Adolescence, accounts for the ages between 13 and eighteen years old, and is most commonly referred to as the “Teenage Years”. During this life stage, the ego that develops is “identity versus role confusion”. This basically means that adolescents are subconsciously trying to find an identity for themselves, through trying out various roles in order to determine whether they fit into them or not. Adolescents may adopt the “grundge” look for a while, wearing baggy jeans and t-shirts. However the peer group in which the teenager is in plays a vital part in their development and also their perception of the world. Research by Akers, and Krohn 1980, suggest that the peer group at adolescence is the most influential part of the decisions they make, regarding Alcohol, drugs, sex and crime.
The physical aspect to adolescence is much easier to see that the mental and social aspect. However this by no respect, means that it easy. Adolescents have to deal with constant changes in appearance, both real, or imagined. This is because puberty comprises of approximately two years of rapid growth, during which they become capable, physically, to reproduce. When teenagers fail to develop signs of sexual maturity at the time when their friends are changing, their self-concept and self-esteem can be adversely affected; they may also feel different, unacceptable as well as alone. Girls usually are less affected by late maturity than boys because a small chested girl is not without sex appeal in our society. Late maturing boys however may feel inferior, less secure, and anxious. Research suggests that they are more emotionally expressive, resort to more attention seeking behaviours, and have more body and social acceptance concerns than their normally maturing peers (Clausen, 1975 Human Development, P.241)
Families are often surprised when their seemingly obedient children become egocentric, and argumentative teenagers. This is because, the teenager, who is more adult in appearance, feels social pressures to become more independent, make a career choices, make sexual choices, take on more adult responsibilities and grow up. This is very difficult for some, as many, although they have the physical body of an adult, intellectually, they are still a child. Furthermore, teenagers are expected to make informed choices about careers etc. and expected to act in a mature manor, whilst still being treated by society as a child. Social scientists would agree that an identity search and new self-discoveries characterise an adolescent’s psychological, as well as social development. The search by teenagers, for identity affects not only the parent – child relationship, but also moral development, school as well as peer interactions.
Erikson (1980) proposed the nuclear conflict of “identity versus role confusion” as characterised in adolescence. He felt that adolescents need time to experiment with many different roles before they settle into a particular one. Erikson also suggested that young love is usually more conversational than sexual because they need to project their developing self-image confidentially, to a second person, and then have it reflected back to them. Erikson also suggested that the intimate relationships that are formed during adolescence, are usually short lived and shouldn’t be taken too seriously. They are merely a way for the impressionable teenager to reciprocate feelings and emotions with someone of the opposite sex.
Davis’ (1990) claimed “that scrutiny of adolescence rests on a generalised image that constructs them as a social problem”. The term “teenager” is a relatively new term, in the sense that it was an expression first coined after the war, to describe young people from the ages of 13 – 19 years old. Originally from America, the term has taken on almost universal recognition; however the word is somewhat tarnished, in the sense that it collectively stands for everyone in that age bracket. Adolescents’, as mentioned above, have so many expectations bestow upon them, from school, parents, peers religious leaders, however, many in society feel threatened by the fact that during adolescence, the peer group, is the main influence in many teenagers lives.
Peer groups give the developing teenager a sense of belonging, when their own families they belong to become less interactive. It is evident that, teenagers, regardless of whether they are popular, unpopular, or quiet or outspoken etc. All pay a great deal of attention to the behaviour and opinions of the other young people they come into contact with. This is because the peer group is a group in which the teenager feels that respects their views and hold similar views and opinions to themselves. In addition to this, the peer group is a place where interaction occurs and so the teenager can be at ease in amongst friends, which he or she feels they can trust. The peer group at adolescence see the outside society as being excluded from their group, in that, the adolescent peer group, at times is involved in deviant behaviour which it knows that the outside society disprove of, as well as the law. Such as underage drinking, smoking and sex.
This is were the friction begins, adolescents see society as excluded from their groups and something to rebel against, therefore society feels threatened by this exclusion, and through lack of understanding, acknowledge this as rebellious, antisocial behaviour. Young people are then perceived as troublemakers, and a threat to society, this can lead to a moral panic.
Moral panics, are often seen as widespread concern for a common enemy who has a so-called negative effect upon society, others however believe that moral panics are a by-product of an over imaginative media. The term “moral panic” refers to the alleged over-reaction of the mass media, police, local community leaders and society as a whole to delinquent offences, which are in fact relatively trivial, both in terms of the nature of the offence and the number of people involved. Whatever the view, moral panics do exist in society, however with each new decade, brings a new moral panic. Moral panics play on the fears of the society. The 1950’s were seen as the first real decade that had a visible ‘moral panic’; this was in the form of the Mods and Rockers.
