SOCIAL AND PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT IN ADOLESCENCE

1. Chapter 12 SOCIAL AND PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT IN ADOLESCENCE

2. IDENTITY: ASKING “WHO AM I?”

3. Additional Material Identity: Asking "Who Am I?" • Self consciousness takes center stage • WHY? • More like adults intellectually • More like adults physically • More abstract view • Better insight into future • More realistic • More nuanced • More complex • Need quality/unbiased information sources

4. Additional Material Self Concept: What Am I Like? Broader assessment of who they are • One's own view • Others' views More organized and coherent • View self in terms of traits and multiple aspects • Multiple simultaneous aspects is FO stage ability • Confusing in early FO stage • Parents and adult friends can provide ‘backboards’ for serious discussions & mature counter balance to peers

5. Self-esteem: How Do I Like Myself? Knowing who you are & liking who you are 2 different things • Adolescents are increasingly accurate in understanding who they are. • But this knowledge does not guarantee that they like themselves any better • Increasingly accurate in understanding themselves • Parental/adult role must change to acknowledgement of real negative assessments • Provide suggestions for modifications, growth, alternative strategies • Provide support and understanding by listening w/o judgment

6. Additional Material Self Esteem and Stereotypes • Influenced by gender • Boys generally higher than girls • Early in adolescence girls have lower self esteem • More concerned about physical appearance • More concerned about social success • More likely to be around older boys • Early in adolescence boys have higher self esteem • Slower transition, maintain old social groups • More concerned about physical abilities • More likely to be around younger girls

7. Additional Material Self Esteem and Stereotypes • Influenced by socioeconomic status (SES) • Higher SES usually  higher self esteem • Minorities USE TO have lower SES • Complexity of factors has pushed concept of “ethgender” • Joint influence of race and gender • A (single) recent study found • Black & Hispanic males highest self esteem • Asian & Native American girls lowest self esteem • Measurement scale is questionable: Consider the millionaire’s kid in a school where most parents are billionaires. SES is relative.

8. Identity Formation: Change or Crisis?

9. Identity Formation: Crisis or Change? Erikson: Identity-Versus-Identity Confusion Stage (Also called adolescent identity crisis) Adolescents try to determine what is unique & distinctive about themselves • Identity: An appropriate identity is found that sets foundation for future psychosocial development • Identity Confusion: An appropriate identity is not found so sense of self is "diffuse“ with vulnerability to adoption of socially unacceptable roles or just other’s assignment of role Adolescents start to rely more on friends and peers than adults.

10. Erikson's Stages

11. Additional Material Societal Pressures and Reliance on Friends and Peers Societal pressures high during Erickson’s identity versus identity confusion stage • Must learn to form more complex, adult like relationships • Must make difficult choices about future plans • Gender differences • Males more likely to step through stages in order • Develop stable identity before making intimate relationships • Females (historically) follow reverse order • Defining identities through relationships Note that this research is likely less valid today where females see themselves as finically independent

12. Female Mentoring in this stage • Provide example female role models • Explain that, at least middle an up social class, home makers play substantial role in family finical success • Purchase decisions • Home/property management • Investing/money management (Budget enforcer) • Managing workers on property • Managing social relationships • Avoid demeaning comments about working women • Positive listening to dreams, desires, hopes, and plans

13. Additional Material Erikson: Identity versus Confusion Psychological moratorium (letting go of responsibilities for awhile and explore new roles and possibilities) • Experimentation period • Probably no lasting, negative psychological affects • Some benefits from working being independent • Five years ago seen as economically impossible • However, with so many older adolescents living at home and jobs so scarce this possibility has increased. • Parents/adult friends should encourage positive activities • Volunteering • Academic pursuits in & outside formal education • Skill development thru hobbies, activities, projects

14. Additional Material Limitations of Erikson's Theory • Male identity development used as standard against which to compare female identity • Erikson's view is based on male-oriented concepts of individuality and competitiveness. Carol Gilligan suggested: • women develop identity through the establishment of relationships. • a key component of a woman's identity is the building of caring networks between herself and others. • Difference feminism asserts that despite the equal moral status of men and women as persons, there are genuine differences between the sexes and those differences need not all be considered “equal.”[1]

15. Marcia's Approach to Identity Development: Updating Erikson

16. Marcia's Approach to Identity Development • A crisis is a period of identity development in which an adolescent consciously chooses between various alternatives and makes decisions. • A commitment is a psychological investment in a course of action or an ideology. An identity is usually defined later, after a struggle.

17. Additional Material Religion and Spirituality • Questions of religion and spirituality begin to be asked during adolescence • Increasing cognitive abilities facilitate more abstract thinking about religious matters • Adolescents begin to develop core set of beliefs and values Many of these do not last. In late 20s beliefs and values tend to revert to the beliefs and values of their parents and childhood. This is especially true as they become parents.

