Adolescent Development Midterm (EDUC 2109)
Describe the five changes in cognition that characterize the transition from childhood toadolescence. Provide an example of thinking or behavior that demonstrates each of thechanges.
- Better at realizing possibilities instead of only seeing reality (wondering what the future will look like) - Understanding abstract concepts (a child develops their own understanding of political parties) - Thinks about how thinking actually works (metacognition) (a student creates a personalized study plan based on how they learn) - Becomes multidimensional(utilizing and understanding sarcasm) - Sees things relatively rather than absolutely (a teenager begins swearing because they find that defining a word as 'inappropriate' is relative)
Discuss the causes and treatment of eating disorders
- Causes: Messaging from magazines and media; body dysmorphia; psychological distress; cultural causes -Treatments: individual psychotherapy; CBT; group therapy; family therapy;antidepressants; hospitalization
Describe the change in adolescent sleep patterns, the biological and environmentalcauses, and how this change relates to adolescent behavior
- Change: studies are showing that many teens are severely sleep deprived -Causes: melatonin production changes cause teens to be more awake at midnight than around dinner time; technology suppresses melatonin production; homework keeps students awake; overscheduling; school starting early -This causes behavior and mental health problems; similar symptoms to people with narcolepsy
Many social scientists divide adolescence into separate stages. They often define early adolescence as ages ________ and late adolescence as ages _________.
10-13; 18-21
Which of the following statements about family conflict is true?
A large percentage of families who have positive relations during childhood develop serious problems during adolescence
The erroneous belief that one's thoughts, feelings, and experiences are unique is called
A personal fable
What is not one of the five chief changes in cognition during adolescence?
Increased imagination
In the video, Baumrind's Theory of Parenting Styles, the narrator states that Baumrind defined the parenting styles in 1966 and later, in 1983, Macoby and Martin added a fourth style. What is it?
Indifferent/Neglectful
Judy's parents express love toward her and they let her, for the most part, establish her own schedule. She can stay out as late as she wants. She eats when it is convenient for her instead of sitting with her family at dinnertime. This parenting style fits best with which of the four parenting styles?
Indulgent/permissive
Dr. Brown argues that adolescents can solve problems better than younger children because they can store more information in memory and because they have more effective cognitive strategies. Dr. Brown's view is most consistent with which of the following perspectives?
Information-processing
What generalization can you make about the nature of peer influence in adolescence?
It is unwise to generalize about the nature of peer influence; peers can exert both positive and negative influences.
Compared to when adults are interrogated by the police, juveniles are:
Less likely to understand their rights.
Discuss the Piagetian and information-processing perspectives as they relate to thedevelopment of adolescent cognition. How do they differ?
Piagetian: cognitive-developmental view of intellectual development; development happens in fixed and separate stages to make the thinking processes at each stage different Information processing: cognitive perspective that comes from the study of AI and explains development as growth of specific components such as memory The main difference between these two perspectives is that Piagetian has more of a hard start and stop for each period, while information-processing has a slower growth indifferent areas over time.
In the context of adolescent behavior, the term "antisocial behavior" refers to
Problems behaviors such as bullying, theft, truancy.
Define the three chief physical manifestations of puberty
Rapid growth spurt; height and weight increase -Development of primary sex characteristics, gonads develop -> changes in hormones -Development of secondary sex characterstics; includes changes in genitals andbreasts; pubic, bodily, and facial hair
During adolescence, individuals' IQ scores _____, and their mental abilities _____.
Remain stable; increase
Describe the characteristics, structure, and function of crowds
Reputation based; often solidifies identities (jock, nerd, etc.); not really based on actualfriendship; contributes more to identity than social skills; usually becomes lesshierarchical over adolescence
Which child would be expected to have the most conflict with his parents?
Robert, a 13-year-old
Puberty began for Nancy when she was 9 years old Her mother began puberty at 11 years. For her grandmother, the onset was at 13 years of age. These changes in the age of onset of puberty over time are referred to as:
Secular trend
Behavioral genetics examines how much of who we are is determined by our genetics (nature) and how much is determined by the environment and our experiences (nurture). Explain the two types of environmental influences they study. Which of these influenceshas been found to have a bigger impact on adolescent development?
Shared environmental influences are the influences that members of the family share to lead them to be more alike such as economics or where a family lives. Non shared environmental influences are the influences that make them different from the family such as parental treatment and social experiences. Non shared environmental influences have a bigger impact on an adolescent.
According to behavioral geneticists, siblings are actually quite different from each other. Which of the following has not been used to explain this difference?
