Chapter 12: Physical and Cognitive Development in Adolescence
Learning Goals
Learning Goal 1:
Discuss the nature of adolescence.
A. Discuss research on adolescent images and how it relates to public attitudes.
Learning Goal 2:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
J.
K.
L.
M.
Describe the changes involved in puberty, sexuality, and the brain.
Define and discuss puberty.
Describe the factors involved in the onset of puberty.
Define hormones.
Explain the role of the endocrine system.
Explain the role that hormones play in physical development.
Describe and discuss height, weight, and sexual maturation.
Discuss body image in adolescence.
Describe and discuss the impact of early and late maturation on development.
Describe and discuss adolescent sexuality, the development of a sexual identity, and sexual
behaviors.
Discuss the risk factors for sexual problems.
Discuss contraceptive use.
Describe and discuss sexually transmitted infections, and the incidence of adolescent
pregnancy.
Describe changes in brain functioning and the structures more active in adolescence.
Learning Goal 3:
Identify adolescent problems in substance use and abuse, eating
disorders, and health.
A. Describe and discuss recent trends in drug use.
B. Describe and discuss the roles of development, parents, and peers in drug use and
abuse.
C. Describe the characteristics of anorexia nervosa.
D. Describe the characteristics of bulimia nervosa.
E. Compare and contrast anorexia and bulimia.
F. Discuss the development of healthy behaviors in adolescence.
G. Describe the leading causes of death in adolescence.
Learning Goal 4:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Explain cognitive changes in adolescence.
Discuss Piaget's theory of cognitive development in adolescence.
Define and discuss hypothetical-deductive reasoning.
Define and discuss egocentrism and the personal fable.
Discuss an adolescent’s ability to make decisions.
Describe cognitive changes that allow improved critical thinking.
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Learning Goal 5:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
Summarize some key aspects of how schools influence adolescent
development.
Describe the transition from middle school to junior high school.
Describe the effectiveness of schools.
Discuss suggestions for improving the effectiveness of schools.
Describe the incidence of high school dropouts.
Discuss suggestions for improving high school education.
Define and discuss service learning.
Discuss the benefits of service learning.
Overview of Resources
Chapter Outline
The Nature of Adolescence
Resources You Can Use
Learning Goal 1: Discuss the nature of
adolescence.
Classroom Activity 1: Defining Adolescence
Classroom Activity 2: Societal Influence on the
Stage of Adolescence
Personal Application 1: Ah, Immortality!
Video: Sex Among Teens at Age 15
Physical Changes
Learning Goal 2: Describe the changes involved
in puberty, sexuality, and the brain.
 Lecture Suggestion 1: Myths About Puberty
 Lecture Suggestion 2: Development of
Homosexuality
 Lecture Suggestion 3: Teenage Pregnancy and
Trends in Teenage Births
Personal Application 2: That Awkward Stage
Research Project 1: Secular Trend
Puberty
Adolescent Sexuality
The Brain
Adolescent Problems and Health
Learning Goal 3: Identify adolescent problems
in substance use and abuse, eating disorders,
and health.
Classroom Activity 3: Alcohol Use and Abuse
Classroom Activity 4: The Influence of the
Media on Body Image
Substance Use and Abuse
Eating Problems and Disorders
Video: Eating Disorders
Adolescent Health
Adolescent Cognition
Learning Goal 4: Explain cognitive changes in
adolescence.
 Lecture Suggestion 4: Do Video Games
Improve Spatial Reasoning Skills?
Classroom Activity 5: Death of a Salesman
Classroom Activity 6: Piaget’s Formal
Operations
Piaget’s Theory
Adolescent Egocentrism
Information Processing
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Personal Application 3: Let Me Mull This
Over…
Research Project 2: Piaget’s Pendulum and
Chemical Problems
Schools
Learning Goal 5: Summarize some key aspects
of how schools influence adolescent
development.
Classroom Activity 7: Free College Tuition?
Classroom Activity 8: Uniforms for
Adolescents?
Classroom Activity 9: Morality High
The Transition to Middle or Junior High School
Effective Schools for Young Adolescents
High School
Service Learning
Classroom Activity 10: Critical-Thinking
Multiple-Choice Questions and Suggested Answers
Classroom Activity 11: Critical-Thinking Essay
Questions and Suggestions for Helping Students
Review
Resources
Lecture Suggestions
Lecture Suggestion 1: Myths about Puberty
Learning Goal 2: Describe the changes involved in puberty, sexuality, and the brain.
The purpose of this lecture is to introduce the general topic of puberty. Dacey and Kenny (1997) highlight
three myths about puberty. Consider presenting these myths to your students as statements. Ask your
class how many of them think that they are true. Then present the information that Dacey and Kenny use
to counter these myths. Your students will probably get a kick out of the history of the term pubescent. It
comes from the Latin word pubescere which means to grow hairy.
Myth: Puberty Starts at One Point in Time
As Santrock discusses in the textbook, the process of puberty takes several years. Hormonal changes that
stimulate the biological changes actually start around age 8.5 for females and 9.5 for males. Yet,
adolescents do not complete puberty until the mid to late teens. Recall that the changes that occur during
puberty include biological, psychological, and social changes. Thus, the term biopsychosocial captures
the essence of puberty. The hormonal changes interact with the psychological adjustment that is necessary
during puberty and these in turn interact with social relationships with peers and family.
Myth: Puberty Strikes Without Warning
The mechanisms for pubertal changes are present prenatally for males and females. For example, females
are born with a full complement of eggs, and males experience penile erections in utero during sleep
(Calderone, 1985). Hormones suppress the onset of puberty until early adolescence, though the
reproductive system is fully present in infancy.
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Myth: Puberty is the Result of Raging Hormones
This myth is a half-truth as hormones do play an important role in puberty. However, it is important to
think methodologically about this statement. Given the biopsychosocial nature of puberty, it is difficult to
tease apart the contributions of each of these factors. Hormones do not act alone, as they are influenced by
social and psychological aspects of the individual. For example, the adolescent is cognitively interpreting
the biological changes that are occurring. Are mood swings a result of the hormonal changes or the
adolescent’s interpretation (confusion) of the physical changes that are occurring?
Sources:
Calderone, M. (1985). Adolescent sexuality: Elements and genesis. Journal of American Academy of Pediatrics.
(Suppl.). 699–703.
Dacey, J., & Kenny, M. (1997). Adolescent development (2nd ed.). Madison, WI: Brown and Benchmark.
Lecture Suggestion 2: The Development of Homosexuality
Learning Goal 2: Describe the changes involved in puberty, sexuality, and the brain.
For some individuals, adolescence is a time for acknowledgement of homosexual feelings. Retrospective
studies have provided us with a basic understanding of this development. Prospective longitudinal studies
are essential for us to gain a better understanding of this complex development. Discuss with your
students why it is important to use prospective studies (less societal distortion, “real-time” versus
memories of issues, etc.)
Paroki (1987) has outlined the sequence of homosexual orientation development. He interviewed 120 gay
male and lesbian adolescents about their sexual identity development. The same sequence was described
by most of the adolescents.
 Realization of one’s desire to have same-sex relationships.
 Development of guilt, shame, fear of discovery, and a sense of abnormality.
 Attempt to change or be heterosexual through behavior or fantasy.
 Failure to become heterosexual and the development of low self-esteem due to this failure.
 Investigation of homosexual lifestyle through various methods (literature, sexual activity).
 Acceptance and development of a positive gay man / lesbian identity.
Most adult homosexuals recall feeling “different” around the age of 13 (Isay, 1989). Rodriguez (1988)
found that an awareness of same-sex attraction emerged around the age of 11, though acknowledgement
of the feelings did not occur until age 16. By age 20, many had adopted the self-label as homosexual.
D’Augelli et al. (1987) found that for lesbians same-sex feelings developed by age 16 and self-labeling
occurred around age 21.
Paroki (1987) also inquired about where the adolescents he interviewed had learned about homosexuality.
Most males learned about being gay through sexual experiences, whereas females learned about
lesbianism through television and other media.
High self-esteem is more common for individuals who achieve early and positive acceptance of their
homosexual identity. It is unclear in which direction this relationship functions. Does having high selfesteem facilitate coming to terms with one’s sexual orientation, or does coming to terms with one’s sexual
orientation enhance self-esteem (Savin-Williams & Rodriguez, 1993)? This relationship is more
complicated for homosexual adolescents given the social stigmas and stereotypes that exist.
Many homosexual individuals agonize over the issue of revealing their sexual orientation. Lying about or
concealing one’s true sexual orientation can affect one’s psychological well-being. Significant risks are
taken when revealing a homosexual orientation. Possible consequences include loss of friendships,
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physical harm, loss of family support (emotional and financial), and barriers to career development.
Social isolation and identity issues are linked to adolescent suicide. Gibson (1989) found that 30 percent
of teenage suicides are related to homosexuality due to social prejudice and stressors. Schools have failed
to acknowledge homosexual adolescents and thus have not provided social support systems for these
adolescents.
Beaty (1999) examined the literature on identity development of homosexual youth, and parental and
familial influences on the coming-out process. Research indicates that homosexual adolescents who have
a close relationship with their parents and families tend to come out at a younger age and to experience
more positive identities than do those who have a poor relationship.
Sources:
Beaty, L. A. (1999, Fall). Identity development of homosexual youth and parental and familial influences on the
coming out process. Adolescence.
D’Augelli, D. A., Collins, C., & Hart, M. M. (1987). Social support patterns of lesbian women in a rural helping
network. Journal of Rural Community Psychology, 8, 12–22.
Gibson, P. (1989). Gay male and lesbian youth suicide. In ADAMHA, Report of the secretary’s task force on youth
suicide (Vol. 3, pp. 110–142). Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office.
Isay, R. A. (1989). Being homosexual: Gay men and their development. New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux.
Paroki, P. (1987). Health care delivery and the concerns of gay and lesbian adolescents. Journal of Adolescent
Health Care, 8, 188–192.
Rodriguez, R. A. (1988). Significant events in gay identity development: Gay men in Utah. Paper presented at the
96th annual convention of the American Psychological Association, Atlanta.
Savin-Williams, R. C., & Rodriguez, R. A. (1993). A developmental, clinical perspective on lesbian, gay male and
bisexual youths. In T. P. Gullotta, G. R. Adams, & R. Montemayor (Eds.), Adolescent sexuality, advances in
adolescent development: An annual book series (Vol. 5, pp. 77–101). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
Lecture Suggestion 3: Teenage Pregnancy and Trends in Teenage Births
Learning Goal 2:Describe the changes involved in puberty, sexuality, and the brain.
The purpose of this lecture is to examine teenage pregnancy and the trends for teenage births in the
United States (Ventura & others, 1998). The National Center for Health Statistics website is a gold mine
of interesting statistics: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/.
One major concern surrounding teenage pregnancy is the issue of prenatal care. Teenagers are
significantly less likely to receive adequate prenatal care, they are more likely to smoke, and they are less
likely to gain sufficient weight during the pregnancy. These behaviors influence the babies’ health
(increased risk for low birthweight, long-term disabilities, and infant mortality).
Another concern is the issue of cognitive readiness for parenting. Adolescents who were not cognitively
ready for parenting were more likely to experience serious parenting stress and less likely to engage in
responsive parenting (Sommer & others, 1993).
It is important that students understand that the negative consequences associated with teenage pregnancy
are not necessarily the result of teen pregnancy, rather the negative consequences are associated with
preexisting conditions or background characteristics of the teenager. Coley and Chase-Lansdale (1998)
review research to support this conceptual idea. Individuals who live in poverty and have lower
educational aspirations are more likely to become pregnant as teenagers. Individuals in low-income
environments with lower educational aspirations are more likely to live in poverty as an adult, have lower
status jobs, and have children with lower cognitive capabilities. Thus, it is important to examine these
preexisting characteristics when examining the consequences of teenage pregnancy.
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Sources:
Coley, R. L., & Chase-Lansdale, P. L. (1998). Adolescent pregnancy and parenting: Recent evidence and future
directions. American Psychologist, 53, 152–166.
Sommer, K., Whitman, T. L., Borkowski, J. G., Schellenbach, C., Maxwell, S., & Keogh, D. (1993). Cognitive
readiness and adolescent parenting. Developmental Psychology, 29, 389–398.
Ventura, S. J., Curtin, S. C., & Mathews, T. J. (1998). Teenage births in the Untied States: National and state
trends, 1990-96. National Vital Statistics System. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/
Lecture Suggestion 4: Do Video Games Improve Spatial Reasoning Skills?
Learning Goal 4: Explain cognitive changes in adolescence.
This lecture will allow you to examine the relationship between video game playing and cognitive
development in adolescence. Contrary to what many want to believe, there is no evidence to support the
claim that video game playing causes any significant ill effects (Subrahmanyam & Greenfield, 1994).
This is good news as more than 34 percent of American households have a Nintendo game system.
Current research has examined the potential advantages of playing video games. Given the vast
importance of computer competence in today’s adult work world, it is thought that video game playing
may be beneficial. Video games may enhance adolescents’ understanding and exposure to computers.
