Adolescent and Adult Development & Gender Identity &
Roles
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Adolescent Development: Warm up: What is the most difficult
part of adolescence?
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Family Conflicts Percentage of Male and Female Adolescents
Rating Issues as Leading to Family Conflict Eating dinner with
family 19.4 Arguing 15.8 Church attendance 15.6 Spending time with
certain boy or girl 15.3 Not being home enough 15.3 Getting to use
the car 13.3 Understanding each other 11.4 Responsibility at home
11.2 Source = Kinloch, G. C. Parent-youth conflict at home.
American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 1970, 40(4), 661. Copyright
1970 by the American Orthopsychiatric Association, Inc. Have things
changed? How?
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G. Stanley HallStorm and Stress!!! Problem Areas = 1.
Parent-child conflicts 2. Mood changes (self-conscious, awkward,
lonely, ignored) 3. Risky Behavior (aggression, unprotected sex,
drug and alcohol use)
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Physical Development Puberty = the time when sexual organs
mature and additional physical and emotional changes take place
What are some psychological & social effects of puberty?
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Social Development Major task of Identity Formation Who am I?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pzy XGUCngoU
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Adolescent Brain
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Cognitive Development Capable of logical, hypothetical and
abstract thinking Development of introspection Metacognition =
Growing awareness of ones own mental process
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To adulthood & beyond
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Physical Changes Early adulthood (20-40) = development
continues Middle adulthood (40-65) = Abilities peak and begin a
gradual declinesigns of aging Fertility declines in both sexes
& women undergo menopause Late adulthood (65 on) =
Susceptibility to heart disease & increased deterioration of
body
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Social Changes Relationship development Career Selection /
longevity Parenting (pre-parenting, parenting and Empty-Nest
Syndrome) Generativity producing something that will outlast you
Identity Crisis (mid-life crisis or middle age crazy) Retirement
Social Isolation
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Cognitive Changes Early & Middle = Cog. abilities improve
Experience, information accumulation, refine skills = adult thought
process is more complex & adaptive than adolescent Late
Adulthood = speed of information absorption slows Decline in memory
Unfamiliar tasks more difficult
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Cognitive Changes Declines continue Memory- changes observed in
secondary memory (the learning of new material) Intelligence shows
minor decline with age Terminal Drop a drop in mental functioning
that precedes death by up to about 5 years Dementia &
Alzheimers
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Gender roles
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Common Stereotypes: Masculine Traits Feminine Traits
ActiveAggressiveAmbitiousCompetitiveDominant Feels superior
Independent Self confident Considerate Devotes self to others
EmotionalGentle Home oriented Kind Likes children Passive
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Sex v. Gender Identity In a society filled with gender
stereotypes, children regularly learn to adopt gender roles. Gender
stereotypes: widely held beliefs about characteristics thought
appropriate for males and females Gender roles: the reflection of
gender stereotypes in everyday behavior
http://itspronouncedmetrosexual.com/2012/01/the- genderbread-person
/
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Costs of gender role stereotypes? Limiting opportunities for
both sexes When children are exposed to non-stereotyped models, for
example, mothers who are employed or fathers who do the ironing and
cooking, they are less traditional in their beliefs and behaviors.
These children have been found to have higher self-esteem, higher
levels of identity achievement and more flexibility in dating and
relationships (Berk, 2000 and Witt, 1997). Childrens book: Im Glad
Im a Boy, Im Glad Im a Girl
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How do we perpetuate? Cartoons or movies (ex: Disney!) Clothing
stores and ads Music and music videos Toy stores Video: Born a Boy,
Brought Up a Girl
