MILESTONES OF HUMAN
DEVELOPMENT
Stages: Adolescence through Emerging Adulthood
Copyright
2
Copyright Texas Education Agency, 2012. These Materials are copyrighted and trademarked as the property of the
Texas Education Agency (TEA) and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of TEA, except under the
following conditions:
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and Related Materials for the districts and schools educational use without obtaining permission from TEA.
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Marie Saracino, Ph.D.
Professor, Child Development and Family Living
Program
Brandon Burr, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Child Development and Family
Living Program
Copyright Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
Provides FREE instructional resources
Education and Training
Hospitality and Tourism
Human Services
[Link]
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Human Development
5
The science of human development seeks to
understand how and why people change over time
and is empirical in nature.
Life-Span Perspective: An approach to the study of
human development that takes into account all
phases of life, not just childhood, or adulthood. It
also views human development as multidirectional,
multicontextual, multicultural, multidisciplinary, and
plastic.
Copyright Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
Human Development
Life-Span Perspective
Multidirectional:
Over time human
characteristics change in many waysincreasing, decreasing, or holding steady.
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Human Development
Life-Span Perspective
Multicontextual:
Development occurs in
many contexts including physical and social
environments.
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Human Development
Life-Span Perspective
Multicultural:
People of a nation, region in a
nation, ethnic group, neighborhood, and even
classroom can have their own culture and this
culture affects their actions and thoughts.
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Human Development
Life-Span Perspective
Multidisciplinary:
Human development over
the life-span is such a large subject that
ideas and information from many disciplines
is required to understand it.
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10
Human Development
Life-Span Perspective
Plasticity:
Human traits can be molded, yet
people maintain a certain durability of
identity.
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Research Methods and Designs
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Methods
Scientific Observation: unobtrusively watching and recording
participants behavior in a systematic and objective manner-in a
natural setting, a laboratory, or in searches of archival data.
Survey: information is collected from a large number of people
by interviews, written questionnaires, or other means.
Designs
Cross-Sectional Research: compares groups of people who
differ in age but are similar in other important characteristics.
Longitudinal Research: follows the same individuals over time
and their development is repeatedly assessed.
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Major Theories of Development
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Theory
Premise
Behaviorism and Social Learning Theory:
Development involves an increase in learned
behaviors.
Development results from conditioning and
modeling. Behaviors reinforced and modeled
may vary from child to child.
Stages are assumed to be universal. Piagets
Piagets Cognitive Development Theory:
Cognitive development takes place in stages. 4 stages are sequential in order and include
ages birth through adolescence.
Post Formal Thought/Dialectical Thinking
Characterized by problem finding not just
problem solving. More practical and flexible
thinking .Person is more open to ideas and
less concerned with absolute rights and
wrongs., and accept the contradictions of
the complexity of the situation. Dialectical
thinking is the most advanced form of
thinking.
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Major Theories of Development, cont.
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Theory
Premise
Eriksons Psychosocial Theory.
A life-span theorist that combines
psychological and cultural aspects of
development.
A series of sequential developmental
stages form birth through late adulthood.
The focus is the development of a healthy
personality who is able to form intimate
relationships and be a productive member
of society.
Ecological Systems Theory: The
individuals characteristics join with
environmental forces at multiple levels to
mold development in unique ways.
The structure of the environment includes
the microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem,
and macrosystem. Layers of the
environment influence child-rearing and
adult life experiences.
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14
Development During Adolescence
Major Milestones of Development
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Physical Development in Adolescence
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Puberty-Physical Transition to Adulthood
Hormonal
changes-Sexual maturity controlled by the sex
hormones: Estrogens and Androgens.
Growth spurt-rapid gain in height and weight begins around
age 10 for girls and 12 for boys.
Factors influencing the timing of puberty include: heredity,
nutrition, exercise, and overall health.
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Cognitive Development in Adolescence
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Post Formal Operations Stage
Capacity for abstract, systematic, and scientific thinking.
Capable of deductive reasoning.
When presented with a problem, adolescents are more
likely to engage in trial and error problem-solving in order
to reach a successful outcome.
Egocentrism involves a heightened sense of self-consciousness
and a belief that others are interested in them (imaginary
audience) and everyone elses behavior is a personal
judgment on them. Example: A teachers words or a friends
frown may mean that I am not likeable.
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Cognitive Development in Adolescence
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Ability to think abstractly about possibilities causes
adolescents to have idealistic views that are at odds
with everyday reality.
