Organizational Meeting

Theoretical Perspectives on
Adolescent Development

The course will be introduced by considering the history and present status of theoretical approaches to the study of adolescence. A textbook introduction to adolescent development (Lightfoot & Amsel) presents three images of adolescents as biologically immature juveniles, architects of thinking and reasoning, and cultural apprentices.  The other readings address the modern status of these views of adolescents.  Lecture and discussion will review these images and the theories which underlie them.  We will also discuss whether the three images are compatible or incompatible. with each other.

Amsel, E. & Smetana, J. (In press). Constructivist processes in adolescent development. In E. Amsel & J. Smetana (Eds.), Adolescent vulnerabilities and opportunities: Constructivist and developmental perspectives. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.

Lightfoot, C., & Amsel, E.(In preparation).  Chapter 1: Adolescents, science, and culture. Unpublished manuscript.

Lerner R., & Steinberg, L. (2009). The scientific study of  adolescent development: Past, present, and future. In R. M. Lerner, L. Steinberg (Eds.), Handbook of adolescent psychology (3rd ed.) (pp. 3-14). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

We explore the causes and consequences of neurological changes during adolescence. The lecture begins with a review of changes from childhood to young adulthood in brain structures and processes. Attention is given to neurological changes which occur earlier and later in adolescence.  The earlier changes on the reward system of the brain is distinguished from the later on the executive control centers.  Focus is given to the role of genetic and unique environmental factors in the development of neurological structures and processes.  and the influence by socio-cultural contexts. Finally, the implications of the changes for the three theoretically images of adolescents previously described are considered.

Choudhury, S (2010).  Culturing the adolescent brain: what can neuroscience learn from anthropology? Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 2-3, 159-167

Geidd, J. et al. (In press).. Structural brain magnetic resonance imaging of typically developing children and adolescents.  In E. Amsel & J. Smetana (Eds.), Adolescent vulnerabilities and opportunities: Constructivist and developmental perspectives.  New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.

Paus, T. (2009). Brain development In R. M. Lerner & L. Steinberg (Eds). Handbook of adolescent psychology (3rd ed.) (pp. 95-115). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

This week, we explore the nature and timing of cognitive developmental changes during adolescence.  The lecture begins with a discussion of Lightfoot and Amsel, who provide an extensive review of the first emergence of new cognitive abilities in early adolescence. Such emergence is seen through the lens of the three images of adolescent development. We then turn to the development of hypothetical thinking (Amsel), delay discounting & planning (Steinberg), and argumentation skills (Kuhn) during adolescence. We will use these three domains to further explore the three images of adolescents and examine the impact of spontaneous cognitive processes (architect), schooling  (apprentice), and neurological development (juvenile) on metacognitive and executive function skills. 

Kuhn, D., & Holman, A. (In press). What are the cognitive skills adolescents need for life in the 21st century? In E. Amsel & J. Smetana (Eds.), Adolescent vulnerabilities and opportunities: Constructivist and developmental perspectives. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press

Lightfoot, C., & Amsel, E. (In Preparation).  Chapter 3:  The emergence of new ways of thinking. Unpublished manuscript.

Steinberg, L., Graham, S., O'Brien, L., Woolard, J., Cauffman, E., & Banich, M. (2009). Age differences in future orientation and delay discounting. Child Development, 80, 28-44.

The socio-moral development in adolescence addresses how issues of morality, personal rights, and social conventions are worked though during adolescence.  The lecture begins with a general overview of the area provided by the Smetana and Turiel chapter which presents social domain theory. The theory suggests that development occurs within each of these domains and a coordination between the domains.  We then explore these issues in the context of adolescents reasoning aabout and actions with peers (Killen) and parents (Smetana).  The importance of social cultural (apprentice) and constructivist (architect) forces will be examined in each of these domains.  Finally, we consider the integration of emotion and cognitive in moral development during adolescence from the perspective of the juvenile metaphor, with its emphasis on brain development.

