DEVPSY lecture 4

1. Developmental Psychology Lecture 4. Physical development from adolescence to adulthood

2. Adolescence. ( the term was coined by G. S. Hall in 1904)

ADOLESCENCE.
( THE TERM WAS COINED BY G. S. HALL IN 1904)
Transition time between
childhood and adulthood.
History: the increasingly
complex nature of the work
demanded a highly educated
workforce. Late 19th century
laws were passed to restrict
child labor and schooling was
made compulsory. As a result,
young people began spending
time together and developed
their own ‘youth culture’.
©2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

3. Educational Video: Debunking Myths about Adolescence https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0MtQgS6IZU&ab_channel=UniversityofOregon

EDUCATIONAL VIDEO: DEBUNKING MYTHS
ABOUT ADOLESCENCE
HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=J0MTQGS6IZU&AB_CHANNEL=UNIVERSITYOFOREGON
• Questions
• 1. Explain MYTH 1 ( what is adolescence?)
• 2. Explain MYTH 2 ( their bodies and
brains make them do crazy things)
• 3 Explain MYTH 3 ( parents don’t matter
any more)
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4. Physical development. Adolescence  physical changes of puberty: transition to sexual maturity. (bringing the body from

Physical development.
Adolescence physical changes of puberty: transition
to sexual maturity. (bringing the body from child-like status to
adult sexual maturity.
For girls
1.
2.
3.
4.
Between 11 and 15/16
Bodies start to increase the
amount of fat.
Menstruation begins
Development of breasts,
broadening hips and
growth of pubic hair.
For boys
1.
2.
3.
4.
Between 11 and 17/18
Bodies start to build more
muscle weight.
Testes develop and release
sperm.
Development of facial,
body, pubic hair and penis
growth.

5. Testosterone influence.

TESTOSTERONE INFLUENCE.
Sensory, perceptual,
cognitive and emotional
processing are all
affected by increasing
levels of testosterone.
It acts via the
hypothalamus to
facilitate physical
arousal.
In both men and women,
their sexual interest is
greatest when their
levels of testosterone are
highest.
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6. Psychological adjustment during adolescence.

PSYCHOLOGICAL ADJUSTMENT
DURING ADOLESCENCE.
Characteristics:
Both girls and boys are sensitive to the bodily changes – difficult
time for them.
Leads to an effect of their sense of well-being
For girls
For boys
Early maturing girls have worse
self-esteem and seem less
popular, appear depressed and
lonely and unlikely to do well at
school.
Early maturing boys are more
confident, independent and
more physically attractive and
are more likely to do well
academically and athletically.
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7. Internalization.

INTERNALIZATION.
Is a term used by clinical
psychologists to describe the
learning (of values on attitudes)
that is incorporated within
yourself. In this case,
internalization of the ‘thin ideal’
would mean that you absolutely
believed that the ‘thin ideal’ was
something you would want to try
to be.
Effects: Experiencing early puberty
results in internalization of the
thin ideal.
These girls show patterns of
disordered eating, restricting their
eating with the goal of losing
weight (bulimic-type eating
pattern)
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8. Eating Disorders

ANOREXIA NERVOSA
Young people with anorexia
nervosa have low body weight and
an intense fear of putting on
weight.
• The people most at risk of
anorexia nervosa are women aged
16-21 years.
BULIMIA NERVOSA
The person doesn’t starve herself
but has episodes of rapid
consumption of vast quantities of
food followed by vomiting, fasting
or excessive exercise to prevent
weight gain.

9. Summary for physical and psychological development:

SUMMARY FOR PHYSICAL AND
PSYCHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT:
- Adolescence is a time of physical and psychological
change
- Tends to occur during puberty
- Has different psychological effects for young men and
women
- Young men benefit from early sexual maturation
- Early-maturing women are at increased risk of longterm psychopathology (depression and bulimic- type
disorders) and long-term chronic health problems such
as diabetes and coronary heart disease.
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10. Brain changes

BRAIN CHANGES
Brain produces oversupply of gray
matter during adolescence which
is later pruned back at rate of one
to two percent per year
Use it or lose it
Adolescent brain development produces changes in regions
involving dopamine sensitivity and production. Adolescents may
become less susceptible to effects of alcohol
More drinks required to experience reinforcing qualities—
leading to higher alcohol intake
Alterations in dopamine sensitivity may create
more sensitivity to stress, leading to further alcohol use
©2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

11. Educational Video The Adolescent Brain

EDUCATIONAL VIDEO
THE ADOLESCENT BRAIN
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0O1u5OEc5eY&ab_channel=randomactsofkindness
Questions:
1. What is a myth about adolescent brain? How should we
approach the problem teens face ?
2. Which two processes contribute to remodeling of brain
and which benefits do they bring to adolescent thinking ?
3. What is the purpose of pruning?
4. What is the purpose of myelin formation?
5. Which benefits does adolescent brain get from
neuroplasticity and integration?
©2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

12. Yawning of the Age of Adolescence

YAWNING OF THE AGE OF ADOLESCENCE
• Sleep Deprivation
Adolescents go to bed later and get up earlier
• Sleep deprivation takes its toll
– Lower grades
– More depressed
– Greater difficulty controlling their moods
– Greater risk for auto accidents
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13. THREATS TO ADOLESCENTS’ WELL-BEING

Why do adolescents begin to smoke and
maintain the habit?
Advertisements in the media
Addiction
Parent and peer models
Adolescent rite of passage
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14. THREATS TO ADOLESCENTS’ WELL-BEING

Why do adolescents Why do adolescents start to
use drugs?
drink?
Pleasurable
experience
Escape
Peer pressure
Biological and
psychological
addiction
Way of proving
themselves
Release of tension and
reduction of stress
Alcohol use becomes
uncontrollable habit
Increasing ability to
tolerate
alcohol
©2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies,
Inc. All rights
reserved.

