Preview

Discuss the concept of adolescence as a social construct and its validity for different cultures

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1101 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Discuss the concept of adolescence as a social construct and its validity for different cultures
Discuss the concept of adolescence as a social construct and its validity for different cultures.

Adolescence describes the transitional stage in a teenager’s life, from childhood to adulthood, where an individual evolves physically, psychologically, emotionally, cognitively and socially. It is a defined social category that is expressed through immaturity and unpredictability and allows an individual to learn and discover their sense of self and identity. The idea of adolescence came into perspective after children were expected to take on adult roles as soon as they were mature enough to, going straight from puberty to adulthood. As society changed and moulded, so did the ideas about life stages, which is evident in Erikson’s theory.

Adolescence is the perfect example of our modern societies ‘social construction’. A social construct is a sociological theory based upon categorised groups in modernised cultures, devised by social constructionists who view knowledge of reality as ‘established’. Adolescence was invented because of these social constructions in westernised cultures which depend entirely on the society in which it is used. Although the concept of adolescence is commonly used and referred to in westernised cultures, it does not exist in most developing countries as they aren’t exposed to the resources which educates them about it. Instead of going through adolescence, teenagers in developing countries go straight from childhood to adulthood and have no time to develop interests or a sense of identity.

Erik Erikson established a theory about the life stages of a human, starting from infancy and ending at maturity (65+). Through the use of a ‘maturation table’, Erikson was able to emphasize a wide and cohesive set of life skills and abilities that function together within an individual. Although he discussed all of the life stages, he focused on the adolescent period more thoroughly as he felt that it was a crucial stage for an individual to

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Adolescent Self Portrait

    • 863 Words
    • 4 Pages

    In Erik Erikson’s 8 stages of psychological development, he writes about the adolescent going through the crisis of identity versus role confusion. This is Erikson’s stage 5 of his psychological development. It is during this stage the…

    • 863 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Adolescent Interview Essay

    • 1284 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Teenage years can be a challenging time for many individuals. Beginning at the age of 11 through 20, adolescence is defined as a “transitional period in the human life span, linking childhood and adulthood” (Santrock 2009). At this point, the person is no longer a child, but not yet an adult. This makes it a very critical and sensitive time frame for identity formation.…

    • 1284 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Adolescence, also known as "teenage years" is a time of dramatic change. This phase of life marks a developmental period that follows childhood and comes before adulthood. Adolescence is closely associated with puberty, which is also considered as a developmental milestone, particularly in the western countries. Puberty refers to the period of adolescence when a person becomes capable of reproduction (Carpenter, S. & Huffman, K., 2008). In this paper, I will discuss the various factors that affect the physical, cognitive, social, moral, and personality development of adolescents.…

    • 1415 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial stages of development has been widely accepted as a matured and much sounder judgment of cognitive development of humans and his social interactions. According to the theory, a successful completion of each stages of development returns a handsomely healthy personality and how we view the world around us.…

    • 2236 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Adolesent Self-Portrait

    • 867 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Adolescence is a time to dramatic change, challenges, and growth, it is a miraculous that anyone survives. The experience of adolescence has not changed much until recently because of the access to technology. Prior to this adolescence was a predictable period of growth, a rite of passage for many young people.…

    • 867 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Virtual Child Ages 11-16

    • 1504 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Adolescence is defined as the transition between childhood and adulthood. Many changes happen at this stage. Adolescence involves things such as puberty, greater independence, and a time when someone begins to construct their identity. Identity means their life value and goals including a secure sense of who they are in terms of sexual, vocational, and moral ethics. In the next few paragraphs I will be discussing my Virtual Child, Maeve as she went through adolescence (ages 11- 16). I am going to delve into the different changes I saw in her and how they relate to theories proposed by Piaget, Erikson, Marcia, and Gardner. Each theory deals with development through adolescence and will help give a better understanding of this time in Maeve’s life.…

    • 1504 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Psy 220 Week 4 Review Paper

    • 2322 Words
    • 10 Pages

    Adolescence: transition between childhood and adulthood, is a product of both biological and social forces…

    • 2322 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Adolescence is a developmental stage that occurs through childhood to adulthood. Adolescence is a critical time in one’s life in which changes are taking place through major factors of physiological, cognitive, and behavioural aspects. As for this period in life it comes with puberty that is referred to as a change and development in the body as a child moves from kid to adult. Also, it is a time where they begin to explore who they are as individuals and develop their own identities as they get more into adulthood. This stage is known as “identity versus role confusion”. The stage comes from Erik Erikson's model from the identified eight stages in the developmental process from birth to old age. In Erikson’s life-span stage theory, identity…

    • 1093 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Lifespan Development

    • 1314 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Adolescence, also known as teenage years is a time of dramatic change. Adolescence is a period in one’s life in which major physiological, cognitive, and behavioral changes take place. This phase of life marks a developmental period that follows childhood and comes before adulthood. Adolescence is closely associated with puberty, which is also considered as a developmental milestone, particularly in the western countries. Puberty refers to the period of adolescence when a person becomes capable of reproduction (Carpenter, S. & Huffman, K., 2010).…

    • 1314 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Interview with a Counselor

    • 2021 Words
    • 7 Pages

    References: Cobb, N. J. (2010). Adolescence: Continuity, change, and diversity (7th ed.). Sunderland, MA: Sinuaer Associates.…

    • 2021 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The next stage of the life course is adolescence. This is the time where kids are in between childhood and adulthood. The preteen and teenage years comprise the stage of life when young people establish some independence and learn specialized skills required for adulthood (Macionis & Gerber, 2002). Adolescence is related with social and emotional confusion; young people have conflicts with their parents, and try to develop their own sense of identity. Adolescence is a product of culture. A study that was done in the 1920's by Margaret Mead on the Samoan Islands shows that there was little stress among teenagers; their children appeared to move easily into adult standing. Our society, however, defines childhood and adulthood more in opposing terms, making transition between the two stages of life more difficult (Macionis & Gerber, 2002). The experience of adolescence also varies according to social standing and background.…

    • 1491 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    The change that occurs from middle childhood to adolescence is arguably one of the most profound changes that children go through. Not only do children change physically but emotionally. “Adolescence is the transitional period between late childhood and the beginning of adulthood, and marks the beginning of the reproductive lifespan in humans. Adolescence involves sexual maturity in terms of hormones and physical development of the body, and is also characterized by an increase in the complexity of group interactions and thus social behavior (Lerner and Steinberg, 2004)”. During this time of transition many develop a stronger sense of self and begin to separate from completely…

    • 1097 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In the essay, Myth of Adolescence, Alex and Brett Harris incorporate their thoughts on what they feel about what teenagers actually go through during their period of `adolescence.` They go on to compare this phase to an elephant. They say that an elephant is a powerful beast that can be restrained even by a piece of twine. According to Alex and Brett, young teens are the elephant and our twine is the concept of adolescence. Unfortunately, these low expectations end up limiting teens for no reason. Teenagers, between the ages of 13-18, are held back by society and aren't able to excel in life. The essay, Myth of Adolescence, states that the socials expectations are becoming obstacles for teens. We as teenagers, need to erase the invisible shackles…

    • 352 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Best Essays

    Wurf, G. (2012). EED441 Subject Outline- Constructions of Adolescence and their Educational Implications. Charles Sturt University.…

    • 2915 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Adolescence is a stage at which we are neither an adult nor are we a child. Life of an…

    • 259 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays