines healthy or maladaptive outcomes at each stage

Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory of Development • Each stage is a struggle between two opposite or conflicting personality characteristics • E. G. : Trust Continuum ----------------------------- Complete Trust Complete Mistrust

Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory: Stage 1 ® Birth to 18 months ® Basic trust vs. mistrust ® If needs are met, child learns world is predictable and safe ® If needs are not met in stage 1, distrust in the world develops ® Significant relationship = mother

Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory: Stage 2 ® 18 months to 3 years ® Autonomy vs. shame & doubt ® Success in tasks leads to autonomy ® Failure in stage 2 leads to fears and a sense of doubt ® Significant relationship = parents/caregivers

Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory: Stage 3 ® 3 to 6 years of age ® Initiative vs. guilt ® A sense of mastery develops if the child successfully exercises enthusiasm ® Failure leads to dependence and regret ® Significant relationships = family including siblings

Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory: Stage 4 ® 6 to 12 years of age ® Industry vs. inferiority ® The child gains a sense of confidence ® Failure in stage 4 leads to feelings of inferiority and incompetence ® Significant relationships = school

Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory: Stage 5 ® Adolescence ® Identity vs. role confusion ® Growth and turmoil of adolescence creates an “identity crisis” ® Crisis is resolved by forming an identity ® Failure to form an identity leads to confusion about adult roles ® Significant relationships = peer groups

Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory: Stage 6 ® Young adulthood ® Intimacy vs. isolation ® Young adults must commit to lasting intimate and caring relationships ® The alternative is isolation ® Significant relationship = romantic partner

Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory: Stage 7 ® Middle adulthood ® Generativity vs. stagnation ® Awareness of own mortality ® Hope to convey information, love, and security to the next generation ® Failure leads to stagnation and self-absorption ® Significant relationships = family (children)

Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory: Stage 8 ® Late adulthood ® Integrity vs. despair ® the person assesses whether existence is meaningful and happy, or wasteful and unproductive ® The answer leads to fulfillment or regret ® Significant relationship = humankind/ society

Definitions ® Adolescence: ® Period extending from the onset of puberty to early adulthood. ® Generally occurs between ages 12 and 20 ® Characterized by physical, cognitive, emotional, and social changes ® Puberty: ® Period of time when the reproductive system matures ® Only one aspect of adolescence

Question • Describe your adolescence in three words…

Adolescence: Storm and Stress Model ® G. Stanley Hall – father of the scientific study of adolescence ® Published Adolescence in 1904 ® Storm and Stress model – adolescence is characterized by a great deal of conflict due to hormonal changes and the conflicting demands of adulthood and childhood

Offer et al. (1998) ® Research Question: ® Is the storm & stress stereotype of adolescence accurate? ® Method: ® Cross cultural sample of adolescents ® Survey of self-image, emotions, social relationships , attitudes. ® Results: ® 73% reported no significant psychological difficulties

What Psychologists Think ® Not necessarily a time of great psychological turmoil ® No greater incidence of psychological disturbances compared to the rest of the population. ® Culture plays a significant role in the way adolescence is experienced

Question on Stereotypes What are the most common stereotypes of adolescents?

Adolescent generalization gap ® Adelson (1979) ® Widespread generalizations about adolescents have developed that are based on information about highly visible groups of adolescents

Physical Development

Physical Development ® Puberty is the average at which reproductive systems mature ® Girls enter puberty about two years before boys ® Hormones trigger development of secondary sexual characteristics, physical features that differentiate the sexes

Hormones & Puberty ® Hormones: ® Chemical substances secreted by the endocrine glands and carried through the body by the bloodstream. ® Two Classes of Sex Hormones: ®Androgens: (primarily male) l l Increases 18 -fold in males Increases 2 fold in female ®Estrogens: (primarily female) l l Increases 8 -fold in females Increases 2 fold in men

Determinants of Puberty ® Heredity ® Genes determine the range for the onset of puberty in an individual ® Environment ® Factors such as nutrition, exercise, exposure to growth hormones, exposure to toxins, etc. can affect the onset of puberty.

