Adolescent Psychology 01/02

UNIT 1. Perspectives on Adolescence 1. The Rise and Decline of the Teenager , Thomas Hine, American Heritage , September 1999. The term "teenager" appeared for the first time in 1941 on the heels of the Great Depression when the lack of jobs resulted in the majority of young people enrolling in high school. Teens were now seen as a discrete group: one that had no clear identity and did not make meaningful contributions to society. 2. The Way We Weren''t: The Myth and Reality of the "Traditional" Family , Stephanie Coontz, National Forum , Summer 1995. Despite myths to the contrary, there never has been a "traditional" American family. Since the founding of this country, American families have varied, reflecting economic and social conditions of the time. 3. Adolescence: Pathologizing a Normal Process , Michael D. Newcomb, Counseling Psychologist , July 1996. Our current understanding of adolescence focuses on pathology. Michael Newcomb proposes an alternate view--one that emphasizes understanding the adolescent''s development of independence and identity in the context of familial, school, and societal influences. UNIT 2. Puberty and Biology 4. Inside the Teen Brain , Shannon Brownlee, U.S. News & World Report , August 9, 1999. Until recently, neuroscientists mistakenly believed that the brain was fully developed by puberty. However, current research indicates that an enormous amount of neurological development occurs during the teen years. These changes in development may be related to adolescents'' moodiness and their problems with making good decisions. 5. Yesterday''s Precocious Puberty Is Norm Today , Jane E. Brody, New York Times , November 30, 1999. The onset of puberty in girls is occurring approximately a year earlier than was previously reported. Girls should be educated about menstruation and sex earlier than parents may realize. Those white girls who begin breast development before age 7 and those black girls who do so before age 6 should be evaluated for early puberty. 6. The 1997 Body Image Survey Results , David M. Garner, Psychology Today , January/February 1997. The responses of 3,452 women and 548 men to a 1996 survey on body image were analyzed. In this report, the effects of age, gender, the media, and exercise were discussed. Overall, women were more dissatisfied with their bodies than were men, and dieting was very common--even in girls as young as 9 years old. 7. Adolescent Male Athletes: Body Image, Diet, and Exercise , Pamela S. McKay Parks and Marsha H. Read, Adolescence , Fall 1997. Body image, dieting, and attitudes toward exercise of cross-country runners and football players were compared. Results indicated that football players were more satisfied with their bodies and had healthier attitudes toward eating than did runners. The importance of educating boys to value the type of body they have was discussed in this essay. 8. A Study of White Middle-Class Adolescent Boys'' Responses to "Semenarche" (The First Ejaculation) , James H. Stein and Lynn Whisnant Reiser, Journal of Youth and Adolescence , Volume 23, Number 3, 1994. This study presents survey and interview data from adolescent males'' recollections of their first ejaculation. Semenarche is more invisible and is less of a rite of passage for adolescent males than menarche is for females. Subjects reported few negative feelings about the experience, but they did feel unprepared. 9. The Consequences of Insufficient Sleep for Adolescents: Links between Sleep and Emotional Regulation , Ronald E. Dahl, Phi Delta Kappan , January 1999. Although research indicates that sufficient sleep is essential for optimal functioning, many experts believe that most adolescents do not get the amount of sleep that they need. Sleep deprivation may result in problems with mood, attention, and academic performance. UNIT 3. Cognitive Growth and Education A. SCHOOL ISSUES 10. Musings in the Wake of Columbine: What Can Schools Do? , Mary Anne Raywid and Libby Oshiyama, Phi Delta Kappan , February 2000. Students who view their school as a community behave better and care more about other students. To create this perspective, schools should be small and teachers must emphasize moral, social, and emotional growth. School staff and students must commit to being responsible for each other. 11. Mommy, What''s a Classroom? , Bill Roorbach, New York Times Magazine , February 2, 1997. Home schooling is an educational alternative that is gaining popularity now that it is legal throughout the United States. Concern centers on ensuring the educational quality of home schools and the appropriate social development of home schoolers. 12. The LD Label for Relatively Well-Functioning Students: A Critical Analysis , Michael Gordon, Lawrence Lewandowski, and Shelby Keiser, Journal of Learning Disabilities , November/December 1999. The increased prevalence of students being labeled learning disabled has led experts to question what the LD label actually means, and what are appropriate interventions for LD students. 13. Good Mentoring Keeps At-Risk Youth in School , Bridget Murray, APA Monitor , September 1995. Research suggests that the use of mentors can be an effective intervention for youths who are at risk of being high school dropouts. Successful mentors can be adults or older schoolmates, but at least one study indicates that a poor mentor-student relationship can increase the likelihood of the student''s dropping out of school. B. MEASURING AND EXPLAINING COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE 14. Schools the Source of Rough Transitions , Beth Azar, APA Monitor , June 1996. Middle schools and junior high schools are organized very differently from elementary schools. The well-documented drop in academic motivation and achievement that occurs during transitions to new school settings may be partially related to a mismatch between the needs of early adolescence and the middle school environment. 15. The Cheating Game , Carolyn Kleiner and Mary Lord, U.S. News & World Report , November 22, 1999. Surveys indicate that cheating in high schools and colleges is rampant. Experts attribute the causes of cheating to parents who do students'' work for them, schools that tolerate cheating, and students who feel that there are no other ways to meet the demands of school. 16. Gender Gap in Math Scores Is Closing , Bridget Murray, APA Monitor , November 1995. Bridget Murray discusses both biological and environmental factors that potentially affect mathematics achievement. UNIT 4. Identity aAstor-Stetson, Eileen is the author of 'Adolescent Psychology 01/02' with ISBN 9780072425727 and ISBN 0072425725.