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Explore current theories about adolescents’ physical, mental, emotional, social and personality characteristics—from the onset of puberty to the beginning of adulthood. By examining research findings from growth studies in this and other cultures, you learn to identify the roles American adolescents play in the home, school, social realm and community.
Course Outline
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Course Objectives
After completing this course, you should be able to describe and explain:
- The history of adolescence and the emergence of the study of adolescence
- The biological processes of puberty
- How cognition changes during adolescence and how those changes affect adolescents' views of the world
- How cultural beliefs and moral development affect social interaction in adolescents in different cultures
- Gender socialization in traditional and Western cultures
- The process of identity formation and the development of self during adolescence
- The dynamics of parent-child relationships in traditional and Western cultures
- The challenges facing schools in dealing with adolescents
- The most common problems in adolescence, including substance abuse, risky behavior, criminal behavior, depression, suicide and eating disorders
What You Learn
- Historical perspective of adolescent psychology
- Overview of adolescence (as a stage in life development)
- Biological change, including growth curves, changes to the reproductive system and the stage of adolescence
- Cognition in adolescence
- Culture and gender
- Hoffman's Theory of Moral Development
- Gender vs. sex
- Identity in the context of the family, including the pressure to establish identity, self-efficacy and self-esteem
- Family relationships and peer influences
- Sexuality
- Sociobiology
- Parenting practices and the need for achievement
- Bridges to adulthood: work and the media
- Adolescent problems, including antisocial personalities and Attention Deficit Disorder
How You Learn
- Commentary topics
- Textbook reading assignments
- Online discussions
- Self-study questions
- Written assignments
- Proctored final exam