Subrahmanyam and Greenfield speculate that they may also enhance eye–hand coordination, numerical
concepts, decision-making, and the ability to follow directions.
Greenfield (1994) found that action video games improve spatial relational skills. Despite males’
advantage of having better spatial relation skills, there were no gender differences in the rate of
improvement in spatial skills after playing a video game for six hours (none of the individuals had played
any video games the previous year) (Okagaki & Greenfield, 1994). Given the influence of stimulation on
the development of spatial skills, Subrahmanyam and Greenfield propose that video game playing may
contribute to gender equality in spatial skills. In addition to the influence on spatial skills, researchers
have found that video game playing may improve individuals’ ability to divide their attention while
attending to a task (Greenfield & others, 1994).
Rubin (2004) concurred that playing video games may actually give individuals an edge in life. He
reports that researchers have found that players can make sharper soldiers, drivers, and surgeons. Their
reaction time is better, their peripheral vision more acute. They are taking risks, finding themselves at
ease in a demanding environment that requires paying attention on several levels at once.
Sources:
Greenfield, P. M. (1994). Cognitive effects of video games: Guest editor’s introduction. Video games as cultural
artifacts. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 15, 3–12.
Greenfield, P. M., DeWinstanley, P., Kilpatrick, H., & Kaye, D. (1994). Action video games and informal
education: Effects on strategies for dividing visual attention. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 15,
105–123.
Okagaki, L., & Greenfield, P. M. (1994). Effect of video game playing on measures of spatial performance: Gender
effects in late adolescence. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 15, 33–58.
Rubin, D. (2004, May 7). Video game skills may give edge in life. Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved from
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/05/06/1083635268977.html?from=storyrhs
Subrahmanyam, K., & Greenfield, P. M. (1994). Effect of video game practice on spatial skills in girls and boys.
Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 15, 13–32.
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Classroom Activities
Classroom Activity 1: Defining Adolescence
Learning Goal 1: Discuss the nature of adolescence.
A good way to discuss the problem of defining adolescence as a stage or period in life is to ask students to
identify the formal signs or markers that signify that adolescence has begun or ended. You may want to
have students prepare for the discussion by answering the following questions either as an out-of-class
assignment or as an in-class writing exercise.
How do you define adolescence? In your answer, indicate what you believe about (a) when adolescence
begins and ends (give ages); (b) what, besides age, indicates that adolescence is beginning or ending, and
what the “signs” are that mark the boundaries of this time of life; and (c) what, if anything, makes
adolescence a special time of life.
Structure your discussion by writing “beginning” and “end” on a chalkboard or overhead. Ask students
simply to call out what they think marks the beginning and end of adolescence, and write their
suggestions on the board. Solicit many answers. The two lists you get should permit you to discuss and
illustrate many of the problems developmentalists face when they try to define and understand
adolescence. For example, you should have lists that contain many different kinds of markers as well as
different ages. You can discuss whether each sign of the beginning or end of adolescence occurs at the
same time as the others. Are the changes simultaneous? Is one more important or fundamental than the
others? Does one capture the essence of adolescence? Do the signs that mark the end of adolescence
parallel those that mark the beginning? The lists you get should help you to illustrate the senses in which
adolescence is (or is not) both a biological fact and a social invention. You can also use them to consider
the value of thinking of adolescence as a stage as opposed to a less well-defined period in life. This
activity also provides an agenda of topics for the unit on adolescence.
Logistics:
 Group size: Individual and full class.
 Approximate time: Individual (15 minutes) and full-class discussion (20 minutes).
Classroom Activity 2: Societal Influence on the Stage of Adolescence
Learning Goal 1: Discuss the nature of adolescence.
G. Stanley Hall coined the term adolescence at the beginning of the twentieth century, thus it is a
relatively new developmental stage. Ask students to brainstorm the societal changes and influences that
produced the need for an adolescence stage.
How did the industrial revolution create a need for an adolescence stage? What effects did the need for
more education have on the teenage years? Could modern society exist without an adolescence stage?
How might society change if teenagers were allowed to compete as equals with adults in the workforce?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of adolescence? Why does society hurry individuals through
childhood and then suspend them in a prolonged period of adolescence?
Logistics:
 Group size: Individual and full class.
 Approximate time: Individual (15 minutes) and full-class discussion (20 minutes).
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Source:
Simons, J. A., Irwin, D. B., & Drinnin, B. A. (1987). Instructor’s manual to accompany psychology: The search for
understanding. St. Paul, MN: West Publishing.
Classroom Activity 3: Alcohol Use and Abuse
From Jarvis and Creasey “Activities for Lifespan Developmental Psychology Courses”
Learning Goal 3: Identify adolescent problems in substance use and abuse, eating disorders, and health.
Many adolescents have tried or use alcohol and some have crossed another line from using alcohol to
abusing it. This lecture launcher activity exposes students to an on-line test for alcohol problems and
facilitates a discussion on the important variables to consider when evaluating one’s drinking behavior.
This activity should be integrated with course material on adolescent problem behaviors.
Demonstration:
Instructors will access an online alcohol usage survey from the World Health Organization and discuss it
with students. Students will be encouraged to obtain their own alcohol profile by answering 12 brief
questions at their leisure.
Time:
Approximately 10 minutes.
Procedures:
In discussing adolescent physical and cognitive development, the topic of problem behaviors should be
introduced before conducting this activity. Instructors should emphasize the difference between
experimental use of controlled substances in adolescence and enduring patterns of abuse of such
substances.
Instructors will access an online screening test from the following website:
http://www.alcoholscreening.org/screening/index.asp
This test is based on one developed by the World Health Organization in 1992 to screen for harmful or
dangerous drinking patterns and is linked to the National Institute of Drug Abuse website.
Instructors should complete the online survey with hypothetical answers to arrive at a hypothetical
alcohol profile for consideration by the class. Students should complete the survey themselves before the
next class.
At the next class meeting, students should be invited to share their alcohol profiles with the class if they
are comfortable doing so. While some students may be reticent to share their personal profiles with the
class, most students are quite willing to discuss the topic of their alcohol use openly with their peers.
Profiles available at the website contain useful information about alcohol problems and where to obtain
help for dangerous drinking patterns.
Relations between alcohol use as a minor and later alcohol problems might be discussed as well as middle
to late adolescent developmental issues that might exacerbate alcohol use and abuse in some individuals
(lack of parental monitoring and other risk factors for problem behavior).