Siblings go through the pubertal transition at different times.
Describe the characteristics, structure, and function of cliques.
Small group; 2-12 people; common activities or friendship; main social interactions;basis of adolescent friendships; have clique members, liaisons, and isolated; often age,ethnicity, sex; where adolescents learn social skills
According to research presented in the textbook, the longer a foreign-born adolescent has lived in the United States, the more likely he or she is to:
Smoke cigarettes or binge drink.
What kinds of interventions can help unpopular teens?
Social skills intervention- teach expression; leadership; conversational skills Have unpopular teens be involved in things with popular teens while under professional observation -Social competence programs; improve ability to judge social situations; angermanagement skills
In Chapter 3 we are learning about "Social Transitions." What does this term denote? Isthe process universal?
Social transitions tell a person information about where they are at in their stage of development. They are commonly known as milestones in an adolescent's life- getting a license, a tattoo, a 'real' job. The existence of social transitions is universal, but the actual process varies.
What are the determinants and consequences of popularity and rejection among peersduring adolescence?
Sociometric popularity: how well liked someone is; determined by social skills, kindness;humor Perceived popularity: hierarchical, show much status; determinants may vary based upon different factors such as ethnicity (white teenagers hold more perceived popularity from drinking, black teenagers do not; in general adhering to social norms and trends Example: a girl is very mean but is the leader of wealthy girls, so she has perceived popularity; a girl who is kind and generally liked but quiet without a lot of social influence has sociometric popularity
Which of the following is not associated with transition difficulties in adolescence?
Spending a lot of time with peers
Is the image of teenagers as 'difficult' accurate or is it a stereotype? Is a combative or hostile relationship between parents and teenagers inevitable? Discuss what parents and teenagers usually fight about
The image is a stereotype that is often reinforced by a parent's expectation of their childto be difficult as they enter adolescence (self-fulfilling prophecy). Hostile relationships areessentially inevitable due to the amount of changes going on in the family at this time. Teenagersand their parents usually fight over very common and daily things such as clothing choices,chores, curfew, etc. This is mostly due to the fact that adults see these things as a right or awrong, but teenagers see it as a choice.
Jeffrey Arnett, the psychologist who created the term emerging adulthood, believes that the developmental period between adolescence and adulthood (18-25 years of age):
exists in very few cultures
Self-esteem is ________ among students who are identified with peer groups that have relatively high status in their school.
higher
Dan planned a party and invited his whole English class by passing out personal invitations. Dan accidentally forgot to make an invitation for Sam. Sam assumed he intentionally wasn't invited and became irate at Dan for excluding him. This is an example of:
hostile attributional bias.
Adolescents who use aggression deliberately, known as __________ aggression, are much more popular than adolescents who use aggression without planning to, known as __________ aggression.
instrumental; reactive
Mixed-sex cliques start becoming more prevalent during:
middle adolescence.
Today, individuals enter ______ earlier than 100 years ago but tend to stay in ______ longer, thereby contributing to the elongation of adolescence.
puberty; school
Karen, a ninth-grader, was mad at Cheryl for spilling juice on Karen's shirt. Karen spread a rumor that Cheryl had gossiped about her friends. Karen is using ________ to express her aggression toward Cheryl.
relational aggression
Which of the following is least likely to be affected by genetic factors?
self-efficacy (belief in one's ability to succeed in a specific task or endeavor)
According to an example provided in the textbook, a crowd member that has less social capital who is a really nice, thoughtful, and funny person may be high in ________ popularity but low in ________ popularity.
sociometric; perceived
Define puberty and discuss the hormonal feedback loop and its role in the onset ofpuberty. Also, discuss the role of the "puberty alarm."
- Puberty: period during which an individual becomes capable of sexual reproduction; physical changes in adolescents -Hormonal feedback loop: endocrine system receiving instructions to increase or decrease hormone levels from the CNS; when levels of androgens and estrogen fall below the set points, the hypothalmus stops inhibiting the pituitary gland, thus permitting it to stimulate the release of sex hormones by the gonads -Puberty alarm: 'reawakening' of the HPG axis; coded into DNA because puberty onset is largely genetic
Changes in the limbic system during adolescence may cause all of the following, except:
Decreased risk-taking
All of the following are indicators of metacognition, except
Deductive reasoning
Discuss the factors, both biological and environmental, that influence individualvariability (timing and tempo) in pubertal growth and development
- Gender: girls puberty can range from 1.5-6 years, boys can range 2-5 -Race/ethnicity: Black girls mature before Mexican girls who mature before white girls - Nutrition/health: puberty comes earlier in individuals who are properly nourished and later in individuals who exercise excessively or are in a caloric deficit -Puberty occurs earlier in families with an absent father, step father, sexual abuse,etc. -Weather: puberty occurs earlier closer to the equato
Discuss the role that decision-making plays in adolescent risk-taking and compare it to that of adults.
