CHAPTER 12Social and Personality Development in Adolescents

Psychoanalytic PerspectivesPsychosocial Perspective: Erickson

Identity versus Role Confusion Stage

Primary developmental task: Achievement of personal identity

Reflects understanding of one’s unique traits and how they manifest across ages and social roles

Marcia’s Theory of Identity AchievementIdentity Statuses

Statuses

Identity Achieveme

ntMoratorium Foreclosure Identity

Diffusion

Self-Understanding

Components of self-understanding More abstract definition of psychological self

Academic self-concepts from internal comparisons and external comparisons

Social self-concepts predict behavior

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

Figure 12.2 Changes in Teens’ Self-Descriptions

As they grow older, children and adolescents define themselves less and less by what they look like and more and more by what they feel.

Self-Concept and PersonalitySelf-Esteem

Self-esteem: Sense of global self-worth• Self-esteem patterns

• High self-esteem correlates

• Gender differences throughout adolescence

Moral DevelopmentKohlberg’s Theory of Moral Reasoning

Preconventional reasoning: Judgments based on positive or negative consequences to the child

Protocol response to moral dilemmas 3 levels with 2 substages each

Moral DevelopmentKohlberg’s Theory of Moral Reasoning

Preconventional• Stage 1• Stage 2

Conventional• Stage 3• Stage 4

Postconventional• Stage 5• Stage 6

Write a brief description of and example for each stage.

Figure 12.4 Colby & Kohlberg’s Longitudinal Study of Moral Reasoning

Figure 12.5

Causes and Consequences of Moral Development

Causes Progression in age and corresponding

cognitive development

Decline of egocentrism

Improvement in role-taking

Support from social environment

Causes and Consequences of Moral Development

Fill in the blanks

Growth of moral reasoning associated with ______in adolescent prosocial behaviors and ______ in antisocial behavior.

Criticisms of Kohlberg’s TheoryMoral Reasoning and Emotions

Nancy Eisenberg

Empathy: Ability to identify with others’ emotions both cause and consequence of moral development Inability to control emotional triggers (antisocial

behaviors) Age-related and individual differences in ability to

regulate emotions

Quantifying EQ

Tennessee Self Concept Scale (TSCS:2)

2nd -8th grade, 9th-12th grade

Scales, Validity Inconsistent Responding Self criticism Faking good Response distribution

Self Concept Scales Physical self concept Moral self concept Personal self concept Family self concept Social self concept Academic/work self concept Identity

Self concept correlated with self esteem

BarOn Emotional Quotient Inventory: Youth Version (BarOn EQ-i: YV)

Ages 7-18 4th grade reading level 20-30 minutes to complete 7 classifications, markedly low to

markedly high

Scales Total emotional intelligence Intrapersonal scale Interpersonal scale Adaptability scale Stress management scale

General Mood Scale Positive impressing (faking good) Inconsistency index

Moral Development and Antisocial BehaviorOverview

Delinquency: Adolescent behavior that breaks laws

Two sub-variations by age of delinquency onset

Child onset is more serious and likely to present into adulthood

Adolescent onset is milder and more transitory; peer group influenced

Moral Development and Antisocial BehaviorDelinquency

Deliquents: Lack empathy (for parents, victims) Behind peers in moral reasoning Deficits in role-taking skills

Social RelationshipsParents

Adolescents have two contradictory tasks: establish autonomy and maintain relatedness

Conflicts with parents increase but attachment still high

• Individual traits and cultural factors affect degree and meaning of parent–teen conflict

Relationships with ParentsAttachment

Strong attachment to parents matter!

Sense of well-being more strongly correlated with quality of parent than peer attachment

Strong attachments associated positive short-term and long-term outcomes

Relationships with PeersOverview

Friendships Increasingly intimate More stable than those of younger children Shared interests and activities important

Relationships with PeersPeer Group Structure

Clique

Crowds Reputation-based group

Figure 12.6 Sources of Support for Adolescents

Divorce

Where to live: Parents v. Friends v. Siblings

How much consideration to give an adolescent’s opinion?

EQ

Best Interest of the Child Factors

QUESTIONS?