Note:
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Instructors should inform students that if they have become concerned about their own drinking, they
might receive help from the student counseling center. While we have never had any students report that
they were troubled from their profiles in this activity, we caution instructors to be sensitive to the
possibility of such an occurrence.
Classroom Activity 4: The Influence of the Media on Body Image
From Jarvis and Creasey “Activities for Lifespan Developmental Psychology Courses”
Learning Goal 3: Identify adolescent problems in substance use and abuse, eating disorders, and health.
Adolescents’ comfort with their body image often depends upon their greater culture. In Western
societies, adolescents often feel pressure to maintain a certain ideal physique. There are many factors that
influence how comfortable adolescents are with their body image; however, the media is frequently
identified as one negative influence. Encouraging students to evaluate current magazines that specifically
cater to men or women is a powerful active learning assignment. Even students who have doubts
regarding the influence of the media will probably view things differently after this assignment.
The Activity:
Students should visit a local bookstore or library. Their task is to scan the covers of popular magazines
that specifically target male or female readers. We suggest instructors supply students with the questions
listed below. Observations can be incorporated into a written report (5 to 7 pages), and should be
integrated with course material regarding adolescent physical development and body image.
Materials:
We suggest having students develop questions of their own and use the following questions as well:
1) Who is on the cover of each magazine (if applicable)? How would you rate the physical attractiveness
of the models on each cover?
2) If applicable, what type of food is portrayed on the cover? (Note to instructors—fattening foods and
desserts are usually on the covers of many women's magazines.) Will these foods support a thin
physique?
3) On the covers of the magazine, what are the promised articles? If food was on the cover, does the
food realistically coincide with the content of the articles. (Note to instructors—in many cases, the
magazine cover will contain an image of a fattening food, yet promise articles such as “The Amazing,
Guilt-Free Diet.”)
4) How might these magazines influence body image?
5) What differences can you observe in magazines that cater to men vs. women?
6) Do you think the media plays any role in the development of adolescent eating disorders?
Procedures:
1) Before students conduct this activity, it is advisable for instructors to preview some popular
magazines.
2) Students should be exposed to some background material on adolescent physical development, body
image, self-esteem, and eating disorders before conducting this activity.
3) Instructors should supply students with the aforementioned questions, as well as any additional
questions they choose.
4) Students should be encouraged to report their observations in a short written paper. Observations
should be integrated with course material.
5) Instructors should encourage students to discuss their interview experiences in class.
Classroom Activity 5: Death of a Salesman
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Learning Goal 4: Explain cognitive changes in adolescence.
The purpose of this activity is to have students apply concepts of adolescence to a movie. Biff, the
adolescent son in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman, provides many examples from an adolescent’s
life. Consider showing this video in class and then lead a discussion regarding relevant concepts from the
chapter.
Logistics:
 Materials: Death of a Salesman movie.
 Group size: Full class.
 Approximate time: Video and full-class discussion (3 hours).
Classroom Activity 6: Piaget’s Formal Operations
Learning Goal 4: Explain cognitive changes in adolescence.
This activity focuses on Piaget’s formal operational stage. In small groups, students should use Handout
1 for the following two tasks. Group members will attempt to solve Piaget’s pendulum task and Piaget’s
chemical task and then analyze their problem-solving process for aspects of formal operational reasoning.
Logistics:
 Materials: Handout 1 (Formal Operations).
 Group size: Small group.
 Approximate time: Small group (60 minutes).
Source:
King, M. B., & Clark, D. E. (1989). Instructor’s manual to accompany Santrock & Yussen’s child development: An
introduction (4th ed.). Dubuque, IA.: Wm. C. Brown Communications.
Classroom Activity 7: Free College Tuition?
Learning Goal 5: Summarize some key aspects of how schools influence adolescent development.
In 1981, sixth-graders (mostly Hispanic) of P.S. 121 in East Harlem were addressed by 71-year-old
Eugene Lang, a self-made millionaire. On impulse he told them, “If you can somehow manage to
graduate from high school, I’ll pay your college tuition.” In 1990, 34 of 61 students were enrolled at least
part-time in colleges, with about one-third of them completing their junior year. Another nine of the
students had Lang help them find jobs after graduating from high school. When Lang decided to “adopt”
this class, he met with them regularly, giving them support, encouragement, and advice.
Since then, other individuals have adopted classes. The I Have A Dream Foundation in New York City
helps successful businesspersons adopt a class for $300,000.
What do you think of such programs? What are the advantages and disadvantages? How might you
accomplish the same level of enthusiasm and success with a program that would do more than “hit and
miss” certain sixth-grade classes?
Logistics:
 Group size: Full class.
 Approximate time: Full-class discussion (10 minutes).
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Classroom Activity 8: Uniforms for Adolescents?
Learning Goal 5: Summarize some key aspects of how schools influence adolescent development.
This activity addresses adolescents’ rights and typically stimulates significant discussion and controversy.
Should high schools be able to have and enforce dress codes? What restrictions in clothing are
reasonable? Would public schools be better off requiring uniforms? What are your personal experiences
with school dress codes? How does clothing affect behavioral and academic performance in schools?
Who should establish the dress code?
After students have discussed these questions in small groups, supplement the discussion with additional
information. In the 1970s and 1980s, dozens of federal judges had to make rulings on whether the
constitutional guarantees of privacy and free speech apply to the length of skirts and boots, and to other
aspects of clothing such as designer clothes. There was no consensus among these rulings.
Take the discussion in the direction of other rights or nonrights of high school students. Do high school
students have rights to free speech? They used to. In 1943, the Supreme Court (Barnette v. West Virginia)
ruled that it was within a student’s right to refuse to salute the flag. In 1969, the Supreme Court (Tinker v.
Des Moines Independent Community School District) ruled that students have constitutional rights to
freedom of speech and expression in their schools, when it agreed that students could not be suspended
for wearing black armbands to protest the Vietnam War. But in 1990, in about 25 states, school athletes
began having to submit to mandatory urine testing for cocaine, steroids, marijuana, and alcohol. In
Arkansas, school administrators are allowed to use breathalyzer tests, blood tests, and polygraph tests on
students, and drug-sniffing dogs are used in schools. According to a 1985 Supreme Court decision (New
Jersey v. TLO), regardless of the Fourth Amendment, students’ lockers, gym bags, and purses are subject
to spot searches. In a January 1988 ruling (Hazelwood v. Missouri), the Supreme Court even ruled that
administrators have the right to censor school newspapers. Justice Byron R. White wrote, “A school need
not tolerate student speech that is inconsistent with its basic educational mission even though the
government could not censor similar speech outside the school.”
