PSYCH 250 1st Edition Lecture 15 Part 2 & 16 Part 1Outline of Last Lecture I. STDs and AIDSII. Use of Contraceptives Among TeensIII. Risk Factors for Early Sexual BehaviorIV. Difference in Gender in Describing First Sexual ExperiencesV. Coming OutVI. Major Changes in Adolescent CognitionVII. Adolescent ThinkingOutline of Current Lecture VIII. Transitioning to Middle SchoolIX. Negative Effects of TechnologyX. Erikson’s Stage: Identity vs. Role ConfusionXI. Ethnic IdentityXII. Changes in Family RelationshipsXIII. Autonomy and Relatedness in the Parent – Child RelationshipXIV. Cliques and Crowds and the Effects of Peer PressureCurrent LectureTransitioning to Middle SchoolDuring elementary school children are often and enjoy being at school. However, the transition into middle school is often the beginning of a downward spiral which can at time lead to school failure and drop out. It is during the middle school years that grade and academic motivation drop, and there larger declines in the concept of self, and confidence in academic abilities. There markedincreases in test anxiety, learned helplessness, self-evaluation (rather than mastering the task at hand) and truancy.The extreme changes are caused in part by the mismatch between teens and the environment of the school. In middle school:- There are less positive student – teacher relationships (multiple teachers rather than one)- Teachers feel more ineffective- The coursework is less challenging- There are higher standards regarding student performanceNegative Effects of TechnologyIn 2009, Gentile conducted a study in which an ethnically diverse group of over 1,000 teenagers between the ages of 8 and 18 were asked about the frequency of their gaming. From this, Gentile was able to determine the signs of video game addiction. It was found that boys played twice as much as girls and more than 50% of these boys were playing that were rated for mature audiences. It was also found that playing video games was positively correlated to lower academic achievement and more behavioral problems.Those who had the symptoms of addiction (12% of boys, and 3% of girls) played, on average, 3 or more hours of video games per day.Erikson’s Stage: Identity vs. Role ConfusionIdentity ultimately defines who you are, and where you will go in life. There are many types of identities (religious, sexual, ethnic, political, etc.) and it takes a high level of commitment to seek out and shape your own identity. The formation of an identity is the result of a resolution of an identity crisis. And in this case, crisis ultimately means “exploration.”Role Confusion, however, is the lack of a clear definition of self. This can be caused restricted exploration during adolescence which may be a result of earlier unresolved psychosocial conflicts (Erikson’s earlier stages) or restrictions of choice that have been generated by society.In order to form an identity, an individual must have a degree of commitment, and a degree of exploration (or crisis). Depending on the degree of each, an individual may be faced with one of four identity statuses:IdentityAchievement- Formation of an identity- High levels of commitment and exploration- Psychologically healthier Moratorium- High levels of exploration and lower levels of commitment- Individuals are “trying on” many different identities and roles - Most anxious, least rigid (set in beliefs), high self-esteemForeclosure- High levels of commitment and low levels of exploration- Individuals have not yet had an identity crisis- Most authoritarian and very close to parentsRoleConfusion- No identity has been formed- Low levels of commitment and exploration- Passive in their role of identity formation- Highest levels of psychological and interpersonal problemsEthnic IdentityEthnic identity is an individual’s sense of identity that’s concerned with ancestry or membershipin an ethnic group. This identity is formed and established through:- A sense of identification with the group itself- A sense of belonging within the group- How the person labels themselves- Preference for the group- Interest in the group and ancestral/current knowledge- Involvement within the groupRacial identity is multidimensional and includes three different aspects:Racial Centrality: how important race is in defining your identityPrivate Regard: how you feel about your membership in a racePublic Regard: how you believe others feel about your raceIn 2003, Chavous conducted a study of a group of African American teenagers. They were asked to rate on a scale of 1-5 questions regarding race that pertained to the three different perspectives listed above. Through this study, Chavous was able to identify 4 different models ofracial identity:Buffering/Defensive- Higher levels of centrality and private regard, but lower levels of public regard- Least likely to drop out, and most likely to still be in college after 2 yearsLowConnectedness/HighAffinity- Low levels of centrality and public regard, and above median levels of private regardIdealized- Above median levels of centrality and private regard and very high levels of public regardAlienated- Very low levels of centrality, private regard, and public regard- Most academically disengaged and most likely to drop out***A strong sense of ethnic identity is correlated with positive long – term outcomes***Changes in Family RelationshipsAdolescence is a time of change, but does not necessarily have to be a time of storm and stress. Most teenagers and parents report close and happy relationships with each other with little conflict, and of the 25% of families who report problems, a vast majority had problems before adolescence. Of the families who experience no problems before adolescence, about 5% can expect to face serious problems in adolescence.Contrary to many stereotypes about teens and their parents, there is really very little emotional distance between them. In fact, most teenagers:- Feel close to their parents- Respect the judgment of their parents- Feel loved by their parents- Respect their parents as individuals20% of teenagers report that their number one concern is not getting enough time with their parents.The conflict between parents and children seems to peak during the tween years (11-12 for girlsand 13-14 for boys), but then declines during adolescence. The greatest conflict is seen between mothers and daughters