- Identify choices, consequences, evaluate desirability of each consequence, assesslikelihood of outcomes, make choice - Decision making has less to do with risk taking; adolescents have the same skills as adults in this area, but their values and priorities differ
How does poverty adversely affect the behavior and development of adolescents?
-Adolescents growing up in poverty are more likely to be exposed to violence. -Social problems are contagious and can spread from one adolescent to another. -Poverty in neighborhoods breeds social isolation
Describe the characteristics of the four parenting styles pioneered by Diana Baumrind. Include the dimensions, responsiveness and demandingness, in your description. Provideconcrete, illustrative examples of each style and the outcomes for adolescents associatedwith each.
-Authoritarian: Very strict and adult centered, does not encourage openness, not communicative, harsh punishments, expectation of obedience; high demandingness, low responsiveness; more dependent, less assured, lack of curiosity -Authoritative: democratic, established rules, warm, supports child's autonomy, teachesthem to be their own advocate while still being supportive; high demandingness, highresponsiveness; overall positive outcomes, more independence, assuredness, creativity, success -Indifferent: passive, few rules, lack of communication, detached, no behavioral monitoring; low demandingness, low responsiveness; impulsivity, experimentations with drugs and alcohol -Indulgent: indulgent, no directions, no punishment, very involved; low demandingness,high responsiveness; lack maturity and responsibility
What are the effects of poverty on the family and on an adolescent's development?
-Emotional stress -Less hitting goals -Poor academic performance -Relationship problems -Anxiety and depression
The hormonally induced rapid increase in the rate of growth in height and weight is referred to as the:
Adolescent growth spurt
According to Steinberg, because of their developmental immaturity, adolescent offenders should be held less blameworthy than adults. Which one of the following statements is not presented in the textbook in support of his argument?
Adolescents have less capacity for logical reasoning
Which of the following statements about the way in which teenagers relate to mothers and fathers is false?
Adolescents perceive fathers as more controlling than their mothers.
The term puberty refers to the period during which:
An individual becomes capable of sexual reproduction
When levels of _____ and _____ fall below the set points, the _____ stops inhibiting the pituitary gland, thus permitting it to stimulate the release of sex hormones by the gonads.
Androgens; estrogens; hypothalamus
Don's teacher is concerned about him because he is passive and indifferent to new experiences, and shows little intellectual curiosity. He also shows signs of developing low self-esteem. Based on Baumrind's classification of parenting styles, we could classify Don's parents as:
Authoritarian
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages associated with early maturation
Boys: -Advantages: may feel better about themselves and more popular -Disadvantages: depression and anxiety; behavioral issues; risky behavior such as drugs and alcohol Girls: -Advantages: popularity -Disadvantages: Higher rates of depression, anxiety, eating disorders, panic attacks; low self esteem and poor self image; risky behavior; lower performance in school
Describe the changes in brain function and brain structure that occur during adolescence.
Brain function: efficiency in processing; better brain coordination (can use multiple partsat once); better self control; emotional and responsive to stress Brain structure: prefrontal cortex is pruned; myelination of cortex; less gray matter, morewhite matter; better connectivity between prefrontal cortex and limbic system
__________ are settings for intimate interactions and friendships, whereas __________ are based on a shared image and reputation, rather than on actual social interaction.
Cliques; crowds
A more sophisticated understanding of social relationships leads adolescents to gather in crowds. This is an example of which adolescent transition?
Cognitive
Is the more recently defined developmental age period, "Emerging Adulthood," universal? Describe the factors that contribute to an elongation of adolescence
Emerging adulthood is not universal; in some countries people cannot afford to elongateadolescence and must dive headfirst into adulthood. Factors that contribute to elongation includeearlier puberty, later marriage, higher commitment to work
Which of the following characteristics is not associated with being an early-maturing boy?
Fewer behavior problems
Which of the following is not one of the three major factors that influence the transformation in family relationships that takes place during early adolescence?
