The Adolescent in Society“Adolescence in Society”

Standards: 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.11, 5.4

Adolescence Agenda Intro to… Peers and Cliques Mean Girls

GroupsSocializationNormsPeers

Think about it. What causes parent-adolescent conflict?

Use your own lives as examples!Come up with some reasons parents and

adolescents conflict.

In other words, why do parents fight with their teenagers?

Define Adolescence Training period for adulthood

Length of adolescence directly relates to the complexity of the societyWhy do you think this fact is true?

Answer the following questions…1. What are the biggest fears of adolescents

today? What about 50 years ago? Give some examples

of each!

2. What do you think life would be like in America without adolescence? What if adulthood started at age 13?

3. Come up with at least three factors that put adolescence in a distinct stage of life.

3 Factors Mandatory Education

Not simple to drop out of schoolParental expectationsCareer choices (typically need more

education but is this true right now?)

Exclusion from Labor ForceCan not work until 16 years oldEconomic dependence of their parents

○ Credit cards○ Cell phones○ Vehicles

Juvenile Justice SystemSeparate system from that of adultsCan be tried as a “minor” until you are 18

years old

Adolescence in Society Concept of Adolescence:

Present creation: Creation of Industrial Society Adolescence: Period between normal onset of

Puberty and beginning of adulthood

Puberty: Physical maturing that makes someone capable of reproduction

*Ages 13 to 21This age range has changed – many college kids move

back home after school – drawn out adolescence

Has become phenomenon in past 40-50 years

Consistently studied by marketing and advertising companiesBrands and items for adolescents

(specifically)○ Abercrombie & Fitch○ Affliction○ American Eagle○ Jersey Shore (All of MTV)○ Facebook and Twitter

What causes parent-adolescent conflicts? Is this what you came up with! Clothes Dating Priorities Work Friends (sketchy) Money Grades Fights with Siblings

Coming home late Back Talk Trust Attitude Drugs/Alcohol Car

Why is there so much parent-adolescent conflict in contemporary western civilization?

Rapid Social Change Most prevalent in Western Societies Parents are considered “old” when they

become parents Parents feel uninformed – weakens their

power

Ex: smart phones, Twitter, Facebook

Slow Down in Learning Older you get, more set in your ways

Harder to change your parents views Youth is still fluid (changing)

Youth has always challenged the stability of old ways

Ex: counterculture of the hippies

Physiological & Psychological Differences between Parent and Child Physical – different ages

Youth – lots of energy, fearlessParents – settled, conserve energy

Psychological Adults are realistsKids are still idealists

5 General Characteristics of Adolescence

1. Biological Growth (80% develop Acne)

2. Undefined Status (not a child; not an adult Read p. 122 “Blurring of Adolescence”)

3. Increased decision making-- College, kids getting more freedom

4. Increased Pressure (Peers vs. Parents – who has more influence? What do you think?)

5. Search for Self (Prepare for future)Who am I… Really?What is important to “me?”

Anticipatory Socialization: Learning rights, obligations, and expectations of a role in preparing for assuming that role at a future dateDating, Part-time job, and school

Culture can also have a huge impact

Societies with no concept of adolescence

Ndembu of Zambia Go straight from childhood to adulthood Puberty Rite: ceremonies that mark the

transition from childhood to adulthoodDemonstrations of StrengthFiling of the TeethTattooing of skin

Age 13/14: Can marry

“Teenagers and Dating”

Teenagers and Dating Well known in U.S.

Not a universal phenomenon Ex: Arranged marriages ***Very recent phenomenon (Post WWI)

Pre-Dating in the U.S. Courtship: Express purpose is eventual marriage

very formal and structured supervised by adults 100% of the time

Past: Marriage: Timed age at which a man acquired

property necessary to support family

Industrial Revolution Casual Dating emerged at the same time as

the Industrial Revolution People move to city Child Labor Laws Free Public Education Technology: Telephone (today = cell phones and

texting) *Young people had more time and were put

into situations where they began to come into contact with other young people of the opposite sex (no longer agriculture society where time working was on the farm)

Why Date? Homogamy: Tendency for individuals to

marry people who have social characteristics similar to their own

Willard Waller: Dating was a form of recreation that has little to do with mate selection, more of a social gathering, research at PSU

1. Mate selection--Why do we select the partners that we do?

2. Recreation: (Waller)--Who dates for the fun of it? Why would you want a serious relationship at 16-17-18 yrs old?

3. Mechanism of Socialization

4. Psychological NeedsConversation, Companionship, Understanding******Attain Status*****

Dating Patterns Traditional:

Responsibility fell to male (Ask parents; Money)RitualizedStructured rulesSet Activities (Movies…etc)Began CasuallyMoves to “Going Steady”

Early on, men were commended for being chivalrous. Why is this not the case anymore?

Dating Patterns Contemporary: Present

Teenagers more spontaneousMale and female initiate datesRelationships based on “group”

Exception:Court at 16: Boys14 GirlsNo Amish divorces yet

Read p. 133: “Themes in Popular Songs”