Changing Relationships
Overview of physiological and cognitive changes
Adolescence begins with puberty, the time when one develops primary and secondary sex characteristics. Primary sex characteristics are the changes in the organs concerned with reproduction, and secondary sex characteristics involve changes in features that distinguish the two sexes from each other, but are not involved in reproduction. (Lumen Learning 2017) The initial surge of hormones that start the puberty process, testosterone in boys and estradiol in girls, actually begins at 9 to 10 years in girls and 10 -12 years in boys. This is triggered when the hypothalamus starts releasing large amounts of gonadotropin-releasing hormones (GnRH) during sleep upon the reactivation …show more content…
(Peper, J.S.; Dahl, R.E. 2013) The changes in the brain of adolescents occur at different times in the growth process leading to difficulty in understanding risk. In early adolescence the changes that occur in the dopaminergic system contribute to an increase in risk taking and decreased emotional control during the middle teen years. In the later stages of adolescence the pre-frontal cortex starts to develop allowing self-regulation. (Lansford,
J 2017)
The maturing of the prefrontal cortex also allows for reasoning, planning and problem solving. The myelin, the brains super highway, continues to grow which helps to speed transmissions between various regions of the brain. (Lumen Learning, 2017) This development
of higher-level reasoning and problem solving helps to move the adolescent toward formal operational thinking.
In the early stage of development one uses concrete reasoning, which involves taking ideas very literally. In order to advance cognitively and socially one must learn to think abstractly and use inferential reasoning. Abstract thought allows for the ability to think of concepts that have not been experienced (McLeod, S.A. 2010) which in turn also allows for the ability …show more content…
The mature brain weighs the risks with the rewards and hopefully makes a good choice.
Experiences may challenge or strengthen the morals they grew up with.
Conclusion
As an adolescent journeys toward adulthood, there are many changes happening both physiologically and cognitively that affects their relationships with parents, peers and even themselves. At this time an adolescent moves toward identity development either by exploring various identities and making a choice based on their own explorations or they make an identity choice based on values and influences of others. With the development of formal operational thinking an adolescent can start to understand viewpoints outside of their own experience. This helps one to find a sense of self and hopefully a peer group that has similar values and morals.
The brain controls the start of puberty, but as the process develops from early to late adolescence and even into adulthood it is shaped by the relationships in the person’s life. As one moves away from parental control towards autonomous decision-making there is a constant pressure to fit in with peers, however for a successful transition the need for parental monitoring
is
Overview of physiological and cognitive changes
Adolescence begins with puberty, the time when one develops primary and secondary sex characteristics. Primary sex characteristics are the changes in the organs concerned with reproduction, and secondary sex characteristics involve changes in features that distinguish the two sexes from each other, but are not involved in reproduction. (Lumen Learning 2017) The initial surge of hormones that start the puberty process, testosterone in boys and estradiol in girls, actually begins at 9 to 10 years in girls and 10 -12 years in boys. This is triggered when the hypothalamus starts releasing large amounts of gonadotropin-releasing hormones (GnRH) during sleep upon the reactivation …show more content…
(Peper, J.S.; Dahl, R.E. 2013) The changes in the brain of adolescents occur at different times in the growth process leading to difficulty in understanding risk. In early adolescence the changes that occur in the dopaminergic system contribute to an increase in risk taking and decreased emotional control during the middle teen years. In the later stages of adolescence the pre-frontal cortex starts to develop allowing self-regulation. (Lansford,
J 2017)
The maturing of the prefrontal cortex also allows for reasoning, planning and problem solving. The myelin, the brains super highway, continues to grow which helps to speed transmissions between various regions of the brain. (Lumen Learning, 2017) This development
of higher-level reasoning and problem solving helps to move the adolescent toward formal operational thinking.
In the early stage of development one uses concrete reasoning, which involves taking ideas very literally. In order to advance cognitively and socially one must learn to think abstractly and use inferential reasoning. Abstract thought allows for the ability to think of concepts that have not been experienced (McLeod, S.A. 2010) which in turn also allows for the ability …show more content…
The mature brain weighs the risks with the rewards and hopefully makes a good choice.
Experiences may challenge or strengthen the morals they grew up with.
Conclusion
As an adolescent journeys toward adulthood, there are many changes happening both physiologically and cognitively that affects their relationships with parents, peers and even themselves. At this time an adolescent moves toward identity development either by exploring various identities and making a choice based on their own explorations or they make an identity choice based on values and influences of others. With the development of formal operational thinking an adolescent can start to understand viewpoints outside of their own experience. This helps one to find a sense of self and hopefully a peer group that has similar values and morals.
The brain controls the start of puberty, but as the process develops from early to late adolescence and even into adulthood it is shaped by the relationships in the person’s life. As one moves away from parental control towards autonomous decision-making there is a constant pressure to fit in with peers, however for a successful transition the need for parental monitoring
is