Adolescent Development

The tumblr project has been interesting for me. Engaging in social media as an assessment has definitely been both testing and confusing.  The tumblr project has helped me engage in the course material. I found it difficult to keep up with course content consistently as I do three other internal papers. The project however has ensured that I have a fair idea on the concepts of adolescent development. The part I found difficult of the assessment is trying to come up with original ideas each week. Knowing what to post about directly was challenging. I gathered you base it off the weeks course content, but delivering beyond what everyone already knew was hard. Knowing how long the post should be was also a difficultly. Overall this assessment is unique to all others I have achieved at university. With it being worth a high percentage of the course I wish sometimes my posts were more in-depth, however I do feel I based my posts around adolescent development and engaged in the papers concepts. 

I loved watching this video!! It showed how technology has changed the love game. Things like Tinder, Facebook and Instagram have changed the way people connect. In the 90's things were simple, land-lines were used, communication was more face to face, and people were not judged before even being met. I think interaction was more apparent. Technology although it has helped the world it so many ways, its also destroyed many momentous moments, like being asked out on a date etc.  This video is a must watch to view how easily it is to take some things for granted. 

Peer pressure. Peer pressure is a common occurrence in adolescence. Teenagers are developing during a time where there are so many opportunities in society. Pressure put on by peers especially, is what influences how an individual acts.  I remember throughout High School everyone would be partying and drinking heavily on a Friday and Saturday night. I would go along but choose not to drink because of my sporting endeavors. Although every time I would go out I would be offered alcohol I would always refuse. People in groups would begin to chant for you to drink but being strong willed I still would not. Having a good bunch of friends understand my goals helped me go through this stage, they would explain to others that I didn't need to drink nor did I want to. The support I had around me was amazing, without them I can't imagine how I would of felt with people ordering me to do things constantly. This is why I feel it is important to have a close bunch of friends, who understand you, and won't pressure you into doing things you don't want to do. If their your true friends they will respect your wishes and will stand up for you against those who are not so respectful.

This article is interesting as it explain's both the continuous theory and discontinuous theory.  It concludes both theories as being right in their own way.  I found this interesting as it gave examples and was clearer to understand the two theories in this style of writing. 

I am a child raised in a unconventional family. I have two brothers, one whose half. I see my half brother occasionally as we live with different parents. My full brother I am close with as we have been raised together. I would agree that as the oldest I have tendencies of being serious and dominant.  At times bossy, this when around both siblings. My full brother however's traits change when going between the different environments. This is because at home he's the youngest, where as at my fathers house he is the middle child. Unconventional families change the trait's of the typical child order, as the environment changes between homes. I would say the birth order give's some trait characteristics, however I would not go as far as saying birth order interprets how they behave.  

Kohlberg described moral development in six stages. His stages are clearly able to correspond with age groups as you can reflect back on actions you've made in the past or seen others make and respond to why you choose these decisions based on the stage of development you were in. As a youngster you do everything to avoid getting told off, and to obtain things. E.g. you keep your hands in the trolley so Mum doesn't tell you off and at the end if you haven't touched anything you get a lollipop. Clear example of the preconventional stage of moral development. I believe Kohlberg's six stages of development is clear and easy to respond to, which helps you picture actions taken and understand why these actions may have been taken. It is helpful to get a understanding while being able to give an example in each stage of development. 

Sadly not only in New Zealand but all over the world sexual assault cases are on the rise. Most victims know there assailant, which is even more scary. Unfortunately alcohol consumption is a common occurrence in adolescence sexual assault cases. Either the victim, perpetrator or both are under the influence.  Alcohol changes the behavior of most people, because of this many believe they haven't been sexually assaulted when really they have. Victims often blame themselves for being to drunk, or are to scared to tell someone as they might not be believed in. This makes society wonder if a lot of sexual assaults are never reported. Because of this the justice system and development groups believe the age of alcohol should rise. Is it the fact adolescents don't gain enough information on drinking, or is it the way adolescents drink that puts them in dangerous situations..... the question is a tough one to answer especially when something like sexual assault is hard for anyone to deal with let alone a vulnerable teenager.

Adolescents and sexually transmitted diseases are two phases used together often. Adolescents are among the highest rate of those effected in the world. The statistics in this article I found interesting. To know one in twenty adolescence is treated for a sexually transmitted disease a year is shocking, considering the amount of contraception and resources available to teenagers in today's society. It makes you question what else can be done to stop disease contamination, and what can help influence adolescents into not contracting an STI. 

Sexuality is part of physical development in adolescents. Adolescents go through physical growth and maturity, during their teenage years. The changes that occur to them often cause anxiousness and self consciousness. However in later adolescents as adolescence become comfortable with themselves, exploration of sexuality begins. As adolescents feel the need to find their sexual identity.  This brings them to terms with their feelings and body. Through romantic relationships, dating and experimentation adolescents learn to express and receive intimate or sexual advances.  This is all part of the sign's of growing up.  

Still today even though there is equality in gender, females and males are looked at differently. At a young age boys typically identified with blue are given sandpits, where as girls are typically identified with pink and given mini kitchens.  The way in which society treat children at a young age, form's an identity to which they are likely to follow. Media also solidifies stereotypical expectations of gender, including behavioral patterns. This relates to the gender schema theory (The paths adolescents choose are determined by the combined factors of cognitive, societal and biological influences).