Adolescent Psychology Chapter 4

Family systems theory

A perspective on family functioning that emphasizes interconnections among different family relationships.

Generational dissonance

Divergence of views between adolescents and parents that is common in family of immigrant parents and American-born adolescents.

Self-Fulfilling prophecy

The idea that individual's behavior is influenced by others' expectation for them.

Midlife crisis

A psychological crisis over identity believed to occur between the ages of 35 and 45, the age range of most adolescents' parents.

Sibling rivalry

Competition between siblings, often for parental attention

Authoritative parents

Parents who use warmth, firm control, and rational, issue-oriented discipline, in which emphasis is placed on the development of self-direction.

Shared environmental influences

Nongenetic influences that make individuals living in the same family similar to each other.

Parental Responsiveness

One of the two important dimensions of parenting; this refers to the degree to which the parent responds to the child's needs in an accepting, supportive manner.

Parental demandingness

One of two important dimensions of parenting; this refers to the degree to which the parent expects and insists on mature, responsible behaivor from the child.

Indifferent parents

Parents who are characterized by low levels of both responsiveness and demandingness.

Indulgent parents

Parents who are characterized by responsiveness but low demandingness, and who are mainly concerned with the child's happiness.

Authoritarian parents

Parents who use punitive, absolute, and forceful discipline, and who place a premium on obedience and conformity.

Generation gap

The popular phrase for the alleged conflict between young people and adults over values and attitudes.

Nonshared environmental influences

The nongenetic influences in individual's lives that make them different from people they live with.

Sibling deidentification

The process through which siblings deliberately try to be different from each other.

Behavioral genetics

The scientific study of genetic influences on behavior.