Lifespan Development: Adolescent Psychology

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Physical changes
Adolescence
Conclusion
Bibliography

Introduction

Human beings are constantly changing individuals. Ever since their birth they evolve and develop as they pass through the different stages of life: infant, adolescence, adult, and aged. While a lot of these changes can be the result of chance and personal choices the true reason behind them is very different. It is believed that the biological and psychological factors are deeply ingrained into creating changes in human beings as they grow older (Mental Health). The development of humans falls into three categories: physical, cognitive, and psychosocial (Sigelman & Rider).

Physical changes

Physical changes occur in the child during the period of adolescence as they hit puberty. Starting at the age of eleven for girls and thirteen for boys, rapid physical changes occur in the individual. Hormone changes cause moodiness and restlessness in a child. A surge of growth and development may also cause the adolescent’s bodies to use up energy faster. This will increase their ability to get tired as they begin to require more sleep. The bodily changes induce menstrual cycles in girls and a deeper voice for boys. Both suffer from the growth of body hair. Thus, the adolescent body suffers from great and quick physical changes as it moves from childhood to teenage years.

Adolescence

Piaget refers to adolescence as the final stage in a human being’s growth. It is known as the formal operational period and is the fourth stage in the life of the individual (Santrock 2008). Starting from puberty, this stage is considered to continue as the individual turns into an adult. It is during this period that an individual begins to use logical thinking. In this stage, concrete experiences are viewed abstractly. Thus, the child now begins to examine the information available along with an application of a supposed hypothetical situation. The child now begins to use a trial and error method. A plan is devised to solve a problem and tested accordingly. Another change that develops in the cognitive sphere is the creation of the future. Adolescent now begins to fantasize about their future and what they wish to be. Coupled with this is a feeling of self-awareness. This makes the adolescent conscious of their self as they deal with social matters. It also instills a feeling of uniqueness and invincibility within the adolescent’s self. Adolescent suffers tremendous changes in their cognitive self as they mature from childhood to puberty.

Social experiments show that a child is greatly influenced by their parent’s actions and attitudes in their behavior as they mature to adolescence. The effects of maturity bought on by puberty can affect the social process of individuals which in turn affects their adaptation to the rest of society (Magnusson 1997). Thus, biological maturity does not affect the values that are endorsed by an individual. Their socialization is according to the life they lead and the values that have been seen and taught to them as they grow older.

Conclusion

Thus, the stage of adolescence is viewed by many psychologists and theorists who have developed different theories of the different aspects the influence the behavior and ideas that are developed by the growing individual.

Bibliography

Magnusson D (1997), The Lifespan Development of Individuals: Behavioral, Neurobiological, and Psychosocial Perspectives: A Synthesis, Cambridge University Press, p 286
Mental Health, Basic Information, Lifespan Development.
Santrock, J.W. (2008). A Topical Approach to Life Span Development, McGraw-Hill, New York, p 221-223
Sigelman C & Rider E (2008), Lifespan Human Development, Wadsworth Publishing, p 3

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Lifespan Development: Adolescent Psychology

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