Think back to your experiences as an adolescent and the feelings and thoughts yo

Question

Think back to your experiences as an adolescent and the feelings and thoughts you had regarding your developing body. How did your burgeoning cognitive abilities impact your adjustment to the effects of puberty? Did the imaginary audience and personal fable have any impact on your behavior and beliefs? Keep these questions in mind as you examine the effects of physical development on adolescents in this Assignment.

For this Assignment:

In a 2- to 3-page paper:

1. Create a scenario of an adolescent of either gender in which you describe the person, the physical changes he or she experiences, and the effect of those changes on his/her sexuality and relationships.

2. Describe the culture of the individual in the scenario.

3. Explain the influences of culture on the development of adolescence.

Explanation / Answer

Adolescence is the phase of transition from begin a child to an adult. In this period, teenage or adolescence generally extends from 12 to 19 years of age and is broadly categorised into three stages that is, early adolescence, middle adolescence, and late adolescence. Adolescence is characterized by dramatic changes thst occur biologically, psychologically and socially. It is a period of both disorientation and discovery.

Between the ages of 8 and 14 hormonal changes initiate puberty, which results in sexual maturation, and dramatic internal and external physical changes. In this scenario, I would like to mention about the various changes that occur if I were an adolescent girl. The changes in the female body can be considered in terms of visible and invisible changes. The following are the invisible changes that occur:

Ovaries: There are two ovaries in young girls body, one on either side of the uterus and below the fallopian tube. They contain egg cells. All the eggs are in a frozen state before puberty. At puberty, each ovary alternatively releases an egg or ovum every month. The hormone estrogens is produced in the ovary, this is responsible for making a girl grow up to have a woman's body and make it possible for her to have children. Once menarche occurs, one follicle develops into an ovum every 28 days.

Uterus: During puberty, the uterus doubles in length.

There are some visible changes that occur in the female body, these are discussed below:

Growth spurt: There is a sudden increase in height. The greatest increase in height occurs around 10 to 11 years for girls. They usually stop growing between 16-18 years. There is also changes in the pelvic bones and hip widening.

Breast: Breast will start to develop and will become larger and fuller. They enlarge with a deposit of fat. These have milk glands that open into nipples.

Hair growth: Hair grows on the arms, legs, upper lip, underarms and public area.

Body Odour: The sweat glands become overactive, when sweat comes in contact with bacteria on skin, it creates an unpleasant smell.

Pimples: There is an increased activity of sebaceous glands. The sebum tends to block the pores on the skin which when combined with surface bacteria causes pimples to develop.

Effect of physical changes on the sexuality and relationships in an adolescent girl:

At this stage young girls may start to feel sexually aroused and spend time in fantasy world. This is brought about by hormonal changes that are occurring at a rapid phase. Girls continue to experience fluctuations in estrogens and progesterone. These hormones have an impact not only on their bodies and minds, but also on their behavior. Mood swings that teenagers experience is caused by fluctuating hormones. These influence the way they think about dating and sex. There is an increased attraction towards members of the opposite sex and this may lead to romantic relationship ps. Teenagers rush into intimacy because of peer pressure. They may indulge in risk taking behavior that may cause an unplanned pregnancy or contract a sexually transmitted disease. The relationships that adolescents have with their family, peers, and members of the society further affects their social development. Girls becomes emotionally invested in friends. This poses a threat of peer pressure since they are easily influenced by their friends. Same sex hero worship is quite common during this period. Self-concept or self-identity are important because these lay the foundation for academic achievement, depression, agression and use of illegal substances.

2. Children from some cultures are more independent while others are more reliant on their families. For example, the Western culture give more freedom to growing teens but that doesn't happen in Eastern countries. The culture a child grows up in can thus influence him/her. Parents coming from different cultures emphasize different set of values and therefore teach their children different moral standards. As adolescents grow up in different cultures, their moral standards solidify differently. Culture is part of the reason some adolescents are seen by their peers as arrogant or timid. Adolescent years are a period of finding one's self-identity therefore adolescents from a non-mainstream culture may find it more difficult to identify themselves. On the other hand, adolescents also identify with their peer group, which is often a part of the mainstream culture. Parenting practices are influenced by culture and an adolescent's upbringing is affected by the ethnic group, values, and traditions that he belongs to as well as his socio-economic situation. Culture thus has a strong influence on development, behavior, values and beliefs.

3. Parents and family are the foundations for building an adolescent's personality and identity, instilling values and social norms that are the basis for the teens decision-making and social behavior. Family rituals and good communication have a positive affect on teens. Parents who instill positive cultural values and beliefs in their children help raise their self-esteem and academic success. The influence of culture can have both positive and negative effects on a teen's behavior and moral development. Adolescence is a time for finding direction in life, they are aware that there are cultural differences between people. The biggest role of parents is to listen, value the adolescent opinion and provide support for their flexible and expansive thinking.

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