Adolescence and Human Development: Key Events and Theories

This essay elaborates on the developmental period of adolescence and discusses the key events that are experienced during this time. It discusses the main theories in relation to adolescence and reflects on the personal responses in relation to adolescence.

Running head: ADOLESCENCE AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
Adolescence and Human Development
Name of the student
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Introduction
Adolescence refers to a transitional stage pertaining to physical along with
psychological development which generally occurs from the period of puberty to that of legal
adulthood. It is generally associated with teenage years but the psychological expression can
begin at an earlier stage and end at a later period (Salk et al., 2016). This essay elaborates on
the developmental period of adolescence and discusses the key events that are experienced
during this time. It discusses the main theories in relation to adolescence and reflects on the
personal responses in relation to adolescence.
An overview of adolescence and the events experienced at this stage
Adolescence is a period when growth spurts take place accompanied by changes in
puberty. Adolescent often grows several inches within several months that can be followed
by a period in which the growth takes place in a slow manner. Changes pertaining to puberty
can take place in a gradual manner or different signs can become visible at the same period of
time (Eisenberg, Spinrad & Knafo‐Noam, 2015). The adolescent acts as a time of
disorientation along with discovery. The transitional period of adolescence brings up
challenges in relation to independence along with self-identity. The adolescents have to face
choices that are tough pertaining to schoolwork, social life and sexuality.
Sexual along with physical maturation takes place at the time of puberty owing to
hormonal changes. The puberty in relation to boys is difficult to ascertain and the changes
take place gradually in the boys. The pubertal changes that takes place at the time of
adolescence is in relation to enlargement of testicles. Public hair appears when a boy is
around 13.5 years old. The girls experience puberty owing to the sequence of the events but
the pubertal changes are evident before the boys. Each girl can however be stated to be
different and the progress through changes takes place in a different manner (Fuhrmann,

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Knoll & Blakemore, 2015). Puberty begins in the girls when they are around 8 years old and
it lasts till 13 years. The first pubertal change that can be noticed in the girls is breast
development and hair becomes visible under arms when they are of 12 years.
The adolescence brings about many changes not only in physical terms but also in the
mental along with social level. The adolescents start thinking in an abstract manner at this
point of time and they make plans with the help of which they can set goals in the long term.
Each child makes progress at a rate which is different and they may have different
perspective in relation to the world (Temple & Choi, 2015). The adolescent becomes
concerned with politics, social issues along with philosophy at this particular stage of life.
The adolescent starts struggling for independence from their parents and peer influence
becomes crucial for them at this stage. Sexual relationships becomes crucial for the
adolescent and the notion pertaining to acceptance becomes very important for them (Salk et
al., 2016).
Discussion of the key aspects of the theories
According to Erik Erikson’s psychosocial stage theory, identity development is
integral to adolescence. The child acquires ego-identity and identity crisis is an essential
characteristics in relation to adolescence. For acquiring strong ego-identity it is essential that
the achievements along with accomplishments of the child are recognized and applauded
(Cherry, 2017). The individual wants to establish personal identity at this stage and it is
important as said by Erikson that the child should avoid danger of identity confusion. An
individual at the stage of adolescence should assess one’s own assets along with liabilities
and the manner in which they would like to use them (Kilford, Garrett & Blakemore, 2016).
The adolescents search for a sense of continuity and they want to answer questions regarding
themselves. Identity is not provided to individual by the society but it should be acquired by

