Physical, cognitive, and social/emotional changes between childhood and adulthood

Physical process of obtaining sexual maturation and reproductive capabilities

Before puberty During/after puberty

Primary› Females – release

first egg = 1st period or menarche

› Males – 1st ejaculation

Secondary – external characteristics not directly involved in reproduction› Body hair› Breasts (female)› Muscle gain (male)

Early bloomer males = increased self confidence

Early bloomer females = decreased self confidence and esteem› More likely to

experiment with drugs, alcohol, and sex

Why is there a gender difference?

How an individual sees right and wrong› Involves abstract

thinking and principles

Lawrence Kohlberg asked boys of different ages to respond to scenarios

Found that boys of similar age groups had similar reasoning

3 major levels An example of Kohlberg’s dilemmashttp://

www.haverford.edu/psych/ddavis/p109g/kohlberg.dilemmas.html

Morality based on self interest › Possibility of rewards and / punishment› Baby morality?

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50135408n

Emphasizes social rules, peer approval, obligations

Reasoning involves your own set of legal and moral principles that apply to all› Argued that many never reach this stage

Most humans will not be in one stage in every situation.

Gender differences? › Carol Gilligan found that girls are

situational where boys are absolute. › Girls may get to postconventional earlier

› Cultural differences? Individualist vs Collectivist societies

Pages 121-127

Secure base changes: Parents (childhood) → peers (adolescence) → partners (adulthood)

Age Important Event

Description

Birth - 18 months

Feeding Infants form a loving, trusting relationship with parents; they also learn to mistrust others.

Age Important Event

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18 months - 3 Years

Toilet Training

Child's energies are directed toward physical skills: walking, grasping, and toilet training. The child learns control along with a healthy dose of shame and doubt.

Age Important Event

Description

3 - 6 Years Independence Child becomes more assertive, takes more initiative, becomes more forceful.

Age Important Event

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6 - 12 Years School The child must deal with demands to learn new skills while risking a sense of inferiority and failure

Age Important Event

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Adolescence Peers Teens must achieve self-identity while deciphering their roles in occupation, politics, and religion.

Adolescents have the job of finding where they fit into the world. You must have a healthy sense of who you are before you can form emotionally intimate relationships with someone else

Age Important Event

Description

Young Adult Relationships The young adult must develop marriage-seeking relationships while combating feelings of isolation.

Age Important Event

Description

Middle Adult Parenting Assuming the role of parents signifies the need to continue the generations while avoiding the inevitable feeling of failure.

Age Important Event

Description

Late Adult Life Reflection

Acceptance of one's lifetime accomplishments and sense of fulfillment.