Do students need their freedoms limited in order to protect them from the dangers of current times? How
do issues of confidentiality, privacy, consent, and autonomy relate to teenagers? Why is society growing
less tolerant of minors’ free speech and more willing to assault their privacy (e.g., 67 percent of adults
support mandatory drug testing for all high school students)? If teenagers would benefit from limited
freedom, is the same true for adults?
Logistics:
 Group size: Small group and full class.
 Approximate time: Small group (20 minutes) and full-class discussion (30 minutes).
Sources:
Bentayou, F. (1990, April). Children, behave. Omni, 33.
Leslie, C. (1989, November 27). Hey, hairball! You’re gone! Newsweek, p. 79.
Classroom Activity 9: Morality High
Learning Goal 5: Summarize some key aspects of how schools influence adolescent development.
The purpose of this exercise is to have students consider the role of schools in developing morality in
students. Beginning with John Dewey’s “hidden curriculum” and including Kohlberg’s acknowledgement
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of the importance of the moral atmosphere of the school, developmentalists are recognizing school-taught
morality as an important cognitive issue.
Instructions to Students: Describe the moral atmosphere of your junior high and high school. Were there
any overt attempts made to teach morality and encourage students to develop their values? If so, what
were they? If not, do you think there should have been? Do you think it could have had a positive effect
on the students you went to school with? Do you think this is even an area that schools should be
involved in, or is it most appropriate to leave it to parents?
This topic makes great discussion or debate material. Take a poll to see the distribution of students who
think schools should offer “morality training” and those who do not believe it belongs in the schools. Set
up teams for debate if possible. Another option is to have students break into groups and design a
“morality program” for a junior high or high school. Remind them to review the social and cognitive
functioning of children at the particular age they are dealing with. Have groups present their programs to
the class.
Logistics:
 Group size: Small group and full class.
 Approximate time: Small groups (30 minutes) and full-class discussion (30 minutes).
Sources:
Dewey, J. (1993). How we think. Lexington, MA: D.C. Heath.
Kohlberg, L. (1986). A current statement of some theoretical issues. In S. Modgil & C. Modgil (Eds.), Lawrence
Kohlberg. Philadelphia: Falmer.
Classroom Activity 10: Critical-Thinking Multiple-Choice Questions and Suggested Answers
Learning Goal 1: Discuss the nature of adolescence.
Learning Goal 2: Describe the changes involved in puberty, sexuality, and the brain.
Learning Goal 3: Identify adolescent problems in substance use and abuse, eating disorders, and health.
Learning Goal 4: Explain cognitive changes in adolescence.
Learning Goal 5: Summarize some key aspects of how schools influence adolescent development.
Discuss the critical-thinking multiple-choice questions provided in Handout 2.
Question 1 requires a careful review of the major theoretical perspectives as well as the chapter material.
Have students review chapter 2, previous lectures, activities, and exercises, or discuss with them directly
how the theoretical perspectives are used in chapter 12. The challenge is that none of the perspectives is
mentioned by name (except Erikson’s view of delinquency), and students have to recognize each theory
from the content of the discussion. To help them decide which one is most extensively represented in the
chapter, suggest that students make a table in which they list each theory across the top row and each
problem or disturbance in the first column. They then can enter in the table how each theory is or is not
used to understand each topic. The result should be that the first three alternatives are used explicitly, but
only behavioral theories (social cognitive theory) are used in all.
Question 2 tests students’ understanding of Piaget’s theory of cognitive development. They need to recall
concepts from the four stages of Piaget’s theory. This is an opportunity to review the entire theory and
test students’ general understanding. The answers are provided in Handout 3.
Logistics:
 Materials: Handout 2 (Critical-Thinking Multiple-Choice Questions) and Handout 3 (Answers).
12


Group size: Small groups to discuss the questions, then a full-class discussion.
Approximate time: Small groups (15 to 20 minutes), full-class discussion of (15 minutes).
Classroom Activity 11: Critical-Thinking Essay Questions and Suggestions for Helping Students
Answer the Essays
Learning Goal 1: Discuss the nature of adolescence.
Learning Goal 2: Describe the changes involved in puberty, sexuality, and the brain.
Learning Goal 3: Identify adolescent problems in substance use and abuse, eating disorders, and health.
Learning Goal 4: Explain cognitive changes in adolescence.
Learning Goal 5: Summarize some key aspects of how schools influence adolescent development.
Discuss the critical-thinking essay questions provided in Handout 4. Several objectives can be met with
these questions. First, the answering of these questions facilitates students’ understanding of concepts in
chapter 12. Second, this type of essay question affords the students an opportunity to apply the concepts
to their own lives, which will facilitate their retention of the material. Third, the essay format also will
give students practice expressing themselves in written form. Ideas to help students answer the criticalthinking essay questions are provided in Handout 5.
Logistics:
 Materials: Handout 4 (Essay Questions) and Handout 5 (Ideas to Help Answer).
 Group size: Individual, then full class.
 Approximate time: Individual (60 minutes), full-class discussion of any questions (30 minutes).
Personal Applications
Personal Application 1: Ah, Immortality!
Learning Goal 1: Discuss the nature of adolescence.
The purpose of this exercise is for students to recall the daring nature of adolescents. Teenagers have a
sense of immortality that impacts their decision-making, in often dangerous situations. It is a time filled
with experimenting and indulging in risky behavior.
Instructions for Students: Think back to your teen years and write about the risky behaviors you engaged
in. Did you only do such things once just to try them, or did you routinely engage in things that were
pushing your luck? How much of a role did peer pressure play? Did you have any bad, frightening
experiences that woke you up to the dangers you were engaged in, or did you function oblivious to the
possibility that something bad could actually happen to you? Do you continue any bad habits that you
started as an adolescent, such as smoking, using drugs, or heavy drinking? Were your parents aware of
your behavior? How did you rationalize your behavior at the time?
Use in the Classroom: If students are willing, have them share these stories. As students will most likely
vary with regard to their risky pasts, try and determine what factors may have played a role in
determining the adolescent paths chosen. Are students from a stable, close family those that did not
engage in typical dangerous teen behavior? Is there any connection to how they were doing in school?
Involvement in extracurricular activities? Why did they choose the friends they did? Did they keep their
childhood friends during this transition, or did they drift to new social circles? What has changed since
that time in their current state? Are there those who still function as if they are immortal, or have most
taken on a more responsible lifestyle?
13
Personal Application 2: That Awkward Stage
Learning Goal 2: Describe the changes involved in puberty, sexuality, and the brain.
The purpose of this exercise is for students to think about their experiences with puberty, and to remind
them of the variation of individual rates of maturation. This is a particularly dramatic and often difficult
stage of development, with physical changes influencing psychological and emotional changes. Not only
are there individual differences with regard to maturation, but also in terms of how individuals adapt to all
that they are going through developmentally.
