ASW2103 Human Development in Social Context: Adolescent Growth

The following essay succinctly elucidates the concept of human development in terms of its psychological discourses. As a matter of fact, there is a distinct nature of different age groups while studying the difference. According to Erik Erikson who dealt with the psychosocial discourses of human development, life is a sequence of lessons and challenges that need to be taken in to a strong consideration while making a steadfast decision. However, this statement can easily be argued as there is a certain chance of creating a possible stake with the help of different case issues. As a matter of fact, this essay does not delve in to the consideration of specific case as the theoretical understanding would be carried out in profound discussion. While discussing psychosocial analysis Erikson has developed a model of psychosocial crisis life cycle. IT can be argued that this cycle does not focus on a particular life stage rather it superficially covers the entire life span of a human being with touch stone method.

This essay would strictly focus on the understanding and acceptance of adolescent growth and the psychological association to the social discourses. Since the psychological association of the adolescent figures has been the basic understanding of the creation of the cases, it needs to be taken in to certain consideration with the help of its basic fundamental statement. According to Erikson, adolescence is a time that comprises of certain changes- both physical and psychological. As a matter of fact, there are other theories associated with it such as: the theory of biological view, the theory of psychological view and the theory of social cognitive view. With the understanding of the entire case it has to be taken in to certain consideration. However, it is true that the cultural dimensions and differences keep impacting upon the mode of psychological development of the adolescent teenagers in different societies. With the effective understanding of the adolescent complexities different theories have been developed.

The basic acceptance of adolescence has been the complexities and problems lying within the period. As a matter of fact, there have been a series of cases where a teenager is not directly and profoundly studied thus being affected with negligence. According to Plato, constant argument and easy conglomeration of excitement are the basic characteristics of adolescent boy. However, it can be argued that Plato’s perspective has been captivated within the European mindset. In the Asian culture the problem is much more family oriented. It has been studied and observed in many cases that an adolescent boy in the Asian societies has much tendency to the acceptance of the family complexities.

According to Aristotle an adolescent child- specifically a boy, lacks in sexual self restraint and becomes passionate and impulsive in terms of his association with desires. Aristotle’s conceptualization pertaining to an adolescent boy is somewhat true and universal. However, it can be argued that both Plato and his disciple Aristotle have focused on the analysis of an adolescent boy. They did not show their interest in analyzing the mindset and underlying complexities of an adolescent girl. This has significantly led to the avoidance of the study in classical terms. As a matter of fact, it needs to be taken in to consideration that the period needs to be studied in two different ways and perspective because of their asymmetrical understandings and effectiveness. Rousseau in his essays has studied the characteristics of an adolescent child as having frequent anger, constant agitation, unmanageable and change in the process of humor. When it comes to the acceptance of humor in the entire process, the change in the acceptance of subject related to it foresees the future development of an adolescent child. As a matter of fact, Rousseau’s concept and notion have been accepted and followed by different twentieth century psychologists. However, it can well be countered that Rousseau’s acceptance of the adolescent problems has been basically driving through the forces during the period of French revolution. It needs to be comprehended that social environments have been impacting upon the greater number of individual teenager in terms of reading the social move. When it comes to effective human development process, social discourses cannot be avoided. With effective understanding of the French societies during the revolution period, it can be stated that the teenagers at that point of time were highly affected by the changing intellectual milieu.

Somehow it needs to be addressed properly that the changing mode of the society does not lead to a harmful consequence of the adolescent children. With the effective consideration of the teenagers and the transitional period from teenager to the youth, there has been a clear understanding that the period leads to multiple numbers of the complexities that are to be sincerely dealt with.

Classical social analysts like Charles Darwin have adjectified the period as “stressed and stormed”. From all the classical theories it can be considered that they have only targeted the problems and complexities of the adolescent children. However, the transitional period in the late twentieth and early twenty first century has been addressing this particular issue in association with the innovation in the field of study. Birth of effective human traits can be noticed during this transitional period. As a matter of fact, the end of the first half of the twentieth century has clearly noticed a certain change in the effective process in the development of human being at the age of 13 to 15. This development was highly impacted- rather to say- affected by the wrath of the Wars. In Germany the wrath was noticed during the ban on the Jews during Nazi period. “Diary of a Young girl” by Anne Frank clearly indicates ad chronicles the trauma that an adolescent girl undergoes during that point of time. As a matter of fact, there has been a positive case with the effective change in the process. After the Wars, the notion of adolescent development became a phenomenon.

The work by Sigelman, Crol and Walker named “ Life Spann of Human Development” succinctly elucidates the basic understanding of the development of human life in different ages. The writers have provided s with a a concept building process with the help of the entire understanding of the course that was highly prerogative in its succession. Human development is addressed with the study of psychoanalysis and psychosocial interpretation. This is to be taken in to clear consideration that the concept building process pertaining to the study of human development through an adolescent interpretation leads towards the understanding of the entire case pertaining to the cause of basic complexities.

It can thus be concluded that starting from Plato to Erikson and present day scholars who have diligently worked on the study of human development process all the works comprise of the core problems. Since the adolescent children have the ability to create a better environment in terms of managing the entire course of the social understanding, the study has to be freed from the the captivity of complexities and needs to be brought in to a positive approach thus helping the teenagers give their own way towards the development of human society.

References:

Alexander, J.F., Waldron, H.B., Robbins, M.S. and Neeb, A.A., 2013. Functional family therapy for adolescent behavior problems. American Psychological Association.

Kenny, E., 2013. Adolescent Analysis. Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, 61(4), pp.787-803.

Mills, K.L., 2014. Effects of Internet use on the adolescent brain: despite popular claims, experimental evidence remains scarce. Trends in cognitive sciences, 18(8), pp.385-387.

Newman, B.M. and Newman, P.R., 2017. Development through life: A psychosocial approach. Cengage Learning.

Padilla-Walker, L.M. and Carlo, G. eds., 2015. Prosocial development: A multidimensional approach. Oxford University Press.

Shapiro, L.A.S. and Margolin, G., 2014. Growing up wired: Social networking sites and adolescent psychosocial development. Clinical child and family psychology review, 17(1), p.1.