PerDev Chap 1&2

• It also refers to the core qualities that distinguish you from others. It consists both conscious and unconscious aspects of a person. It comprises Physical Body, Mental/Cognitive, Emotional of Affective, and Social aspects.
• Your developmental stage is called Adolescence
• General Characteristics of Adolescence are:

  • Experiencing rapid physical changes until their full completion in late adolescence
  • Showing ability to comprehend abstract concepts in mathematics, develop moral philosophies including claims of rights and privileges
  • Questioning old values without fear or with consideration of one's identity
  • Moving gradually toward a more mature sense of identity and purpose
  • Starting to establish and maintain satisfying personal relationship by learning to share intimacy without inhibition or dread
• The Johari Window is a technique used to help you better understand your relationship with yourself and others.
• The Johari Window was created by American psychologists Joseph Luft (1916-2014) and Harrington Ingham (1916-1995) in 1995.
• The Johari Windows have four regions:

  • Open Self - What is known by you and others
  • Blind Self - What is unknown by you but which others know
  • Hidden self - What is known by you but which others do not know
  • Unknown Self- what is not known by you and others
• Looking at yourself and your classmates you may immediately distinguish that each of you is unique and special in some ways. This is called The Unique Self.
• A person's unique self is comprised of the following aspects:

  • Characteristics
  • Habits
  • Experiences
• Characteristics - this refers to unique features or qualities typically describing you as an adolescent including those stated in your developmental stage.
• Habits - this refers to special or unique tendencies, activities, or practices that you find yourself having difficulty to let go or give up because you really like doing them.
• Experiences - this refers to significant experiences that contributed to your unique self and have created an impact in your life and changed you from where you were to where you are.
• Psychology - refers to the science of mental processes and behaviors. To understand your whole personal development as an adolescent, you need to unlock some essential concepts mentioned in the previous chapter such as physiological, cognitive, social, and emotional, and spiritual development
• Physiological Development - Since childhood, you have experienced changes that might have brought you some discomfort. The transition begins at puberty or early adolescence where most physical development changes occur in both girls and boys.
• Girls 12-14 years old develop:

  • Breast develop as first pubertal change
  • Pubic hair appear next
  • Hair under the arms begins to grow at 12 years old
  • Menstruation may starts as early as 10 years old and as late 16 years old
  • Hips become more defined and curved
  • Voice becomes firmer and fuller
• Boys 12-14 years old develop:

  It is difficult to know exactly when puberty is coming for boys because changes occur gradually and over a period of time.

  • Testicles enlarge as the first pubertal change.
  • Penis enlarges one year after the testicles develop.
  • Appearance of pubic hair at 13.5 years old.
  • Nocturnal emissions (or wet dreams) may happen at 14 years old.
  • Hair under the arms and on the face grows
  • Acne starts appearing at 15 years old.
  • Adam's apple becomes visible
• Boys typically begin their growth spurt up to two years later than girls, giving them two years of additional prepubertal growth. Height velocity is faster in boys than in girls during their growth spurt reaching its peak of 9 centimeters at 13.5 years old.
• The height velocity curve is also broader in boys than in girls, reflecting a pubertal growth spurt of longer duration. The combined effects of additional prepubertal growth, greater peak growth, and a longer duration of the prepubertal growth spurt explain the height advantage that males generally have over females.
• Middle (15 to 17 years old) to Late adolescence (18-20 years old):

  The physiological changes become more stable. At this stage, you have become more mature and profound with a sense of acceptance and comfort, already embracing these physical changes despite some emotional turbulence at certain points in your life.
• Cognitive development refers to your capacity to think and reason. From your childhood years to your current stage, your cognitive development reflects a more process of thinking called formal logical operations, which include the following abilities:

  • Do abstract thinking and mental exercises considering future possibilities
  • Form ideas and questions from observed realities or by simply imagining and realizing the connection of one possibility to another.
  • Consider and compare varied opinions
  • Figure out the process of the thinking
• During Middle Adolescence:

  • has a more complex thinking process
  • uses a capacity to reason out, which makes him/her sound philosophical and future-oriented
  • is comprehensive in delivering questions and analysis
  • start to consider his/her own "code of ethics" (evaluating what is right and what is wrong before acting out)
  • considers the question who am I
  • Is able to state more systematic life goals
  • thinks about and begins to make his/her own plans
  • starts to plan out and consider long-term possibilities
  • uses systematic thinking and begins to influence relationships with others.
• During Late Adolescence:
• Exhibits a more established thinking from concrete to abstract
• Is now hypothetical with the capacity to discern using basic principles applied to specific situations encountered
• Is more analytical and can figure out future possibilities and outcomes of events
• Is able to manipulate and cluster ideas and can create a system of sorting these ideas or abstract thoughts to come up with a more focused solution to specific concerns
• Is able to empathize and feel more for others with careful consideration of varied points of view
• Is more sensitive to the needs of others and more interested in social issues
• Discovers and appreciates the diversity of people and their perspectives, so that he/she could consider varied options in solving problems
• Is more philosophical and idealistic
• Social and Emotional development during middle and late adolescence intertwined
• As adolescents connect with others, they bring with them emotions that affect the people they connect with. They may experience some difficulties in controlling their emotions and being tactful when communicating