Psychology 230, Developmental Psychology

Dr. Rosalyn M. King, Professor

Assignment in Lieu of Class on November 21st

CAN WE DO WITHOUT ADOLESCENCE?

Instructions: Please read the excerptsbelow, read the historical perspectives and theories on adolescence development and view the assigned videos and related learning links and answer the discussion questions below.

Overview

Adolescence is a recent developmental stage. Some societal changes and influences

have lengthened this time period. Adolescence emerged because of the industrial

revolution and the resulting need to limit the number of people in the work force.

It is reported that the requirement of more education is the surface manifestation of the underlying need to delay entry into the work force. With increased longevity, mandatory retirement is the corresponding effect on the other end of the life span. So, could we do

without adolescence?

On the other hand, we live in a privileged society - one of the few that allow teens to

have more free time and the luxury of an extended period called adolescence.

Consider other not-so-contemporary quotes describing the characteristics of

adolescents in earlier times:

“I see no hope for the future of our people if they are dependent on the frivolous youth

of today, for certainly all youth are reckless beyond words.... When I was young, we were taught to be discreet and respectful of elders, but the present youth are exceedingly wiseand impatient of restraint.” —Hesiod, 800 B.C.

“The children now low luxury; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longerrise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before companyand tyrannize their teachers.” –Socrates, 470-399 B.C.

“The young people of today think of nothing but themselves. They have no reverence for parents or old age; They are impatient of all restraint; They talk as if they alone know everything and what passes for wisdom in us is foolishness in them. As for girls, they are foolish and immodest and unwomanly in speech, behavior and dress.” –Peter the Hermit, A.D. 1083

Discussion Questions

  • Read and critique the lesson on Overview, Theoretical Background and the history of Adolescent development. Highlight your favorite perspective. Also compare and contrast youth of today vs. previous years.
  • What is your opinion about whether we can do without adolescence?Do we need adolescence? How would societyneed to change if there was no period of adolescence? What would happen toour society and to the group of people we call adolescents?
  • Compare these views with a discussion, description and characteristics of adolescencetoday. What’s the same and what’s different? Are the issues differenttoday? Why, in your opinion? What societal factors or changes contribute to thedifferences in issues today and the past? Describe what is it like to be a teen today in the 21st Century.
  • Are there cultural variations and differences between teens? What are they?

Poll members of your group that may be from different cultures and ask them to

provide an overview of their teen culture from their ethnic perspective. What are

the differences in cultures? What are the similarities?

  • Should we continue this developmental period? Why?
  • Speculate about how our society would change is teenagers were allowed to compete

for jobs with adults on an equal basis. What would be the resulting effects?

Related Learning Links

Adolescence-Definitions and Links

Theories of Adolescent Development

Video Clips

Dr. Howard Bernstein on Adolescence

Beloved scholar and educator Dr. Howard R. Bernstein died on Jan. 15, 2007. This is an excerpt from one of his final interviews. This is an early edit of a documentary about Dr. Bernstein's life, his academic career, and the lives he has touched in the classroom and interviews with several generations of students in an attempt to explain Dr. Bernstein's uncommonly successful teaching methodology. Dr. Bernstein at the time was battling terminal cancer. He lost that battle. Directed by Eric Byler, former student of Dr. Bernstein's at Wesleyan University.

Adolescence as aFailed Cultural Model-Dr. Newt Gingrich

Newt Gingrich describes how the 19th century concept of adolescence fails young adults by robbing them of engagement in the adult world.

Robert Epstein and Adolescence Forever?

Prepared for adulthood? Former Psychology Today editor-in-chief Robert Epstein makes the case against adolescence. Then, are teenagers kids or little adults? The Agenda examines whether adolescence is lasting too long.