Instructions for Students: Recall your early adolescent years, and write about your particular experiences
with puberty. Did you mature early or late? How did you feel about the changes taking place with you—
physically and emotionally? What do you recall about your friends and classmates during this time? Were
you able to recognize behavioral changes within both yourself and your friends? How did you change?
How did they change? How did your parents and siblings respond to “the new you”? Overall, was this a
difficult time, or were you able to make it through pretty easily?
Use in the Classroom: If they do not have enough to deal with in puberty already, today’s preteens have
many different experiences from those of years ago. Nothing seems to be sacred with regard to open
sexuality and homosexuality, and kids are blatantly exposed to these things through a variety of media—
newspapers, magazines, TV, movies, music, and the Internet. Have students discuss the impact of our
very open and explicit society on developing teens. What cultural signals are they receiving? How are
they responding to what appear to be norms and expectations in terms of dress, problem-solving, and
relationships? What impact might this have on society in the near future?
Personal Application 3: Let Me Mull This Over…
Learning Goal 4: Explain cognitive changes in adolescence.
Use this exercise to help students recognize the cognitive processes of an adolescent. Decision-making
skills are enhanced with further cognitive development, and teens often find themselves in the position of
having to make some big decisions.
Instructions for Students: Recall a big decision that you made during adolescence: to go to college or not,
which college to attend, who to take to the Prom, how far to take a romantic relationship, to get a job and
where to work, how to spend the money you earned, etc. See if you can remember the thought processes
that led you to make the choice you did. Did you feel prepared or unprepared to make such a decision?
What factors were most important to consider when making your decision? Did anyone help you to reach
the conclusion you did? Did you ask for their input or did they just give it? How did you feel after you
made the decision? Was it the right one?
Use in the Classroom: You can begin by having students share their stories if they are willing, but go
beyond early adolescence and address the decisions they are faced with making now. Ask students what
important decisions they have recently made, or will be faced with in the near future. How do they plan
on going about making up their mind? Do they hope to have help from others? If so, who? Do they feel
that there would be someone on campus to whom they could turn for advice with a decision?
Research
Project Ideas
14
Research Project 1: Secular Trend
Learning Goal 2: Describe the changes involved in puberty, sexuality, and the brain.
The purpose of this project is to examine the secular trend in the age, and other characteristics, of puberty
in families. Students should ask their parents and grandparents the age at which each went through
puberty (parents should give information on grandparents, if information is not available from
grandparents directly). Older students may have mature children who can be included in this chart. They
should record the age at which they went through puberty using Handout 6 and then answer the questions
that follow.
Use in the Classroom: Have the students present their research project data in class. Pool the data for the
three generations, keeping the data separated by sex. What generational differences in age of puberty are
seen for the group as a whole? What sex differences in age of puberty are seen for the group as a whole?
How could these criteria affect the data? How do the results reported by the class support or refute the
data presented in the text?
Research Project 2: Piaget’s Pendulum and Chemical Problems
Learning Goal 4: Explain cognitive changes in adolescence.
Students should pair up with a classmate and follow the instructions given in Handout 7. Classmate 1
should present the Piaget’s pendulum task to classmate 2. Then classmate 2 should present Piaget’s
chemical task to classmate 1. Next, both students should test an 11-year-old on the two tasks. Prior to the
start of the research, the project must be approved by the human subjects review board at your school, and
the students must get signed informed consent from the child’s parents.
Use in the Classroom: Have the students combine their data, identify trends in the results, and relate their
results to Piaget’s theory. This project relates to Classroom Activity 6, “Piaget’s Formal Operations.”
Video (found on the LifeMap student CD accompanying the textbook)
VAD segment #1163: Sex Among Teens at Age 15*
Adolescents typically engage in a rather consistent progression of sexual behaviors. The
following progression of sexual behavior begins to occur around age 15: kissing, petting, sexual
intercourse, and oral sex. Male adolescents typically report engaging in these sexual behaviors
approximately 1 year earlier than female adolescents. According to research done by the Centers
for Disease Control (CDC), 8 in 10 girls and 7 in 10 boys are virgins at age 15. Though sexual
intercourse can be a meaningful experience for older, mature adolescents, many adolescents are
not emotionally prepared to handle sexual experiences, especially in early adolescence.
VAD segment #2374: Eating Disorders*
Eating disorders, including obesity, anorexia nervosa, and bulimia, have increasingly become a
problem in adolescence. Here are some research findings regarding adolescent eating disorders:
(1) Girls who felt negatively about their bodies in early adolescence were more likely to develop
eating disorders 2 years later than their counterparts who did not feel negatively about their
bodies (Attie & Brooks-Gunn, 1989). (2) Girls who were both sexually active with their
boyfriends and in pubertal transition were the most likely to be dieting or engaging in disordered
15
eating patterns (Caufmann, 1994). (3) Girls who were working hard to look like same-sex figures
in the media were more likely than their peers to become very concerned with their weight (Field
& others, 2001).
*Most of the video segments specifically integrated with Santrock's Life-Span Development, 10th
edition, are found on one of the following McGraw-Hill video products for instructors.
McGraw-Hill’s Visual Asset Database (VAD) for Lifespan Development
Jasna Jovanovic, University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign
McGraw-Hill’s Visual Asset Database is a password-protected online database of hundreds of
multimedia resources for use in classroom presentations, including original video clips, audio
clips, photographs, and illustrations – all designed to bring to life concepts in developmental
psychology. In addition to offering ready-made multimedia presentations for every stage of the
lifespan, the VAD search engine and unique “My Modules” program allows instructors to select
from the database’s resources to create customized presentations, or “modules.” Instructors can
save these customized presentations in specially marked “module” folders on the McGraw-Hill
site, and then run presentations directly from VAD to the Internet-equipped classroom. Contact
your McGraw-Hill representative for a password to this valuable resource.
Multimedia Courseware for Child Development
Charlotte J. Patterson, University of Virginia
This video-based two-CD-ROM set (ISBN 0-07-254580-1) covers classic and contemporary
experiments in child development. Respected researcher Charlotte J. Patterson selected the video
and wrote modules that can be assigned to students. The modules also include suggestions for
additional projects as well as a testing component. Multimedia Courseware can be packaged with
the text at a discount.
Media Resources for Teaching Psychology
McGraw-Hill and The Discovery Channel ™ have formed an exclusive partnership to bring you
video segments and interactivities for use in your psychology. They are available either as a
DVD + CD-ROM set (ISBN 0-07-293885-4) or as a set of two VHS videocassettes + CD-ROM
(ISBN 0-07-293884-6).
