PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS FOR SUCCESS

YOUR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT Topic Terms

Maturity Chronological Growth Physical Growth Puberty Adolescence Hormones Emotional Growth Intellectual Growth Social Growth Peers Developmental Tasks

CAREERS RELATED TO THETOPICS IN THIS CHAPTERSummer Camp CounselorTeacher’s AideCaseworker AssistantFamily and Consumer Sciences

Teacher

If growth and development can be summarized in one word during the teen years, that word would be change. The change that occurs between childhood and adulthood is frequently described as maturity. Changes that occur will be chronological, physical, emotional, intellectual, and social. As you mature, your physical, personal, and behavioral characteristics will become more adult.

GROWING CHRONOLOGICALLY Chronological growth refers to a person’s

age. This is the only type of growth that takes place at the same rate for all people. Chronological maturity is often used for legal purposes. People have to prove their age to obtain a driver’s license, vote in government elections or enlist for military service.

GROWING PHYSICALLY Physical growth refers to the changes in your

body stature. Your physical growth is influenced by heredity and health habits. The way you choose to eat, exercise, and care for your body will influence your physical development.

An important stage of physical growth is called puberty. In this stage of development, an individual becomes capable of sexual reproduction. This stage lasts two to three years and is characterized by rapid growth—the fastest rate of growth since infancy. Puberty ends when sexual reproduction becomes possible, but growth continues.

Puberty generally begins between and ages of nine and eleven for girls. It begins between the ages of eleven and thirteen for boys.

Adolescence is a term used to describe that period from puberty until growth ceases and adulthood is reached. This period usually lasts until young women are 15 to 17 years of age and young men are17 to 20 years of age.

Physical ChangesPhysical changes that take place during

adolescence are caused, in part, by hormones. Hormones are chemical substances in the body that trigger certain types of physical growth.

GROWING EMOTIONALLY Emotional growth refers to development in

the range of feelings and the ability to express these feelings. The hormones that stimulate changes in physical development also stimulate changes in the emotional state as well.

Emotional Changes- It is common during adolescence to have

significant emotional swings. You may feel you are on an emotional roller coaster.

Sensitive is a key word to describe teens’ emotions. Adolescents crave acceptance and are sensitive to criticism.

GROWING INTELLECTUALLY Intellectual growth means developing the

ability to reason and form complex thought patterns. It is influenced by your heredity, environment, and desire to learn.

During adolescence, you experience a sudden increase in your ability to think about the world. Now you can understand more abstract concepts.

If you have a desire to learn, intellectual growth will occur throughout your life. If your environment lacks stimulation, or if you lack the desire to learn, your intellectual growth will be impaired.

GROWING SOCIALLY Social growth means developing the ability

to get along with other people. You begin this process in early childhood as you learn to take turns and share. Through years of playing and working together, people learn to get along with others.

Social Changes- Growing socially is sometimes complex in the

teen years. As you mature in other ways, your relationships with adults change. You want more control over your social situations; you want to spend more time with your peers. Peers are other people who are your age.

THE DEVELOPMENTAL TASKS OF TEENS During your teenage years, you will be

challenged to meet your personal needs and handle new expectations placed on you by society. Robert Havighurst, an educator and behavioral scientist, has described what he calls developmental tasks. These are tasks or skills society has come to expect of people at various ages. Success in these tasks leads to contentment and success in the developmental tasks that will come later in life. Some of his developmental tasks for the teen years follow:

ACCEPT PHYSIQUE AND USE THE BODY EFFECTIVELY You face many physical changes during

adolescence. Understanding these changes and becoming comfortable with their results is an important developmental task.

Managing your health becomes your responsibility instead of that of your parents. This involves caring for your body daily. You should also see health care professionals when necessary.

ESTABLISH EMOTIONAL INDEPENDENCE FROM PARENTS AND OTHER ADULTS During the teen years, you struggle between

your desire for dependence and your need to be independent. As you learn to analyze your alternatives, you will make more decisions independently. You will become less emotionally dependent on your parents.

ACHIEVE NEW AND MORE MATURE RELATIONS WITH AGE-MATES Peer interaction reaches a peak of

importance during the early and middle teen years. The degree to which you are able to make friends and be a part of a peer group is important for overall social and psychological development.

ADOPT SOCIALLY APPROVED MASCULINE OR FEMININE ADULT ROLES With increased physical and sexual maturity,

you need to incorporate into your personal identity a set of attitudes about what it means to be male of female. You establish a sense of masculinity or femininity. You must also adopt a set of standards concerning your sexual behavior.

