Adolescence

The transition period from childhood to adulthood

Extending from puberty to about age 18-20
Historically speaking, adolescence is a relatively new concept
Biological Development
The biological development that occurs during adolescence has to do
with sexual maturity
Puberty
Sexual maturation
When a person becomes capable of reproduction
Change in body, means change in body image
For women: A favorably body image is negatively correlated with
onset of puberty (early onset, negative body image)
For men, positively correlated
Adolescence also represents a period of time in which the frontal lobes
finish developing.
What functions are the frontal lobes responsible for?
Decision-making, emotional processing, behavior control, higher
order thinking, etc.
Grey matter peaks in prefrontal cortex during adolescence
Prefrontal cortex less active in adolescents than adults
Important advancements in cognitive development occur around
the time of adolescence
The fourth stage of cognitive development, when adolescents become
capable of symbolic and abstract thinking
Lawrence Kohlberg
Saw adolescence as an important time for the development of moral
reasoning
Proposed a 3 stage theory of moral development
1. Preconventional morality
Birth to 9 years
Behave in ways that seek reward
Avoid punishment
2. Conventional Morality
Ages?
Behave in ways that reflect societal values
Right versus wrong
3. Postconventional Morality

a. Moral principles are now used to determine right from

wrong
b. Behavior follows from universal principles of human rights,
eg. The right to live, the right to freedom
Morality of Abstract principles
As moral development continues the focus
Carol Gilligan
In a Different Voice, 1983
Women
Tend to resolve moral dilemmas by using compassion
Nonviolent and hurt the fewest
Men
Tend to use reason abstract principles
Actions that lead to a fair or just end