Middle Adolescence

Middle Adolescence

Part one: Content Review

• Respond to each item. Each response should be concise and between 2–3 paragraphs in length.
• Use MS Word to write your responses, and submit your answers to all three questions in one Word document.
• Copy and paste each question into the document, so your Instructor can see which questions you are answering.

1. Explain the stages of gender development that take place during middle adolescence. Then, explain at least two factors that contribute to heteronormativity during middle adolescence.

1. How would you characterize close relationships in middle adolescence? Identify and describe at least three different types of relationships that typically occur during middle adolescence, including their importance to social development.

1. Identify five types of identity that develop during middle adolescence. Choose one type and explain factors that influence it and why it is important to affective and/or social development during middle adolescence.

Part two: Emerging Adulthood

Write a paragraph or two of a description of your thoughts on whether or not emerging adulthood is a distinct phase and explain why. Be sure to consider physical, cognitive, affective, and social developmental milestones in your response.

Part three: Field Study – Middle Adolescence

Prior to this week, you were asked to arrange to interview two adolescents between the ages of 13 and 18. This week, you will interview these adolescents with the goal of gaining insights into their affective and social development. Before conducting the interviews, be sure to prepare a list of questions. You may use the Week 5 Questionnaire Template below as a starting point.

Week 5 Questionnaire Template

Identity

• How would you describe your identity? How is your identity unique from those of your friends and family?
• What roles do race/ethnicity, spirituality/religion, and/or vocation/politics play in shaping your identity?

Emotions and Self-esteem

• What emotions do you experience on a typical day?
• How do you handle negative moods?
• Do you consider yourself successful? Why or why not?
• What images do you have of your future self?

Gender

• In your view, what does it mean to be “masculine”?
• In your view, what does it mean to be “feminine”?

Relationships

• What role do friendships and/or romantic relationships play in your life?
• How would you describe your relationships with your parents, guardians, siblings, and/or other family members?
• To what community groups do you belong? What role do these community groups play in your life?

Notes and observations:

After the interviews, review your notes and reflect on what your findings reveal about affective and social development during middle adolescence. Consider the following:

• Are your findings consistent with the concepts you read about in the Learning Resources? How so?
• Do any of your findings conflict with the information presented in the Learning Resources? How so, and why do you think this is?
• What insights about affective and social development did you gain during the interviews? Did anything surprise you? If so, what, and why?

Write a 1- to 2-page summary describing insights you gained from the interviews. Be sure to address the three questions above.

Learning resources comes from this book. Blume, L. B., & Zembar, M. J. (2007). Middle childhood to middle adolescence. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson [Vital Source e-reader]. Chapter 10, “Affective Development in Middle Adolescence”, Chapter 11, “Social Development in Middle Adolescence”, and Chapter 12, “Beyond Middle Adolescence: Emerging Adulthood”