SELECT AND PREPARE FOR AN OCCUPATION This task is to establish career goals. When

you analyze your aptitudes, abilities, and interests, you will get some clues regarding careers in which you might be successful. You can begin preparing for a career while you are in high school.

Choosing courses and electives that will prepare you for a career that interests you is one step to take.

DEVELOP A PERSONAL ATTITUDE TOWARD MARRIAGE AND FAMILY LIVING As you mature, it is natural to think about

your future—including marriage and children. Many adults choose to marry and start their own family. Others prefer a single lifestyle. Some married couples choose not to have children. During the teen years, you will begin to consider these options. The opinions and attitudes you begin forming now will become the basis for choices you make as an adult.

ADOPT PERSONAL BEHAVIOR STANDARDS During the teen years, you assess the morals

and standards you have been taught by your parents and other significant people in your life. From what you have learned about right and wrong, you adopt your own set of personal standards to guide your behavior. Most young people model their behaviors after those of socially responsible people.

ACCEPT AND ADOPT SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOR Risk taking is common among early

adolescents. As you move toward maturity and adopt personal standards of behavior, you also develop behavioral self-controls. You learn to control your impulses. When you demonstrate responsible behavior and show good judgment, people will accept you as a young adult.

INFLUENCES ON BEHAVIOR

All humans share certain needs. These needs cause people to behave as they do. Most behaviors are attempts to satisfy a need or to remove something that is not needed. In an effort to satisfy needs, you will establish personal priorities, goals, and standards for your life.

TOPIC TERMS- Needs Self-actualization Wants Personal Priorities Goals Short-term goals Long-term goals Visionary goals Standards

HUMAN NEEDS Needs are basic items that are required for

living. All people have the same basic needs. These needs must be met for proper growth and development.

Abraham Maslow, a famous psychologist, identified five levels of human needs. He then ranked these needs in order of priority. More needs are related to the psychological environment than to the physical environment.

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Observe that physical needs are more urgent. They must be fulfilled before the psychological needs can be considered.

PHYSICAL NEEDS Physical needs include food, water, clothing,

and shelter. These items are necessary for good health, for comfort, and to sustain life. People fulfill their physical needs in different ways. Some people are vegetarians. Others enjoy meals that include meat. Regardless of how these needs are met, they must be at least partially satisfied before going on to other needs.

SAFETY AND SECURITY NEEDS People need to feel free from danger, risk, or

injury in their surroundings. People need to feel safe in their own homes. In addition, they need to feel safe from financial disaster or hurting remarks by others.

Knowing what to expect in the future helps people fulfill their needs for security. This helps them plan activities and behaviors. They can establish daily routines to add to their sense of security.

LOVE AND ACCEPTANCE NEEDS People need to feel loved by other people.

Everyone needs to know the warmth of human affection. They need to feel that their presence is important to other people. No one should expect to be loved by every person he or she meets. However, everyone does need to be accepted, supported, praised, and loved by others.

The basis for loving relationships begins during childhood. If parents and caregivers show love and support, most children will feel accepted and loved.

ESTEEM NEEDS As individuals grow satisfied with the way their

needs for physical comfort, safety, and love are being met, they begin to need esteem. People seek respect and admiration. They need both self-esteem and the esteem of others.

One way to achieve esteem is to have pride in what you do. Everyone can do something well. Your talents may not be the same as those of your parents, family members, or friends. You may have to try several different activities before you find your true talents. Focus on your strengths. Once you have found your talents and have developed them, you will be able to like yourself and have pride in yourself.

SELF-ACTUALIZATION Self-actualization is the highest level in Maslow’s

ranking of human needs. To reach this level, all other needs must be at least partially satisfied.

Those who reach the level of self-actualization have the need to develop to their full potential. They know what is important to them. They have set goals for themselves, and they have reached many of them.

To understand yourself, you need to recognize your present level of need. Which needs have you fulfilled?

As you try to understand other people, remember that needs influence behavior. People’s behaviors differ according to the level of need they are trying to fulfill.

COMPARING NEEDS AND WANTS Everyone has the same basic needs.

However, people have different wants. Wants are those things people desire, but don’t need. They are not necessary for survival.

Wants for some people may even be needs for others. For example, in most families an adult needs to work to provide a family income. Such an income is used to provide for the family’s needs and perhaps some of the items the family wants. A teen in the same family may want to work, too. The teen’s basic needs would be met whether or not he or she earned an income.

PERSONAL PRIORITIES, GOALS, AND STANDARDSEach person’s decisions and behaviors are different from those of anyone else. Three factors that contribute to the differences between people are their personal priorities, goals, and standards.