18. Religion and Spirituality Fowler's stages of understanding and practice of faith and spirituality • Childhood • Fairly literal view of God and biblical figures • Adolescence • Individuative-reflective stage of faith with possible multiple views of God • Adulthood • Conjunctive stage which includes broad, inclusive view of religion and humanity Or not

19. Additional Material Identity, Race and Ethnicity Forming an identity presents a particular challenge for members of ethnic and racial backgrounds because of contradictory societal values. • Society should be color blind, race & ethnic background should not affect opportunity or achievement. • Cultural assimilation model • individual cultural identities should be assimilated into a unified culture (“melting pot model”). • Worked well for USA as a nation for 200 years • Recent “research” suggests that the cultural assimilation model denigrates the cultural heritage of minorities and lowers self esteem.

20. Additional Material Antidiscrimination Based Research • This research is based on the principle of “antidiscrimination” which holds that any form of discrimination (assigning a difference in value) to different cultures is a form of racism. • Thus all cultures are of equal moral and ethical value and have equal quality of outcomes. • Cultures which kill those of different religions are as ‘good’ as those which allow many religions. • Cultures where a few wealthy families control all aspects of life are as ‘good’ as democracies. • Cultures which prevent women from attending schools are the equal to those who promote female education.

21. Additional Material Identity, Race and Ethnicity Forming an identity presents a particular challenge for members of ethnic and racial backgrounds because of contradictory societal values. • Racial and ethnic factors should be a central part of teenagers’ identities. • Pluralistic society model • The U.S. society is made up of diverse, coequal cultural groups that should preserve their individual cultural features (“tossed salad model”). • Has not worked work for Canada as a nation which has continuous ethnic strife

22. Additional Material Identity, Race and Ethnicity Forming an identity presents a particular challenge for members of ethnic and racial backgrounds because of contradictory societal values. • adolescents can draw from their own culture and integrate themselves into the dominant culture (“the middle ground model”). • Bicultural identity • Suggests teens live as a member of two cultures, & have two cultural identities without having to choose one. • No good example exists for this model except, perhaps, some Native American examples. • Some evidence that divided loyalties are problematic.

23. Note: This is entirely based on US Censes decision to allow selection of more than one check box in the Race category! Bicultural Identity in the US NOT “bicultural” but diverse racial heritage identification Figure 12-1 Bicultural Identity in the United States The number of Americans who identified themselves as belonging to more than one race grew substantially between 2000 and 2010. Almost 10 percent report belonging to three or more races. (Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2011.)

24. Psychological Difficulties in Adolescence

25. Depression - Incidence • More than one-quarter of adolescents report periods of feeling sad and hopeless for two or more weeks in a row. • But only a small number (3 percent) experience major depression (often called ‘clinical depression’) • a full-blown psychological disorder • depression is severe and lingers for long periods. • Note that the adult expression of depression in males is ANGER • So a male feeling sad is not likely to have “clinical depression”

26. Additional Material Depression - Causes • Depression has several causes, including biological, environmental, and social factors. • Genetic predisposition • Death of loved one • Depressed parent • Unpopular • Few close friends • Experiencing rejection • Note that the vast majority of humans experience the above ‘causes’ with out suffering clinical depression. • Also note that exposure to chemicals, hormone mimics, drugs (both prescription & OTC), or injury is not listed.

27. Depression - Gender • Girls have higher incidences of depression than boys • But, the cause is not clear. • Are there more stresses on the female gender role? • Is this the results of girls' tendencies to react to stress by turning inward, thus experiencing helplessness and hopelessness? • Little evidence that hormones are a factor. • However, in males low hormone levels are a known cause of sadness, lassitude, low motivation, etc. • This is similar to the feelings described by ‘depressed’ females Additional Material

28. Additional Material Depression - Race • African-Americans and Native Americans also have higher depression rates • same suspected reasons as for girls. • Are there more stresses on minority role? • Is this the results of these minorities tendencies to react to stress by turning inward, thus experiencing helplessness and hopelessness? • Not all research supports this conclusion. • Local culture has large affect on data: • Upper middle class black or NA family • Reservation of inner-city research

29. Additional Material Adolescent Suicide Rate • Triples in last 30 years • One teen suicide every 90 minutes; 12.2 suicides per 100,000 adolescents • Cluster suicide Gender • Success higher in boys; attempts higher in girls • Prior to WWII teen suicide likely to be reported as accidental • Last 20 years accidents likely to be reported as suicide

30. Adolescent Difficulties Family, peer relationships, and self-esteem problems were most often mentioned by adolescents contemplating suicide, according to a review of phone calls to a telephone help line. (Source: Based on Boehm & Campbell, 1995.)