McGraw-Hill also offers other video and multimedia materials; ask your local representative
about the best products to meet your teaching needs.
Feature Films
In this section of the Instructor's Manual we suggest films that are widely available from local
video rental outlets.
Rebel Without a Cause (1955)
Starring James Dean, Natalie Wood, Sal Mineo
Directed by Nicholas Ray
16
Defining film for an era—for a lifetime! A rebellious teen comes to a new town hoping for a
fresh start. But the lack of love and support at home prevents that from happening. He meets
some new friends who make an impact – and some new enemies who push him back to his old
ways.
Heathers (1989)
Starring Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, Shannen Doherty
Directed by Michael Lehmann
A girl finds herself in the “in-crowd” but doesn’t like they way they treat people. She meets a
guy who has a different approach to high school politics, but learns that he may not be the
answer to her problems either.
Website Suggestions
At the time of publication, all sites were current and active; however, please be advised that you may
occasionally encounter a dead link.
Adolescent Health: Sexual Orientation
http://www.medadvocates.org/marg/adol/sexualidentity.html
Eating Disorders
http://health.yahoo.com/health/dc/002171/0.html
National Center for Health Statistics
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/
Puberty 101
http://www.puberty101.com/
Teen Health Home Page
http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Health/TeenHealth/
Teenage Pregnancy Prevention
http://www.teenpregnancy.org/
Video Games: Research, Ratings and Recommendations
http://www.ericfacility.net/databases/ERIC_Digests/ed424038.html
17
Handout 1 (CA 6)
Formal Operations
This activity focuses on Piaget’s formal operational stage. First, attempt to solve Piaget’s pendulum task
and Piaget’s chemical task. Second, analyze your problem-solving process for aspects of formal
operational reasoning.
Pendulum Task: Demonstrate a pendulum with various lengths of string and a number of equal weights.
Identify the variable(s) that determine(s) the speed of the pendulum swing. The possible variables to
manipulate are length, weight, height of the drop, and force of the drop.
Chemical Task: Display five numbered flasks, each containing one of the following colorless chemicals:
water, hydrogen peroxide, potassium iodine, acid, and thiosulfate. Determine which combination of
chemicals produces a mixture with the color yellow.
18
Handout 2 (CA 10)
Critical-Thinking Multiple-Choice Questions
1. In addition to the problems and pitfalls associated with emerging sexuality, adolescents risk a variety
of problems and disturbances. Much of the material in chapter 12 about these problems is descriptive,
but some of it relates to the determinants of these disturbances. Which theoretical perspective (see
chapter 2 for a review) appears to have provided the most insight into the greatest number of
problems and disturbances? Circle the letter of the best answer and explain why it is the best answer
and why the other answers are not as good.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
behavioral
cognitive
psychoanalytic
ethological
ecological
2. Santrock discusses Piaget’s formal operational thought stage, which is the last stage in Piaget’s stage
theory of cognitive development. This question requires that you recognize examples of thought from
the four different Piagetian stages. Which of the types of thinking listed below best illustrates formal
operational thought? Circle the letter of the best answer and explain why it is the best answer and why
the other answers are not as good.
a. Steven does not think that his brother, Mike, has a brother.
b. Susan tries to trick her little brother into thinking he has less orange juice by pouring it into a
short, wide glass.
c. Lily understands that the keys still exist even though her mom is hiding them behind her back.
d. Daniel understands that for the pendulum problem, the problem solver must manipulate the length
of the string, the number of weights, the force with which the weight is swung, and the height
from which the weight is dropped.
e. Adolescents have a larger short-term memory than younger children do.
19
Handout 3 (CA 10)
Answers for Critical-Thinking Multiple-Choice Questions
1. In addition to the problems and pitfalls associated with emerging sexuality, adolescents risk a variety
of problems and disturbances. Much of the material in chapter 12 about these problems is descriptive,
but some of it relates to the determinants of these disturbances. Which theoretical perspective (see
chapter 2 for a review) appears to have provided the most insight into the greatest number of
problems and disturbances? Circle the letter of the best answer and explain why it is the best answer
and why the other answers are not as good.
a. Behavioral is the best answer. In particular, analyses of problems and their causes most often
include social learning accounts. For example, sexual scripts are learned by observation from
others; problems associated with sex may be alleviated by media education campaigns and
portrayals. Drug use seems to be most heavily influenced by peer or parent models. Modeling is
proposed as a cause of eating disorders (imitation of societal standards), though the actual
cause(s) of eating disorders is/are not known.
b. Cognitive is not the best answer. Cognitive factors are cited mainly in the discussion of sexuality,
the treatment of sexual scripts, and the influence of egocentrism on adolescents’ response to
warnings about the dangers of STIs and pregnancy. Distortions of body image are prevalent
among eating-disordered individuals, but this is not cited as a causal factor. Cognitive or
cognitive developmental influences are otherwise not directly invoked to explain other
disturbances. Finally, the notion of scripts and egocentrism can be subsumed in the social
cognitive analysis (which is partly cognitive).
c. Psychoanalytic is not the best answer. The psychoanalytic perspective is omitted completely from
the discussion of sexual behavior and is present only by inference in the discussion of factors
related to eating disorders (regression).
d. Ethological is not the best answer. The ethological approach receives no attention in these
treatments.
e. Ecological is not the best answer. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory is not directly invoked. It
could be used to structure or organize the discussion of problems and disturbances because of the
apparent influences of family, school, community, and culture. However, none of the various
systems of the theory are invoked directly to explain problems and disturbances.
2. Santrock discusses Piaget’s formal operational thought stage, which is the last stage in Piaget’s
stage theory of cognitive development. This question requires that you recognize examples of
thought from the four different Piagetian stages. Which of the types of thinking listed below best
illustrates formal operational thought? Circle the letter of the best answer and explain why it is
the best answer and why the other answers are not as good.
a. The statement that Steven does not think that his brother, Mike, has a brother is an example of
irreversibility or the lack of understanding of reciprocal relationships. This cognitive limitation
characterizes Piaget’s preoperational thought stage.
b. The statement that Susan tries to trick her little brother into thinking he has less orange juice by
pouring it into a short, wide glass is not an example of formal operational thought. Rather, it
highlights Susan’s understanding of conservation and her little brother’s lack of understanding of
conservation. Conservation is an ability achieved in Piaget’s concrete operational stage.
c. The statement that Lily understands that the keys still exist even though her mom is hiding them
behind her back highlights Lily’s understanding of object permanence, which is a characteristic of
Piaget’s sensorimotor stage.