Effects of Early Onset Puberty ® Early Maturing Males: ® More positive self perception during adolescence ® More successful peer relations ® Tendency to engage in alcohol, drug use, smoking ® Weaker sense of personal identity in adulthood ® Early Maturing Females: ® More positive self perception during early adolescence ® Less positive self perception during late adolescence ® Regarded by peers as sexually active/promiscuous ® Socially popular ® Increased negative behaviors and depression ® Lower educational and occupational goals

Adolescent Cognitive Development

Cognitive Development ® Formal Operational Thought ® At times manifests as argumentative ® Attributes unlimited power to own thoughts ® Adolescent egocentrism ® Most apparent during early-mid adolescence ® Allows teens to break away from parents ® Leads to two cognitive distortions: Imaginary Audience ® Personal fable ®

Gender Differences in Cognition ® Minimal cognitive differences between male and female adolescents on measures of cognitive ability ® Individual variability is high ® Small group differences in performance have been reported in certain special populations.

Socioemotional Development

Socioemotional Development ® Childhood social interactions and cognitive development affect adolescent social adjustment. ® Parents and peers are important influences on self-esteem and personality ® Adolescents’ attitudes fall somewhere between those of their parents and peers

Discussion: ® Who do you think was more influential in your life, parents or peers? ® Were peers more influential in some areas and your parents in other areas?

Friendship in adolescence ® Children and adolescents who have friends tend to be more socially competent ® When friendships fall apart, a child’s selfconfidence is undermined

Friendship in Adolescence ® Functions ® Exposure to ideas and activities ® Ego support/encouragement ® Comparison ® Intimacy/self-disclosure ® Feelings of acceptance ® Learning reciprocal intimacy (Sets stage for adult intimacy) ® Developmental changes ® Increased intimacy and selectivity in adolescence

Gender Identity

The Search for Gender Identity ® Gender identity is a person’s sense of being male or female ® Gender Roles are a set of expectations that prescribes how females and males should think, act, and feel

Word Game ® CIRCLE Ø Female ® TRIANGLE Ø Male ® EAGLE Ø Male ® RABBIT Ø ? ® TIGER Ø Male ® DARK Ø Male ® LIGHT Ø Female ® BOOK Ø Male ® SPOON Ø Female ® CLOUD Ø Female

Gender Role Stereotypes of American University Students (Broverman et al. , 1972) FEMININE MASCULINE Nesbitt & Penn (2000) agreement Not aggressive Not independent Emotional Appearance focus Illogical Home oriented Sneaky Gentle Never acts as a leader Sensitive Aggressive Independent Not emotional Not app. focused Logical Worldy Direct Rough Always acts as a leader Insensitive Yes Yes No No Yes Yes

The Search for Gender Identity ® During adolescence, gender intensification may take place ® This is becoming extreme in one’s orientation toward maleness and femaleness

Gender Identity ® In recent years, many men and women have adopted androgynous behaviours that represent a blend of stereotypically male and female characteristics ® But we still live in a gendered society with nearly impossible standards of what it means to be a man or a woman

ADULTHOOD

Adulthood: Physical Changes General ® Longer life spans ® Less research with adults

Adulthood: Physical Changes Fitness Changes ® 18 -25: peak functioning, childbearing ® 25 -40: good functioning; some loss of agility and speed ® 40 -65: early signs of physical decline ® >65: significant physical decline

Adulthood: Sensory Changes ® Early adulthood: sensory abilities remain stable ® 40 -50: sensory loss

Adulthood: Sexual Changes ® Sexual behaviours change with age ® Young adulthood: Family and work issues ® Middle Adulthood: menopause and testosterone levels decrease

Theories of Aging ® Heredity ® Genetic makeup inherited from our parents ® External Factors ® Lifestyle ® Physiology ® Combination of hereditary and environmental

Theories of Aging: Heredity ® APOPTOSIS: the process by which cells kill themselves ® Telomeres = end segments of DNA ® Cells grow older each time they divide because the telomeres shorten ® Cessation of telomere division may be a possible explanation of aging

Theories of Aging: Physiology ® Wear-and-Tear: body simply wears out from overuse ® Homeostatic: body’s ability to adjust to stress decreases with age

Health in Late Adulthood ® Many elderly lead healthy lives ® However, aging adults face many possible health changes ® Dementias are progressive impairment of mental functioning

Health in Late Adulthood Alzheimer’s ® Irreversible dementia ® memory loss, language deterioration, poor visual/spatial skills, an indifferent attitude

Death and Dying ® People’s overall health deteriorates with age ® terminal drop, rapid drop in intellectual functioning the year before death ® Thanatology is the study of the psychological and medical aspects of death and dying