Gender of adolescent
The adolescent growth spurt:
Generally begins two years earlier for girls than for boys
In the U.S., early-maturing girls are more likely than their late-maturing peers to:
Have a negative self-image
According to research on behavioral decision theory, adolescents often decide to engage in behavior that seems risky to adults because adolescents:
Have different values and priorities than adults
Imagine that you live in a low-income community and have just been elected to a citycouncil position. Community members want to know how neighborhood conditions can influence adolescent development. What will you tell them? What will you suggest thecity do to improve undesirable neighborhood characteristic
I would inform the community members of some of the negative effects of growing up in poverty, such as the aforementioned pregnancy risks, crime, violence, and drop-out rates. I would also make sure to note, though, that privilege is not everything and many privileged children suffer from higher rates of mental illness and substance abuse. Iwould inform them that a drastic bettering of the neighborhood could negatively affectadolescents, and that the best thing to do would be for the city to institute a public mentorprogram. The mentors would stay with adolescents for long periods of time and help them gain skills in many areas.
Dan, who is 13, has more-developed cognitive skills than his 9-year-old brother Timmy because Timmy's thinking is
In general, bound to what he can directly observe
Describe the effects of poverty and the role of race/ethnicity on the transition to adulthood
Minority adolescents are more likely to grow up in poverty. More likely to be exposed toviolence, be victims of crime, have children before marriage. Besides this they are also more likely to drop out of high school.
In the Chapter 5 media folder, you were to view a video of one of Laurence Steinberg's experiments in adolescent risk-taking. Which of the following statements does not support Steinberg's findings in this and similar experiments?
The adolescent driving took more risks because his friends were actively distracting him.
Which of the following is not a finding of social scientists regarding the effects of divorce on adolescents?
The adverse consequences of divorce for adolescents are directly linked to living in a single-parent household.
Which of the following statements about the timing and tempo of sexual maturation is true?
The duration of puberty varies widely, from 1.5 to 6 years in girls and 2 to 5 years in boys
In the video, The Teenage Brain, when the narrator described the wiring of the teenage brain he said it "grows like a tree." His metaphor describes
The formation and pruning of synapses
What are Steinberg's main arguments that support the view that adolescent offenders should be considered less blameworthy than adults and should be tried as juveniles in the juvenile court system and not as adults in the criminal court system
The idea of holding adolescent offenders as less blameworthy has to do with maturity in their development. Adolescents have a disadvantage because they are more likely to confess to a crime, not understand rights, and not share opinions on their defense than an adult. Studies show adolescents in trials to be on the same level as mentally ill or incapable adults, and because the adults would not go to trial the adolescents should not have to either. Additionally, there is the fact that the social transitions are not definitive from person to person so it is hard to set a strict age of being charged as a delinquent or a criminal.
Neurons are cells that carry information by transmitting electrical charges across the body. When the electrical charge travels through a neuron, it stimulates _____
The release of neurotransmitters
Which of the following is not true for adolescents who have been exposed to violence?
They are less likely to experience feelings of hopelessness
Compared to a child, an older adolescent is more likely to:
Think about the long-term consequences of their decisions.
What is meant by 'social cognition'? Briefly describe the four most often studied categories of social cognition.
Thinking about people, relationships, and social institutions - Theory of mind: understanding that other people have different thoughts and opinions - Thinking about social relationships: different beliefs about how to navigate friendships and authority - Understanding social conventions: understanding social norms- and to an extent why they are arbitrary - Conceptions of laws, civil liberties, and rights: different concept and understanding of rights and freedoms
Which of the following is not thought to contribute to the onset of puberty?
Whether the individual smokes cigarettes
Imagine that the principal of a high school with a high prevalence of peer bullying hasasked you, an expert in adolescent development, for advice concerning: a) The different types of bullying and harassment that students at the school mightbe experiencing and witnessing b) The possibility that there are different effects for students who observe anotherstudent being victimized versus students who personally experience theharassment or bullying c) The psychological and academic consequences of being bullied and harassed What would you tell him
a) There are multiple different types of bullying or harassment that may be going on withinthe student body. During the school day, bullies will victimize different students usingdifferent forms of aggression such as gossiping, rumors, physical harm, and emotionalharm. Cyberbullying increases in prevalence as adolescence goes on, which is theopposite for physical bullying. Cyberbullying includes the use of social media and textingto harass individuals. b) While the effects of bullying on the victim is a conversation to be brought up later,adolescents who observe bullying can intervene and change the outcome. Students are more likely to intervene when they are in an environment where other students wouldexpect them to intervene. c) Many people who are bullied end up with adjustment problems in varying forms such aseating disorders, sleep issues, and poor self-image which often leads them to a downwardspiral. Many students who are bullied perform worse academically, even in areas such asattendance. They do not obtain higher level schooling which also leads to less moneyearned in adulthood.