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an individual with the help of sustained individual effort. Being unwilling to work on the
aspect of identity formation can result in danger pertaining to role diffusion and it can result
into alienation for an individual (Curtis, 2015).
According to Sigmund Freud’s psychosexual theory the period of adolescence can be
described as phylogenetic. The psychoanalytic theory of Freud lays stress on the fact that
psychosexual development is determined genetically and it is independent of the
environmental factors. Freud believed in the fact that adolescence was a phenomena that was
universal and this was inclusive of the social along with the behavioural changes. Freud
brought out the fact that physiological changes can be related to the emotional changes.
During the period of adolescence, the individual exhibits negative emotions like anxiety,
tension and loathing. Freud believed in the fact that the emotional upheavals that take place at
the phallic stage is followed by aggressive drives at the time of adolescence which is termed
as “latency” (Bremner, 2017). Latent period is indicative of a time when one wants to explore
and the sexual energy is dormant at this stage. The energy at this period becomes sublimated
in various areas like intellectual pursuit along with social interaction. This stage leads to the
developing of communication skills along with self-confidence. The final stage is known as
the genital stage when the adolescent feels rebirth of the aggressive strivings. The conflicts
that are unresolved returns to plague the mind of the adolescent at the phallic stage.
An analysis of adolescent period from the perspective of the theories
On the basis of the theory of Erik Erikson, it can be stated that the adolescent want to
explore independence and develop identity at this stage. The adolescents becomes conscious
about their self and this is inculcated with the help of social interaction. The new experiences
help in changing one’s concept pertaining to self (McAdams & Zapata-Gietl, 2015). Identity
versus confusion stage develops around developing of a personal identity. On the successful

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completion of this stage, one develops a strong sense in relation to self that remains with an
individual throughout his life.
According to Freud, the Oedipus stage was followed by latency in which the sexual
urge was non-existent. The Genital stage of Sigmund Freud pertains to psychological
detachment along with independence from that of the parents. This stage helps the adolescent
in resolving the psychosexual childhood conflict. This stage of the adolescence focuses on
genitilia and sexuality at this stage is consensual. Freud thinks that ego starts establishing at
the time of adolescent and the adolescent wants to satisfy the desire by taking recourse to
friendship and love (Fonagy, 2018). The last stage of psychosexual theory of Freud pertains
to sexual experimentation and the sexual instinct becomes directed at this stage to that of
heterosexual pleasure. Freud thinks that outlet pertaining of sexual instinct can be with the
help of heterosexual intercourse. The child attains sexual maturity at the stage of adolescence
and the children explores with sexuality at the adolescent stage (Heard, 2018).
Conclusion:
The adolescent undergoes changes in terms of physical maturation and the changes
pertaining to puberty occurs in a gradual manner in the boys. The adolescence goes through
changes in physical, mental and the social level that leads them to develop new perspective
about things in life. The manner of thinking becomes abstract for the adolescent and they try
to create long term plans at this stage. The psychosocial theory of Erik Erikson focuses on the
facet of identity development. Identity crisis is an integral characteristics pertaining to
adolescence. The psychosexual theory of Freud highlights the fact that development is not
dependent on the environmental factors. The adolescent want to act in an independent manner
at this stage and they start becoming conscious about themselves.
Reflection on my personal responses along with experiences

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At the time of my adolescence, I was greatly influenced by my personal experiences
and the people who surrounded me. I had experienced psychosocial reaction and I underwent
identity crisis at the time of my adolescence. I wanted to carry out various kinds of
experiments during my adolescent days. At the time of my adolescence, I was not feminine
like the other girls. I felt that I should start acting in a more feminine manner so that I was
accepted by the society. I thought that I should change the manner of my behaviour. I had
grown extremely self-conscious at this stage and brought about changes in the manner of my
talking and wearing. I had started wearing feminine clothes that I thought would be able to
captivate the attention of the opposite gender. I had started understanding abstract concepts at
this stage and developing the moral philosophies. The developing of the secondary sexual
characteristics made me self-conscious and I had grown shy at this stage. During this stage, I
used to talk in a manner that can make me look more matured and create a positive image in
front of the other people. I used to make painful comparison with the peers when I was an
adolescent. I grew sensitive about my body changes and I used to feel anxious at this stage. I
started maintaining distance from my parents at this stage and I used to think that friends
were my sole companion who can help me in removing my problems.

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References:
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Cherry, K. (2017). Erik Erikson's Stages of Psychosocial Development. Psychology.
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of child psychology and developmental science, 1-47.
Fonagy, P. (2018). Attachment theory and psychoanalysis. Routledge.
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Temple, J., & Choi, H. J. (2015). 18 Development of psychological abuse through
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