Less effective at decision-making than adults, take
greater risks, and accentuate short-term goals over
long-term goals.
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Social and Emotional Development in Adolescence
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Eriksons Stage: Identity versus Role Confusion
Major personality achievement of adolescence.
Identity achievement involves answering the
following questions: Who am I? What do I believe?
What are my goals? (Separate from my parents.)
Process of exploration followed by commitment.
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Social and Emotional Development in Adolescence
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Peers become increasing important during
adolescence and less time is spent with family
members. Peer relations can be both positive and
negative. (Delinquent behavior, drug abuse,
compared to sports and group activities at school or
church).
Major characteristics of adolescent friendships
include: intimacy (psychological closeness), mutual
understanding, and loyalty.
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Social and Emotional Development in Adolescence
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Sex differences in friendships:
Emotional closeness is more common between girls
than between boys.
Girls frequently get together without a planned
activity to just talk.
Boys more often get together for sport activities
or competitive games.
Girls tend to focus more on communal concerns,
while boys focus more on achievement and
status.
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Social and Emotional Development in Adolescence
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Internet Usage and Friendships
Adolescents use the Internet and Social Networking
Sites to communicate with friends and meet new
people. Use of these sites is common and seems to
support friendship closeness without direct physical
interaction.
For some adolescents, online relationships pose
some risks of harmful social experiences, including
harassment, exploitation, and bullying.
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22
Emerging Adulthood
Physical, Cognitive, Social Development
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Emerging Adulthood (18-25)
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Although by about age 18, the physical body is
grown up, many do not consider themselves
adults until age 25 or older.
Our traditional signs of adulthood (completed
education, marriage, parenthood, chosen career
path) occur later than they once did.
The creation of the developmental stage of
emerging adulthood
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24
Emerging Adulthood: Physical
Development
Period of optimal physical health
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25
Emerging Adulthood: Physical
Development
Attitudes towards sex and marriage
Emotional entanglement
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
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cont.
26
Emerging Adulthood: Physical
Development
cont.
Increased incidents of depression, anxiety disorders
such as panic attacks.
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27
Emerging Adulthood: Physical
Development
cont.
Increased risk-taking behaviors
Edgework (Living on the edge) Engage in
occupations or sports that involve higher degree of
risk or danger.
Occupations
Sports
Drugs and alcohol use
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28
Emerging Adulthood: Cognitive
Development
Postformal thought
Dialectical thought
Moral Development
Spiritual development
Influence of culture
Higher education and cognitive growth
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Emerging Adulthood: Social
29
Quest for identity
Ethnic/political-identifying with certain ethnic
and political groups.
Vocational- indentifying a particular career
path.
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Emerging Adulthood: Social
cont.
30
Intimacy
Friendship
Romance
postponing marriage and increased rates
of cohabitation.
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Emerging Adulthood: Social
cont.
31
Ongoing family relationships
Relationships
with parents- after college graduation,
may young adults return home to live with their parents.
(Revolving door syndrome).
Cultural impact relationships with parents and other
family members are greatly influenced by culture and
beliefs. (Western cultures expect young adults to live
independently of parents).
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Free Educational Instructional Resources
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Statewide Instructional Resources Development Center
[Link]
Education and Training Career Cluster
Human Growth and Development
Resources for Human Growth and Development
Human Services Career Cluster
Child Development
Resources for Child Development
Child Guidance
Resources for Child Guidance
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Questions, Comments, Suggestions
33
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Resources and References
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Berger, K.S. (2012). The developing person
through the life span (8th ed.). New York:
Worth Publishers.
Berk, L.E. (2012). Infants, children, and adolescents
(7th ed.) New York: Allyn & Bacon.
Santrock, J. W. (2012). Essentials of lifespan
development (2nd ed.). New York: McGraw Hill.
Copyright Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
Resources and References
35
Santrock, J.W. (2011). Life-span development
(13th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Whitbourne, S. K., & Whitbourne, S. B. (2011).
Adult development and aging: Biopsychosocial
perspectives (4th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Copyright Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
Resources and References
36
MIT Center for Work, Family and Personal Life
Young Adult Development Project
[Link]
Search Institute
Global innovator in discovering what children and
adolescents need to succeed in their families, schools,
and communities.
[Link]
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Contact Information
37
Marie Saracino, Ph.D.
Professor, Child Development and Family Living
Program
Stephen F. Austin State University
msaracino@[Link]
Copyright Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.