15. Physical Development in adulthood

Physical Performance and Development:
Peak physical performance typically
occurs before the age of 30
Different types of athletes reach their
peak performances at different ages
Muscle tone and strength usually
begin to show signs of decline around
age 30
Health:
Young adults have more than twice
the mortality rate of adolescents
Few chronic health problems (colds &
respiratory problems)
Most college students know what
behaviors will prevent illness and
promote health, but many of them do
not apply this information
©2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

16. Eating and Weight

Obesity:
Prevalence of obesity in
adults is increasing
Linked to increased risk
of hypertension, diabetes,
and cardiovascular
disease
Factors Involved in
Obesity:
Heredity
Leptin: a protein involved
in feeling full, antiobesity
hormone
Set point
Environmental factor:
great availability of fatty
food, physical activity
Dieting:
As obesity rises,
dieting is an
obsession for many
1/3 to 2/3 of dieters
regain more weight
than they lost on
their diets
Most effective
programs include
exercise and daily
weigh-ins
Diets can place the
dieter at risk for
other health
problems
Low-calorie diets
are linked with
gallbladder
damage

17.

Physical
Development
in Middle Adulthood

18. Changing Midlife

Boundaries of middle age are being
pushed upward
More people lead healthier
lifestyles; medical discoveries are
holding off the aging process
Middle age is starting later and
lasting longer
Midlife serves as an important
preparation for late adulthood
An increasing percentage of the
population is made up of middleaged and older adults
“Rectangularization” of the age
distribution

19. Physical Changes

Physical Changes:
Usually gradual; aging rates vary
Wrinkling and sagging of skin, age
spots, thinning gray hair, thicker
brittle nails, yellowing of teeth
Sarcopenia: age-related loss of muscle
mass and strength, specially common in
the back and legs -- exercise can reduce
these declines
Height tends to shrink in middle age,
due to bone loss in the vertebrae
Cushions for bone movement become less
efficient, often leading to joint stiffness
and difficulty in movement
Many gain weight, which is a critical
health problem in middle adulthood
Progressive bone loss

20. Physical Changes

Ability to focus and maintain an image declines
between 40–59 years
• Difficulty viewing close objects
• Reduced blood supply decreases visual field
Hearing can start to decline by age 40
• Hearing loss occurs in up to 50% of individuals
over the age of 50
• High-pitched sounds are typically lost first

21. Physical Changes

PHYSICAL CHANGES
• Blood pressure typically rises in the 40’s and 50’s
• At menopause, a woman’s blood pressure
rises sharply, remaining higher than that
of men into the later years
• Metabolic Syndrome: a condition characterized
by hypertension, obesity, and insulin resistance
• Exercise, weight control, and a diet rich in fruits,
vegetables, and whole grains can help to reduce
many cardiovascular problems
©2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

22. Health and Disease

Frequency of accidents declines
Individuals are less susceptible to colds
and allergies
Stress is a key factor in disease, especially
if cumulative
Immune system functioning decreases
with normal aging
Link between stress and cardiovascular
disease can be indirect
Ni-Hon-San Study
• Stress can lead to unhealthy lifestyle choices
• Chronic emotional stress is associated with high
blood pressure, heart disease, and early death
Culture plays an important role in coronary
disease
• Immigration modifies healthy practices even as
genetic predispositions remain constant

23. Mortality Rates

MORTALITY RATES
Chronic diseases are the main cause of death
during middle adulthood
Heart disease
Cancer
Cerebrovascular disease
In the 1st half of middle age, cancer claims
more lives than heart disease; trend is reversed
during the 2nd half of middle age
Men have higher mortality rates than women
©2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

24. Case studies

CASE STUDIES
1. Research exploration : Do an Internet search for ‘the secular trend towards
earlier growth ‘ -accelerated maturation in height and weight, puberty age
among males and females over the last century. Give a report to school
teachers about potential explanations. EMOTION (10 min)
2. School experience: Compare early and late adolescent maturers. Are there
any positive effects of early maturation? What does research say about
different social and personality skills they develop which remain evident in
middle adulthood. It is your scientific report in the conference, share
research findings. TEMPERAMENT ( 10 min)
3. Role-play : Two student teachers have to write an essay about physical selfconcept of adolescents on 2 different topics: 1)“Adolescents and body
image” and 2) “Body shape and personality” .Role play their dialogue , they
discuss their findings , include Sheldon’s theory about the relationship
between body type, abilities and personalities. INTELLIGENCE( 10 min)
4. School meeting: as a home teacher of adolescent pupils you invited an
expert in eating disorders such as bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa .
The purpose is to alert parents about this problem. The expert explains the
causes , short and long-term consequences of this psychological disorder
and recommends parents a number of prevention tips and solutions.
MOTIVATION ( 10 min)
©2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

25. Reflection task

REFLECTION TASK
• Think back to when you were an adolescent ( 12-16).
Were you aware of differences in patterns of growth
among your peers? How did you handle any concerns you
had? Who really helped you at that time : teachers,
parents, friends, books, tv programs? Suggest what school
could do to improve policy about sexual education.
• Write between 150-200 words.
• Developmental and Educational Psychology for Teachers .
Ch.4,(pp 73- 90)
©2009 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.