20
Handout 3 (CA 10) continued
d. The statement that Daniel understands that for the pendulum problem, the problem solver must
manipulate the length of the string, the number of weights, the force with which the weight is
swung, and the height from which the weight is dropped provides an example of formal
operational thought. It highlights systematic analysis and deductive reasoning.
e. The statement that adolescents have a larger short-term memory than younger children do does
not represent an issue related to Piaget’s view of cognitive development. Rather, it is a statement
regarding adolescents’ cognitive abilities from an information-processing perspective.
21
Handout 4 (CA 11)
Critical-Thinking Essay Questions
Your answers to these kinds of questions demonstrate an ability to comprehend and apply ideas discussed
in this chapter.
1. Identify major physical developmental changes of adolescence, and relate these to psychological
changes.
2. Explain why physical development during puberty seems to cause so much more concern to
individuals at this age than physical development does at any other ages.
3. Compare and contrast early and late maturers, and discuss positive and negative consequences for
each type of individual.
4. How does the incidence of adolescent sexual activity and pregnancy in the United States and
European countries compare and contrast?
5. Compare and contrast adolescents’ use of alcohol and cigarettes.
6. Indicate causes of adolescent drug use, and discuss whether these operate independently or whether
they interact.
7. Define and distinguish between anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.
8. Discuss ways to reduce adolescents’ health-compromising behaviors and increase adolescents’
health-promoting behaviors.
9. Describe and give examples of the three major characteristics of formal operational thought.
10. Compare and contrast Piaget’s views about concrete and formal operational thought.
11. Explain the concepts of adolescent egocentrism, imaginary audience, and personal fable. Include at
least two original examples of each in your response.
12. Analyze your own middle school or junior high school. How did it rate in terms of the criteria for
effective schools for adolescents discussed in this chapter?
13. Compare and contrast the various approaches to moral education in schools. Do you think any of
these approaches is acceptable for a public school system? Explain.
22
Handout 5 (CA 11)
Ideas to Help You Answer Critical-Thinking Essay Questions
1. Create a graph of physical milestones and map out psychological changes. Now discuss specifically
what is taking place in both realms and how they appear to be developmentally related.
2. As you address this question, use some examples of physical development from other ages. This will
illustrate the tremendous difference and dramatic nature of puberty with regard to changes at other
times in life.
3. Describe the process and outcome of maturation during adolescence. This will provide a good
backdrop for discussing the effects of experiencing it early and of experiencing it later on.
4. Relate the data you find to U.S. and European views of sexuality.
5. Differentiate the issues surrounding use of each of these types of drugs. Having established exactly
what using each involves and the potential consequences, make your comparison of teen use.
6. Delineate the kinds of drugs adolescents tend to use. Present information on what is most common
and popular, down to drugs that are used very rarely by teens. Are the causes of drug use different for
different types of drugs? If so, how?
7. Do not simply present the definition of each—describe an individual suffering from each type of
disorder.
8. Include in your discussion the challenges of doing this. Summarize aspects of adolescents’ lives that
lead to poor behavior in the first place, then consider ways that might make use of these same
characteristics to promote healthier behavior.
9. This answer will be most effective if you begin with a description of concrete operational thought—
the more limited thinking that exists prior to advancement to formal operational thought.
10. Identify the areas of importance with regard to cognitive functioning, according to Piaget. Provide
some general background as to why he focuses theoretically on these, then make your comparison.
11. Include in your explanation the aspects of cognitive functioning that these concepts reflect. Rely on
personal examples to make these concepts real
12. Address each aspect of effective schools with regard to yours. Provide examples of why you think or
do not think your middle school was effective. Did you see any evidence of an attempt to improve the
school while you were there? Since you have been gone?
13. Based on the particular approach, how do you think the educators are defining morality? Does the
notion of morality fluctuate based on the method of incorporating it into the school experience?
Address this along with your assessment of appropriateness.
23
Handout 6 (RP 1)
Secular Trend
The purpose of this project is to examine the secular trend in the age, and other characteristics, of puberty
in families. Ask your parents and grandparents the age at which each went through puberty (parents
should give information on grandparents, if information is not available from grandparents directly).
Older students may have mature children who can be included in this chart. Record the age at which each
person went through puberty and then answer the questions provided below.
DATA SHEET
Record age of puberty for:
Self
Mother
Father
___
___
___
Maternal:
Grandmother
Grandfather
___
___
Paternal:
Grandmother
Grandfather
___
___
Questions:

Does the age of onset of puberty differ for the three different generations represented in the data? If
so, in what way?

Does the age of onset of puberty differ for the two sexes? What is the direction of the difference?

How do the findings on generational differences relate to the trends described in the text? Why might
they be similar or different from the findings described in the text?

How do the findings here on sex differences concerning age of puberty relate to data in the text?
24
Handout 7 (RP 2)
Piaget’s Pendulum Problem
Pair up with a classmate. Classmate 1 should present Piaget’s pendulum task to classmate 2. Then
classmate 2 should present classmate 1 with Piaget’s chemical task. Next, test an 11-year-old on both
tasks. Prior to the start of the research, the project must be approved by the human subjects review board
at your school, and you must get signed informed consent from the child’s parents. After making the
observations, answer the questions that follow.
Pendulum Task – Provide a frame for a pendulum as well as various lengths of string and a number of
weights of equal size. Instruct the subjects to assemble the pendulum and to identify the variable(s) that
determine(s) the period of the pendulum swing. The possible variables to manipulate are length, weight,
height of the drop, and force of the initial push. Record the variables that the subjects manipulate and the
way in which subjects organize the manipulations.
Chemical Task – Provide water, hydrogen peroxide, potassium iodine, acid, and thiosulfate in five
numbered flasks. All of the chemicals are initially clear liquids. The subjects must determine which
combination of chemicals produces a mixture with the color yellow. Record the variables that the subjects
manipulate and the way in which subjects organize the manipulations.
Task
Subject 1
Sex ___ Age ___
Subject 2
Sex ___ Age ___
Pendulum Task:
Chemical Task:
Questions:



How did the classmates solve the tasks? How would you characterize the responses? Did they
systematically manipulate the variables?
How did the 11-year-old solve the tasks? How would you characterize the 11-year-old’s responses?
Did he or she systematically manipulate the variables?
What differences did you observe in performance? How would you characterize the performances
according to Piaget’s theory? Did you find evidence of formal operational reasoning in either, both, or
neither of your subjects? How would you account for your findings? What is the nature of the
difference between the performances of the younger and older adolescents?
25