PERSONAL PRIORITIES Personal priorities are the beliefs, feelings, and

experiences you consider to be important and desirable. Honesty, friendship, freedom, happiness, popularity, health, education, beauty, or status may be personal priorities you consider important. The combination of personal priorities you have and the importance you give each one makes you unique. Your personal priorities become a part of your personality.

Your personal priorities were not given to you at birth; they have developed over time. All the experiences you have had throughout your life have contributed to your set of personal priorities.

FACTORS AFFECTING YOUR PERSONAL PRIORITIES Your relationships with other people. Your experiences, along with your education

and knowledge. Needs. Religious beliefs. Morals. The family life cycle.

Personal priorities vary from person to person. Try to keep an open mind about the personal priorities of each individual.

GOALSGoals are the aims people consciously try to reach. People set goals that reflect their personal priorities. Some goals involve only yourself. Some involve your family and friends. Some involve groups. Some even involve people and organizations you don’t know yet.

SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM GOALS You may have several goals at the same

time. Some are short-term goals. You can reach these goals in an hour, a day, or even a week. Others are long-term goals. You may need several months or even several years to reach these goals.

VISIONARY GOALS You may have a few goals that you don’t

really expect to achieve. These can be called visionary goals. Though you know you probably won’t reach these goals, they are worthwhile. They can inspire you to do more than you thought you were capable of doing.

STEPS IN SETTING AND ACHIEVING GOALS Setting goals is an important part of

achievement. Goals give you a sense of direction. They add motivation to keep you moving forward.

1. Make a list of what you want out of life. Be sure to include short- and long-term goals.

2. Consider your personal priorities. You will not want to give up what you consider important to achieve your goals.

3. List ways you could achieve your goals.4. Make some definite plans. Goals will not be

reached unless specific steps are taken.5. Establish deadlines and rewards.

STANDARDS Standards are accepted levels of

achievement. There are many different kinds of standards.

People’s standards are related to their personal priorities and goals. Their standards will be high for the items they value and the goals they want to achieve.

Knowing your own standards and what you expect from life can help you understand yourself more fully.

STRATEGIES FOR PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

TOPIC TERMS Management Decision Emulation Decision-making process

Quality of life is a phrase used to describe many factors that work together to foster personal well-being.

WHAT CONTRIBUTES TO QUALITY OF LIFE? Good health. Environmental factors. Emotional closeness. To feel you are loved

and to feel love for others is often a factor in describing a quality life.

Social ties. Having friends and feeling a part of a community is often included in describing a quality of life.

Educational opportunities. Satisfying work. A work environment that is

free of hazards to your physical and emotional health is important.

LEARN MANAGEMENT SKILLS The way you manage your daily life will

greatly influence the quality of your life. You are the manager of your life. Management is defined as wisely using

means to achieve goals.

LEARNING TO SOLVE PROBLEMSAND MAKE DECISIONS A decision is a conscious or unconscious

response to a problem or an issue. Your personal priorities, goals, standards,

needs, and wants will affect the decisions you make.

Impulsive decisions are made on the spot. You see something; you want it; you get it.

Habit causes you to make many daily decisions without even thinking about them.

Emulation is a regular source of decisions for teens. Emulation means you do what most other people around you are doing.

Creativity is the motivator for some decisions. You just want to do something different.

Default is the act of not making a decision.

STEPS IN DECISION MAKING

When you have important decisions to make, the decision-making process can help you make the decisions that are best for you.

THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS IS A SET OF LOGICAL STEPS TO FOLLOW WHEN MAKING COMPLEX DECISIONS:

1. Define the problem or the decision to be made.

2. Establish your goals.3. Prioritize your goals.4. Look for resources.5. Identify alternatives. A good way to test

alternatives is to ask yourself these questions:

1. Would I want to keep this decision a secret from others?

2. Will this decision hurt anyone either emotionally or physically?

3. Can this decision have a negative influence on my goals?

6. Make a decision.7. Carry out the decision.8. Evaluate the results of your decision.

Once a decision is made and action is taken, the result cannot be changed. This is part of learning to take responsibility for your decisions by accepting the consequences.

INFLUENCES ON YOURBEHAVIOR AND DECISIONS There are other influences on your decisions

that may not always occur to you. This includes your family’s culture and the

traditions with which you have grown up. Your peers and the expectations of society as

a whole are important influences on your behavior.

Demographics may influence you. Demographics refers to the character of a population.

Economics will be an important factor in your decision making.

The decisions you make today will affect your future as an adult—including your future family.