"If adolescents have to adjust to so much potentially stressful changes, and at the same time pass through this stage of life with relative stability, as the empirical view indicates, how do they do it?" (Coleman and Hendry, 1999).
The term ‘storm and stress’ is a term coined by G. Stanley Hall (1904). It is derived from the German word ‘Sturn und Drung’. ‘Sturn ung Drung’ is a psychological theory that occurs when youths experience idealism, ambitiousness, rebellion, passion, suffering, as well as expressing feelings. The term is used because Hall (1904) viewed adolescence as a period of unavoidable turmoil that takes place during the transition from childhood to adulthood. The term ‘storm’ is defined as having a decreased level of
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Mood disruptions are referred to the hormonal changes and psychological stress of adolescence that can cause uncontrollable shifts in emotions. Lastly, risky behavior is the combination of a neurological need for stimulation and emotional immaturity which leads to increased risk-taking behavior during adolescence. According to Hall (1904), some of the blame for this period of ‘storm and stress’ is due to the biological changes of puberty. This is said because it takes time for developing bodies to get used to managing these biological changes. Hormonal changes can account for many of the mood swings that occur and physical growth at this time can make adolescence feel uncomfortable or awkward. In this essay, I will be addressing the reasons why adolescence is a period of ‘storm and stress’ and the theories of adolescence.
Ever since G. Stanley Hall (1904) described the ‘storm and stress’ seen in most adolescents, the perception of young people as ‘emotional volcanoes ready to explode has taken on a life of its own’ (How stuff works, 2011). Adolescence as a period of ‘stress and storm’ was first introduced by Plato and Aristotle. Plato (1953) described adolescent boys as always arguing and easily excited. Aristotle (1941) described adolescents as "lacking in sexual self-restraint, fickle in their desires, passionate and
The adolescence stage in one’s life is often portrayed as a time of ‘storm and stress’ (Lipsitz, 1980). However, there are
The author’s frightening story, “The Storm” has all the expected things that a good scary story should have. It has a story line that gains suspense throughout the story, there is irony, and there is lots of
The Biological aspects of adolescence is a period of great physical change, marked by a rapid growth spurt, the maturation of the reproductive system and continuing brain development. Adolescence are confronted with all kinds of changes within themselves mentally and physically as well as changes in how the outside world perceives them (Hutchison, 2015, pp 228). These changes can be difficult to handle if the adolescence struggles with a difficult home live, abuse or neglect. It is easy to see that Charlie is having a difficult time as a freshman in high school. He seems introverted, into his books and maybe a little bit socially awkward. He is having a difficult time making friends. He also seems nervous
Adolescence describes the transitional stage in a teenager’s life, from childhood to adulthood, where an individual evolves physically, psychologically, emotionally, cognitively and socially. It is a defined social category that is expressed through immaturity and unpredictability and allows an individual to learn and discover their sense of self and identity. The idea of adolescence came into perspective after children were expected to take on adult roles as soon as they were mature enough to, going straight from puberty to adulthood. As society changed and moulded, so did the ideas about life stages, which is evident in Erikson’s theory.
They are going through transitions in intellectual development and the process and transition of primary to secondary education.’ There are various intellectual skills that an adolescent will learn within this life stage. When in the adolescent life stage, the emotional development norms for an individual is to learn their personal identity and they must leant about who they are about how to control their emotions within the change of puberty. Low self-esteem and confidence issue is often something most teenagers struggle with. With adolescence secondary learning occurs, a person’s self-worth can change within this life-stage due to the social situations that an individual had to be within, also their use of clothing, language and religion etc. The introduction of hormones can often change how teenagers see themselves. Adolescent’s independence that they go through can affect their social and emotional development.
