psych ch 12

what is the key question asked during adolescence?

"who am I?"

adolescents are faced with making choices about their:

- future occupation - political beliefs - religious beliefs - sexual orientation - gender role behaviors * the ability to engage in formal operational thinking helps adolescents make these decisions

friendships in girls and boys

- girls stress loyalty and trustworthiness; more likely to share with friends and less likely to compete with them - boys tend to have friends at their level of social dominance

what happens to self-esteem in adolescence?

- lowest at 12 or 13 then rises gradually - physical appearance contributes more to adolescents self esteem than any other characteristic.

friendships in adolescence are characterized by:

- more in number than when younger - having one or two "best friends" and several good friends - spending many hours a day with them (texting, conversing, internet, etc. included) - stress acceptance, intimate self-disclosure, and mutual understanding in friendship

friends are typically __.

- similar in age and race; almost always same sex; romantic attachments increase but same sex friend remains best friend - alike in attitudes, educational aspirations, and grades; alike in drinking, drug use, and sexual activity

development of self-concept in adolescence

- their self-perception become more complex than those of younger children - they incorporate psychological characteristics and social relationships into their self-descriptions - more advanced formal operational thinking allows the adolescent to integrate many contradictory elements of themselves

ego identity

a sense of who they are and what they stand for

identity moratorium

actively exploring alternatives in attempt to make a choice in occupation and ideological beliefs, etc. ambivalent feelings toward parents and authority figures. often anxious and intense

Which of the following makes forming an identity more complicated?

all of the above

identity crisis

an examination of ones values and making decisions about your role in life. (should i attend college? should i move out? what career should i choose? etc.) - this takes time; takes place usually during the high school and college years

In comparison to friendships in earlier childhood, friendships in adolescence ___.

are more likely to stress the importance of self-disclosure and acceptance

how do adolescents grow self-esteem

by developing academic, physical, and social skills since they may grow less critical of themselves which increases self-esteem - Emotional support from parents and peers is important; the more highly regarded the teen feels, the more likely positively they regard themselves

parent and adolescent conflict tends to focus on

chores, homework, curfew, personal appearance, finances, dating

Erickson felt that at this age we enter into a ___.

crisis between ego identity and role confusion - crisis involves balancing the desire to try out many possible selves and the need to select a single self

low self-esteem is associated with ___.

depression and suicide in adolescents

peer pressure fairly weak in ___

early adolescence; peaks during mid-adolescence; declines in late adolescence, after age 17

Erickson believed the primary task of the adolescent is to develop ___.

ego identity

According to Marcia, identity status involves the dimensions of:

exploration and commitment

(T/F) Adolescents who feel close to parents less likely to show greater self-reliance, independence, higher self-esteem, better school performance, and fewer psychological and social problems.

false

Erickson believed there were gender differences in the development of identity

he felt that to women relationships (wife, mother) are most important to their development of identity, while for men it is occupational and ideological matters

identity foreclosure

identity commitment based on identification with parents, teachers, or religious leaders, without considering alternatives. often authoritarian and inflexible

According to Erikson, which of the following is considered a turning point in development?

identity crisis

James Marcia's 4 Identity Statuses

identity diffusion, identity foreclosure, identity moratorium, identity achievement - they represent four possible combinations of the dimensions of exploration and commitment that Erikson believed were important to the development of ego identity

ethnicity influencing development of identity

it is much more complicated for those who are from ethnic minority groups - because if there is a conflict between the values of the dominant culture and their particular ethnic group, then the adolescent needs to sort out the values that are most meaningful to them and incorporate those into their identity. - often experience discrimination and prejudice, have fewer role models and identity options— particularly for youth living in poverty. - too much identification with the dominant culture may lead to rejection from their particular ethnic group; however, rejecting the dominant culture's values for that of the minority group may limit opportunities for advancement in the larger society. - often have fewer educational and career opportunities

identity diffusion

least developed identity, have no commitments nor trying to form them. may be carefree, or unhappy. may be angry and rebellious

Rejecting the dominant culture's values for those of the minority group:

may limit opportunities for advancement in the larger society

When does peer pressure appear to peak?

mid-adolescence

identity achievement

most developed identity, have developed a firm commitment to an identity after a period of exploration. have a sense of well being, high self-esteem, and acceptance. set goals and work toward achieving them

Ego identity is ___.

one's answer to the question, "Who am I?"

how does the relationship with parents and peers change during adolescence?

parents - spend much less time with them - tend to interact more with mothers - less affectionate with them - express increasing independence, yet still have close bond with them (esp. mom)

Which is the most important to the self-esteem of those in late adolescence?

parents and peers are equally important

What characteristic contributes most to declining self-esteem in adolescence?

physical appearance

friendship contributes to __.

positive self-concept and psychological adjustment; teens with a best friend have higher self-esteem than teens without

Erickson believed that an adolescent is in a process of ___.

psychological moratorium

psychological moratorium

taking a time out to explore various roles, values, beliefs, relationships and possibilities while not having the responsibilities of an adult

(T/F) Adolescents from authoritative homes (parents are willing to exert control and explain reasons for doing so) show more competent behavior than other groups of teenagers.

true

(T/F) Authoritative parenting appears to discourage negative influence, whereas authoritarian and permissive parenting seem to encourage it

true

(T/F) Both males/females are concerned about occupational choices, though women are more likely to integrate occupational and family roles.(women are usually the primary caregiver even when they are employed outside the home)

true

(T/F) Teens more likely to conform to peer standards in matters of taste and style (clothing, hairstyles, speech patterns & music); they are more likely to agree with parents on moral principles and future educational and career goals

true

(T/F) The greatest gains in identity formation occur in college

true

(T/F) adolescent development of who we are, and the difficulty in establishing a sense of identity is heavily influenced by both parents and peers

true

(T/F) girls tend to have 1-2 close friends, where boys tend to be in a larger less intimate group of friends

true

(T/F) the greatest gains in identity formation occur in college

true

parent and adolescent conflict often occurs between __.

what the parent thinks they should control versus what the teenager thinks they should control