Lecture 13: Adolescence i. ii. iii. iv. v. vi. vii. viii. ix. Adolescence a. Life between childhood and adulthood b. Originally, psychologists believed that traits set in childhood i. We now know that development is a lifelong process c. Adolescence begins with puberty (sexual maturation) i. Puberty occurs earlier in females (11 years) than males (13 years) Brain Development a. Until puberty neurons increase their connections b. At adolescence selective pruning of the neurons begin i. Unused neuronal connections are lost to make other pathways more efficient Frontal Lobe a. Neurons in the frontal cortex myelinate, speeding up nerve conduction b. Frontal cortex slower than limbic system development c. Hormonal surges and limbic system may explain teens’ occasional impulsiveness Cognitive Development a. Adolescents’ ability to reason gives them a new level of social awareness b. Personal fable- “I’m unique” c. Imaginary audience- “Everyone is looking at me” Moral Development a. Kohlberg (1981,1984) sought to describe the development of moral reasoning b. Discovered stages of moral development Moral Thinking a. Preconventional Morality (<9) i. Children show morality to avoid punishment or gain reward b. Conventional Morality i. By early adolescence social rules and laws are upheld for their own sake c. Postconventional Morality i. Affirms peoples agreed-upon rights or follows personally perceived ethical principles Forming an Identity a. One’s sense of self i. According to Erikson, must try and test various roles ii. Eventually, settle into a consistent and comfortable identity iii. Having such an identity leads to forming close relationships Peer Influence a. Start to talk, dress and act more like their peers than parents b. Seek acceptance from peers i. When it doesn’t happen, vulnerable to loneliness, low self-esteem and depression Emerging Adulthood a. No longer adolescents, not yet taken on adult-level responsibilities b. Emotional ties with parents loosen i. Large cultural differences