31. Suicide Warning Signs

32. Adolescent Suicide: How to Help expand • Listen without judging • Talk specifically about suicidal thoughts • Evaluate the situation, trying to distinguish between general upset and more serious danger • Be supportive, let the person know you care • Take charge of finding help

33. Adolescent Suicide: How to Help • Make the environment safe • Do not keep suicide talk or threats secret • Do not challenge, dare, or use verbal shock treatment • Make a contract with the person • Don't be overly reassured by a sudden improvement of mood

34. Additional Material DO SOMETHING! • Virtually all suicides have warning signs • Virtually all incidents of mass violence have warning signs • In nearly every successful case warning signs were ignored by • Friends • Family • Authorities • The unfortunate response to any form of mental illness in today’s society is acceptance and avoidance

35. For immediate help with a suicide-related problem, call: (800) 784-2433 or (800) 621-4000, national hotlines staffed with trained counselors

36. RELATIONSHIPS: FAMILY AND FRIENDS

37. Additional Material Family Ties: Changing Relations with Relations • Parental relations shift • adolescents begin to question their parents' views • sometimes rebel against their parents' views • Role shifts • quest for adulthood • Quest for autonomy • Cultural factors • degree of autonomy achieved by adolescents • degree in which adolescents feel obligated to family duties and support • Recognize and accept changes • Support rather than challenge independence • Share “how I decided” but realize “times are different”

38. The Quest for Autonomy Adolescents increasingly seek autonomy, independence and a sense of control • Primary developmental task • Grows gradually over course of adolescence • Consists of changes in relational symmetry

39. The Quest for Autonomy -relational symmetry At the start of adolescence • Relationship tends to be asymmetrical • Parents hold most of the power and influence over the relationship. By the end of adolescence • power and influence have become more balanced • parents and children end up in a more symmetrical, or egalitarian, relationship. • Power and influence are shared • although parents typically retain the upper hand • Financial • Property ownership/control

40. Restricted range issue Changing View of Parents As adolescents become older, they come to perceive their parents in less idealized terms and more as individuals. What effect is this likely to have on family relations? (Source: Based on Steinberg & Silverberg, 1986.)

41. Culture and Autonomy • Cultural and gender factors play an important role • Western societies • Asian societies • Adolescents from different cultural backgrounds also vary in degree of felt family obligation • In general, male adolescents are permitted more autonomy at earlier age than female adolescents • In Western societies, value individualism, adolescents seek autonomy at a relatively early stage of adolescence • In Asian societies adolescents’ aspirations to achieve autonomy are less pronounced

42. Family Obligations Adolescents from Asian and Latin American groups feel a greater sense of respect and obligation toward their families than those adolescents with European backgrounds. (Source: Fulgini, Tseng, & Lam, 1999.)

43. The Myth of the Generation Gap Generation gap • Social, political, and religious issues • Parents & teens mostly in synch • Differences between teens greater than diff w/ parents • Dress, music, friends • Highly dependent upon WHICH generations • Example: my brother & I did not share music (17 yrs apart) • But my kids and I (40 yrs apart)

44. Conflicts with Parents W/in culture • Primary issues • Conflicts likely to arise during early adolescence. • Parents trying to discern what is appropriate conduct, children more likely to be argumentative and assertive. • As parents trust more, combativeness declines. • Most teenagers have stable family relationships, but as many as 20 percent have a rough time. • Trust is key

45. Conflicts with Parents across cultures • Cultural differences • Less conflict in “traditional,” unindustrialized countries than in developed countries. • Adolescents expect more independence and individualism in industrialized cultures. • In more traditional societies, individualism, and thus independence, not as highly valued

46. Time Spent by Adolescents with Parents

47. Relationships with Peers: The Importance of Belonging Peer relationships • Critical during adolescence • More influence than any other time of life • Provide opportunity for social comparison and information Reference groups: a group of people with whom one compares oneself. • groups present a set of norms or standards • Provides ruler against which adolescents judge their social success

48. Cliques and Crowds: Belonging to a Group • Cliques (2 to 12 who have frequent interaction). • Crowds (larger groups where people share some characteristic but often don't interact with each other.) • Membership in cliques and crowds determined by degree of similarity with members in a group. • Stereotypes: jocks, brains, druggies, motorheads, • Strong expectations that people in a particular crowd behave in specific ways.

49. Additional Material Gender Relations • Gender relations change during adolescence. • SEX CLEAVAGE is characteristic of early adolescence where girls play with girls, boys with boys. • With puberty, there is hormonal and social pressure to interact and eventually most adolescents are in mixed-sex cliques. • At the end of adolescence, cliques become less powerful and male-female relationships become the focus. • Adult like relationships coalesce • Typically, small ‘friendship groups” become the norm • Specialty groups – work, professional, hobbies, sports

50. Race Segregation: The Great Divide of Adolescence Is this true? • Adolescents of different ethnicities & races interact very little • Even if they have a friend of a different ethnicity w/in school, most adolescents don't interact with that friend outside of school • Adolescents who interact regularly and extensively with those of different races earlier in their lives are more likely to have friends of different races • Schools that actively promote contact among members of different ethnicities in classes help create an environment in which cross-race friendships can flourish • More generally, cross-group friendships promote more positive intergroup attitudes