Early and Late Adolescence, Essay Example

In the pilot episode of the series 90210, “We’re Not in Kansas Anymore”, character Annie Wilson displays a number of hallmarks of the significant changes that take place in early adolescence. As she is already of high school age, it is not surprising that Annie displays the secondary sexual characteristics consonant with sexual maturation in the human female (Newman & Newman, 2012, pp. 339-340). She also hopes to ‘hook up’ with Ethan Ward, though she is foiled in this after she observes him receiving oral intercourse from another student—clear sign of relationship changes and changes in social interactions due to the awakening of libidinous urges (pp. 340-345).

Annie’s interactions with popular student and ‘it girl’ Naomi Clark also highlight the importance of peer groups in early adolescence (Newman & Newman, 2012, pp. 367-369). The ins and outs of high school politics, whereby Naomi tries to pit Annie against Silver, demonstrate the increasing complexity of peer group relationships in early adolescents, and the importance of membership in a clique. Peer pressure looms large, as does the conflict, experienced by typical early adolescents, between the desire to fit in and be accepted by their peers and the pressures of renegotiating relationships with parents. Case in point, when Harry and Debbie forbid Annie to attend Naomi’s birthday party, and Annie absconds to attend the party anyway—a fact which is discovered by Harry and Debbie, ironically enough, after reconsidering their decision to allow her to attend. Teens attending mixed-sex parties is an important part of American cultural context here. As Short and Rosenthal (2008) explained, for girls the onset of puberty is indeed correlated with more detachment from both parents, and greater conflict with their mothers in particular, something that is clearly in evidence in this episode (p. 38). This is part and parcel of emotional maturation, since the adolescent’s emotions are becoming more complex, although greater maturity often tempers the antagonistic aspects of the relationship with parents.

References

Newman, B. M., & Newman, P. R. (2012). Development through life: A psychosocial approach (11^th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Short, M. B., & Rosenthal, S. L. (2008). Psychosocial development and puberty. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1135, pp. 36-42. DOI: 10.1196/annals.1429.011