The Mod was a product of working-class British adolescent of the mid-sixties. The popular perception of the mod was effeminate, stuck up, emulating the middle classes, aspiring to be competitive, snobbish and phoney. Nuttall , p. 333) The Mod image was one of neatness, and of coolness characterised by a scoter or moped. The British Rocker however wore black leather and studs and projected an “easy rider” image to each other. The non-riding rockers were greasers, and viewed as ‘bad boys’ who shared the motor-bikers scruffiness and aggressive working class masculinity. (Brake P.77) Each bank holiday, they would descend onto Brighton and meet on the pier were fights and vandalism were a regular occurrence, this in turn sparked the media to report it as a moral panic. Thus sending shockwaves throughout the country, that the youth were having a negative effect upon the country as a whole, and something needed to be done before it escalated out of control. This gave adolescents at the time a appalling reputation, in the wider society, and they were considered to be a serious threat and a social problem.
The friendships that occur during adolescence become more stable, and intimate, than previous friendships they have had. Adolescents spend more time talking to their friends, and describe themselves as more happy doing so, than in any other activity. (Csikszentmihalyi, Larson, and Prescott, 1977) Adolescents that do not bond with others are viewed by society as “strange”, in the sense that during the teenage years, more so than probably any other life stage, it is important to form friendships with people not only from the same sex, but also the opposite sex. Evidence by (Josselson & Greenberger 1977) suggest that those who don’t make friends, during their teenage years, experience emotional problems, and find it difficult to relate to others, in addition to this, they find it difficult to have a meaningful relationship with someone from the opposite sex, as they cannot comprehend the importance or complexity of what it is like to bond with someone. When these particular people end their teenage years, they are perceived by society as weird or eccentric, possibly reinforcing that label that was placed upon them by society during adolescence.
The teenage years are years where sexual encounters usually first occur. Sex is no longer regulated to adulthood by cultural definition, and is clearly part of adolescent behaviour, however, increases in both teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, has led to society’s continued reluctance to accept sexual behaviour in adolescents. However, although society frowns upon single parents and sex before marriage, the emphasis that is placed upon teenagers, both directly as well as indirectly is that “one most have sex appeal” (Human Development 270) This therefore provides adolescents with mixed messages and therefore, it ultimately leaves them in the position to chose what they want to do, which the majority of the time, conflicts with what their parents and teachers etc. want. E.g. Short skirts, make up, alcohol.
This leads to more social problems, in the sense that when there is an apparent rise in the underage pregnancy rate, church leaders, schools, and youth leaders are outraged, at the lack of morals of the youth of today. Conveniently forgetting that sex is drummed into them, from an early age, through advertising, television, magazines etc.
Many parents worry when their teenage child finds it difficult to talk to them and keeps things from them. Parents often feel they have failed when their seemingly happy teenager becomes withdrawn, and spends a lot more time with their peer group, than they do with their family. However teenagers need this space, as well as distance in order to interact and bond with friends. Parents become marginalized, in the sense that they are no longer viewed as important and essential to them in everyday life, as they were when they were younger. Fortunately, most parents can remember what it was like to be that age, and do sympathise to an extent with them, realising that their children will grow out of their teenage years with a different outlook on their family, as well as society as a whole.
Overall, this essay examined how adolescence, is a crucial time for an adolescent growing up in a society which expects so much, yet imposes so many restrictions. It investigated Davis’ (1990) claim that “scrutiny of adolescence rests on a generalised image that constructs them as a social problem”. It examined why there is such negativity often aimed towards adolescents’ and found that perhaps through lack of understanding, and possibly ignorance, the wider society often forgets what it was like to be that age. In addition to this, adolescents’ in this day and age are bombarded and teased with images and temptations through the media, and it is only inevitable that these young people are temped and do deviate from what society expects from them. Overall, adolescents need to appreciate that they can be perceived by society as a threat, and a social problem, through anti-social behaviour that they frequently might engage in. However, the wider society must bear in mind that they were young once, and that the stage of adolescence if fraught with uncertainty and anxiety, and that most emerge from adolescence fairly unscathed, and go on to lead normal lives.
Health, Development
& Social Change