Teenage years are, without argument, the most confusing and difficult years of a person’s life as they
In this paper I plan to discuss the developmental stages of adolescence. Adolescents are also referred to as "teenagers" or "young adults." Adolescence begins after the childhood stage and ends right before adulthood. The years of adolescence range from 12 years old to 21 years old. The years of adolescence can be quite a roller coaster ride. Young people in this stage encounter a great deal of changes in their life as they prepare for adulthood. I will discuss emotional, intellectual, physiological, and social domains of development and how it relates to adolescents. I will also discuss some helpful tips for teachers to aide in communicating effectively to adolescents and understanding their
Teenagers are often seen in society as careless and dangerous in the U.S. society. With many articles on adolescence, this thought stays true. Although, in a basic psychology book the author contradicts this thought. The author of a basic psychology book merely states that peers often coincide with parents on encouraging teens to do well. So, what’s the truth? The best way to answer this is to analyze articles that have strong support for their opinion on adolescence. An article by the name of “Why Teen-Agers Are the Worst” by Elizabeth Kolbert explores the possibilities on why teenagers may be dangerous. Kolbert’s thesis is “At moments of extreme exasperation, parents may think that there’s something wrong with their teen-agers’ brains. Which, according to recent books on adolescence,
First of all, with the use of plot and character as dramatic elements, MacLeod is able to depict the main characteristics of the nature of adolescence, mainly the search for identity and the quest for independence. Among the scientific community, adolescence is believed to be the most crucial period in human development. It is a period of “rapid biological, social and psychological change” (Soto, et al. 330). There are the transformations that define puberty, there are changes in the relationships and attitudes towards adults and peers, and many teenagers struggle to form a coherent identity (331). In the process of discovering their identities, most adolescents become self-centered. Having not yet
Adolescence is a time of stressful transition for teenagers. They are straddling the fence between childhood and adulthood. Changes in their bodies, brains, thinking, values, friends, responsibilities and expectations cause events that are usually a time fraught with turbulence, for both the teen and their parents. This is a normal part of human development, and must be endured in order to come out the other side, hopefully well-adjusted, happy, healthy, and
The article “Why Teenagers Act Crazy," by Richard A. Friedman provides an extensive examination of the subject of anxiety in adolescents. Friedman’s article is written from the perspective of a doctor who has studied teenagers’ minds. (Friedman, 2014). The focus of this article is the way the average teenager’s mind works and thinks. For a very long time, there has been a mixture of questions concerning the teenage. In contrast to both children and adults, teenagers have a great degree of susceptibility to the idea that they are different and have the drive of articulating their real characters. (Friedman, 2014). However teenagers are always attempting to discover who they really are. Friedman’s article just like the lecture notes on the adolescent concurs that adolescents face much greater anxiety and fear while also encountering more difficult time learning how not be afraid as compared to both children and adults
Adolescence is a stage of maturation between childhood and adulthood that denotes the period from the beginning of puberty to maturity. However, many conflicting opinions are raised about weather such a stage of childhood is influenced by stress, depression, and suicide rate. Some people support the optimistic view that says that adolescence is not a period of storm and stress. Others, including me, support an opposite pessimistic view which characterizes adolescence as a period of stress and inner turmoil. Unfortunately, it has been recently proved that depression is a growing problem in today 's society and a major contributing factor for a multitude of adolescent problems. This is because , as research indicates, adolescent depression
Adolescence is a stressful experience for all teens. It is a time of physical and social changes producing rapid mood swings from sadness to elation. Even an emotionally healthy teenager may have the constant fear of not being good enough, not making the varsity team, or getting good grades. Special situations such as a parents divorce can trigger intense sadness and feelings of wanting to die.
There are five characteristics that all adolescents have. These characteristics are biological growth and development, an undefined status, increased decision-making, increased pressures, and the search for self. The brain and the endocrine system control biological growth and development. During the early stages of adolescence, individuals experience growth in height and weight, changes in the body, the development of sexual characteristics, and skin problems. For example, I started getting curves in my body when I hit puberty. My body started to develop changes. Our society’s expectations for children and adults are clear, but for the adolescent, expectations are inexplicit. Some adolescents are treated like children, but some are treated like adults. There is an undefined status. For example, my parents pay for my lunch, but I have to have a job so I can support myself.
Adolescence is the distinct transitional stage between childhood and adulthood in human development, extending primarily over the teenage years and terminating legally when the age of majority is reached (Rathus, 2014). However in some instances, this biological, cognitive, social and emotional maturity may not be reached until a later stage and may be dictated by gender. Adolescence is characterised by rapidly changing and unpredictable behaviour (Freud, as cited in Rathus 2014), heightened and unstable emotions (Hall, as cited in Rathus 2014), disturbances in identity, the gradual development of one’s moral reasoning (Kohlberg, as cited in Rathus, 2014) and the gradual establishment of one’s independence. Several of these changes may occur at differing phases in adolescent growth. This development is categorized into three separate stages; early adolescence, middle adolescence, and late adolescence. Early Adolescence, commencing from the ages of eleven or twelve until the age of fourteen, comprises of several features such as rapid biological development and maturity, heightened stress levels and limited coping capabilities. On the other hand, middle adolescence, from the approximate age of fourteen to sixteen, involves the gradual cease of biological change, an increase in coping strategies and declined stress levels. Furthermore, late adolescence, commencing from the age of sixteen until the age of eighteen or nineteen, encompasses physical maturity, whereby the