. .[They] correctly understand . . . that socialization is the most. . .morally important thing they will do in high school" (Brooks 2001:74-75, cited in lecture notes). Socialization requires adaptability and flexibility, which temperamentally-sensitive individuals lack and can make them more vulnerable to the stressors that all adolescents endure. Perhaps equally significantly, high-reactive adolescents recognized their challenges and rated themselves as more dour and serious than their peers who rated themselves as high on optimism. The biological tendency, once socially reinforced, became a kind of self-fulfilling prophesy for the high-reactive teens (Kagan 2010: 38).
Biological propensities to stress can be measured in both qualitative and quantitative ways. Quantitatively, brain scans subjects can demonstrate whether the regions of the brain associated with anxiety such as the amygdala, fire up when stimulated and the results can be compared between low-reactive and high-reactive subjects. Interviews, questionnaires, and self-perceptions of teens can also be assessed on a qualitative level. Comparing the anecdotal evidence of individuals who report high levels of anxiety and those who do not in terms of the reactivity of their brain enables scientists to demonstrate the clear impact of the physical structures of the brain on behavior, and also to analyze how there is interaction between the brain and development. Certain types of brains seem to have a greater propensity to 'fire off' anxiety-producing reactions than other brains, even when both are subjected to the same stimuli.
This example shows once again the complex interaction between nature and nurture. All human beings are subject to stressors simply by virtue of being human. The brain's structure propensity to react, depending on genetics and also the early environment of the developing child can create an adolescent who is more or less likely to react to stress in a particular fashion. Once patterns of reaction have been established, these habits become more and more difficult to break as they become ingrained responses within the individual's character (Kagan 2010: 42-43).
Anxiety can give rise to a host of different reactions, such as timidity, uncertainty of what behavior to display, and other behaviors which can increase the propensity of the adolescent to be rejected. Rejection sensitivity can actually create...
Matching students' interests with learning objectives will increase the chances of students' learning. They tend to use it and remember it long after. Using literature relevant to adolescents, for example, will raise their literacy and capacity to address contemporary issues affecting them. Reading materials about adolescents and for adolescents are another window into their world that teachers should be looking into. This is the time when they should read
Developmental Psych Kayla Huggins is 17 years old. Kayla's parents are James and Christine Huggins. An only child, Kayla provides a rich example of how one individual progresses through the various stages of psychosocial development. Her life highlights some of the key concepts of developmental psychology. Kayla's prenatal development was uneventful, as her parents were both healthy. Her early and middle childhood periods were characterized by a loving home environment and an
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