Adolescence: Psychological and Physical Development (Essay Sample)

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State University
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September17, 2015
Adolescence
By definition, adolescence describes a transitional stage that has both psychological and physical development. Physically, this stage is characterized by puberty and biological changes including the reproductive and sexual systems. This particular stage can be said to influence every part of an individual. Cognitive aspects of this stage relate to abstract thinking abilities and development of personal identities. Though cognitive thinking occurs at different and more complex ways in each teenager, logical operations including decision making, emotional thinking, opposing views, and career decisions are common to all. These logical operations are part of the normative life transition.
Socio-cultural characteristics appear rooted in adolescent development than biological structures. Culture influences all life aspects given that it is socially shared and learned. Culture provides a basis for self-esteem, sexual growth, and social responsibility (Wylie, 1974). The degree of autonomy and behavior associated with is widely dependent on culture. Differences in families, community upbringings, socio-economic backgrounds, and social interactions define teen perceptions (Boundless, 2015). For instance, a study assessing a sample of adolescents who had undergone illicit abortions revealed that insufficient parental or societal supervision and poor economic state were the major influencers.
Sexual maturity encompasses the physical aspect of adolescence. Growth of underarm and pubic hair, appearance of pimples, and body proportion changes are witnessed in both genders. In boys, wet dreams, deepening of voice and enlargement of testicles are familiar while in girls, menstrual cycles, increased vaginal lubrication, and breast budding occur. With the physical changes occurring, responses and concern over these physical appearances begin. Dissatisfaction, which has recently been termed as a norm, is the first experience (Wylie, 1974). It is in every adolescent’s dream to fit in with their particular peers and portraying their unique theme concurrently. The result is several risk factors including perfectionism, physical or sexual abuse, and low self-esteem, among others.
Identity development in several empirical studies is termed as a normative process. Teenagers are constantly trying to find out what defines them. Identity development oversees three approaches including self-concept, self-esteem, and sense of identity (Wylie, 1974).
Carl Rogers, a psychotherapist and humanist, believed that self-actualization "would have a positive and healthy psychological outlook, trust their feelings and have congruence in their lives between self and experience." (Rogers 2004). His definition of self-actualization is a motivating force, which goes against all odds and barriers in pushing individuals to be the best in themselves. This definition forms part of the Theory of Personality. Further, Rogers states that self-concept is shaped from how others view a person and personal perception of oneself. Evaluation and experiences given by a figure one looks up to or relates to having a real effect on one’s self-concept.
To attain a ‘good life’ as Rogers described was becoming a fully-functional individual having attained self-actualization. This situation presented principles for a good life that defined commonalities of fully-functional people. One of the principles is having an acceptance of all experiences including those that are new (Rogers, 2004). This particular principle forms a basis for the adolescence transition. For teenagers to have a smooth transition void of non-normative aspects, the ability to accept non-changeable features in them and particularly physical ones is crucial. This relates to another principle for good life in Rogers’ work, an existential lifestyle, in which each moment is appreciated and lived to its fullest (Rogers, 2004).
Taking every life stage-adolescence in this case- as a departure point, experts in development and psychologists have tried to distinguish normative from non-normative development. Whereas becoming a parent is deemed a positive event, doing so as an adolescent is described as non-normative. A worst-case scenario is an attempt to prevent this non-normative stage by procuring an abortion. While some abortions may be medically-induced, statistics indicate that half of the world’s abortions are ranked as unsafe. In 2008, a total of 29 abortions among 1000 women aged between the ages of 15-35 years were carried out in developing countries compared to 24 in the developed countries (Boundless, 2015). It is estimated that these figures could be high if all abortions were reported. Further, it is alarming that these figures are at their current figures owing to the development record of the regions they occur.
Family-planning procedures, teen sex education, sexual awareness forums, and sexual abuse cases have a direct relation to the number of abortion cases. Sex education is minimal in developing regions while sexual abuse is rampant. Society can largely take the blame for this given that its crucial role remains unseen. Should family-planning, use of contraceptives and protection, sex education, and sexual abuse be publicly discussed, the number of abortions could be on the decrease. Should parental supervision and support be made adequate, the statistics could prove otherwise. Should the development agenda as pertains to education and poverty levels be improved, such a non-normative phase in the adolescence transition could be dealt with ethically (Boundless, 2015).
Cognitive developments immensely contribute to increased self-awareness and self-concept. The ability to recount and consider several possibilities concurrently is induced. Such possibilities exist as long-term within one and involve conceptualizing multiple personal identities that have later consequences (Wylie, 1974). With time, specific genders begin gravitating towards their traditional gender-specific roles. For instance, boys are more inclined towards extra physical activities. This experience reveals one’s identity as far as the gender boundaries are concerned and represents the journey to achieving a good life as illustrated by Carl Rogers. Gender exists as a factor to self-concept (Wylie, 1974).
Congruity, in as far as the real self an...