Killen, M., Rutland, A., & Jampol, N. (2009). Social exclusion in childhood and adolescence. In K. H. Rubin, W. M. Bukowski, B. Laursen, K. H. Rubin, W. M. Bukowski, B. Laursen (Eds.), Handbook of peer interactions, relationships, and groups (pp. 249-266). New York, NY US: Guilford Press.

Smetana, J. G. (in press) Adolescents’ social reasoning and relationships with parents. In E Amsel & J. Smetana, (Eds.), dolescent vulnerabilities and opportunities: Constructivist and developmental perspectives. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.

Smetana & Turiel (2006) Moral development during adolescence. In G. Adams & M. Berzonsky (Eds.), Blackwell handbook of adolescence. Malden MA:  Backwell.

The three metaphors of adolescent development are well represented in this week's topic of adolescents risk taking. We begin with Ty Boyer's review, which examines psychobiological, cognitive affective and social approaches to risk taking. These approaches are best seen as levels of analysis which highlights a  particular theoretical metaphor, but without excluding other metaphors. Van Leijenhorst et al. (2010) locates the neurological source of risky decision making, emphasizing the juvenile perspective. The Architect view is present in Mills et al., (2008), who present evidence of the role of cognitive process in risk taking and in Shaw et al, (in press) who show the importance of socio-moral reasoning in risk taking. Finally Lightfoot (1992) uses an narrative approach to highlight the socio-cultural approach to risk taking. The discussion will explore ways to integrate the theoretical metaphors  at each level of analysis of risk taking and between the levels of analysis.

Lightfoot, C. (1992). Constructing self and peer culture: A narrative perspective on adolescent risk taking. In L. T. Winegar & J. Valsiner (Eds.), Children's development within social contexts, (Vol. 2), research and methodology. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Mills, B., Reyna, V.F., & Estrada, S (2008). Explaining contradictory relations between risk perception and risk taking. Psychological Science, 19, 429-33

Shaw, L., Amsel, E., & Schillo, J., (In press). Risk-taking in late adolescence: Relations between socio-moral reasoning, risk stance and behavior. Journal of Research in Adolescence.

Van Leijenhorst, L.,Moor, B. G., de Macksa, Z.O., Romboutsa, S. A. R. B., Westenberg M., &  Crone, E. A., (2010), Adolescent risky decision-making: Neuro-cognitive development of reward and control regions. NeuroImage, 51, 345-355

Tess' focus is on the development of prosocial behavior, defined as behavior which promotes positive interpersonal relations through empathy and altruism.  The review article explores these behaviors in the context of adolescent moral development.  The research paper explores cross cultural development of prosocial moral reasoning and prosocial development.

Anna's interest is in identity and self development which involves research going well beyond the well know work of Erik Erikson and James Marcia to include other theories and research approaches.

Carl, G., et al., (1996). A cross-national study on the relations among prosocial moral reasoning: Gender role orientations, and prosocial behaviors. Developmental Psychology, 32, 231-240.

Anna:  Cote. J. (2009). Identity, formation and self development in adolescence. In R. M. Lerner, L. Steinberg (Eds.), Handbook of adolescent psychology (3rd ed.) (pp. 266- 304). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Katelyn: Bradford Brown, B., & Larson, J. (2009).  Peer relations in adolescence.  In R. M. Lerner, L. Steinberg (Eds.), Handbook of adolescent psychology (3rd ed.) (Volume 2, pp. 74-103). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

Whitney: Diamond, L. M., &  Savin-Williams, R.C. (2009).  Adolescent Sexuality. In R. M. Lerner, L. Steinberg (Eds.), Handbook of adolescent psychology (3rd ed.) (Volume 1, pp. 479 -  523). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.

As students refine their interest in a given topic in the study of adolescent development, they will prepare 20 minute presentations of a select set of relevant research papers.  The goal is for students to explore how to integrate studies theoretically and empirically. These presentations are meant to for students to get feedback on their initial thinking about a  research domain.

Week 12

Student Formal Presentations