Tensions That Young People May Face During Adolescence, Essay Example

Adolescence is a period of development familiar to some psychologists as a unique and significant period of a person’s life since at this stage, important physiological transformations happen, along with developmental changes in the areas of social, emotional, and cognitive development (Dillon 277). While some scholars agree that there is no specific age that marks the onset and end of adolescence, some theorists contend that it is generally a transitional stage in an individual’s life, which straddles between childhood (which ranges from an individual’s birth to a time he attains 18 years of age), and adulthood (or when the individual attains the age of 18 years and beyond). During this stage, rapid physical and emotional changes take place, which may bring about tensions in the young people’s lives. Indeed, Dillon (277-9) agrees will Hall’s (1904) perception that among the most identifiable propositions is that adolescence is marked by a phase of ‘storm and stress’, which generally refers to the idea that adolescence is a predominantly chaotic time for many people. It is in against this background that this essay argues that adolescence is a period of transition into adulthood that is inherently characterised by tensions because of volatile emotions, conflicting views, unruly behaviours, and pursuit of autonomy.

Adolescents are characteristically emotionally unstable. During adolescence, the young people tend to be emotionally unsteady, which trigger them to take unnecessary risks, including drinking and driving, or engaging in unprotected sex. They also tend to experience intense conflicts with their parents. In some circumstances, they may experience mood disruptions. These experiences are potential causes of tensions. It is at this age that natural tendency to get into a state of drunken stupor, even without having to use intoxicants or alcohol. Indeed, based on this assumption, Plato defines the period of transition as “spiritual drunkenness.” Additionally, the adolescents have a natural impulse to undergo hot and fervent states. Therefore, the period is marked by emotionalism (Dillon 277-80). Similarly, Hall (1904) based his assumption on the emotional unstableness of the adolescents to derive the phrase ‘storm and stress’ in reference to the young people’s tendency to show extremes of emotions. Hall noted some similar aspects in the thinking of the period and the psychological transition of the adolescents and suggested that adolescents tend to have intensified the conflict with parents, experience mood disruptions and take on risky behaviour.

Adolescents also tend to demonstrate unruliness or engage in the unruly behaviour. Indeed, based on Hall’s understanding of adolescence as a period of “unruly behaviour,” it is critical to suggest that adolescents undergo many tensions. Hall perceived such unruly behaviours as capable of being curtailed by the sound education system. Still, while Hall’s idea that the adolescents are characteristically unruly holds many bases, it is not exactly true, as some adolescents may not be actually unruly. In fact, this hugely relies on the cultural environment, family dynamics and individual experience. Still, since the adolescents face difficulties in handling their emotions, it could be reasoned that they are potentially vulnerable to being volatile in nature (Dillon 282-6). This assumption also points to their tendencies to engage in unruly behaviours once they find the right triggers. Hence, unlike other stages of development, such as childhood and adulthood, triggers like cultural environment, family dynamics, and individual experiences may make the adolescents highly volatile and open to violence.

Adolescents also face a situation where they tend to liberate themselves from their parents, and, therefore, become highly rebellious. Therefore, they seek more independence, desire to make own decisions and seek to live by an own set of principles of right and wrong. Failure to grant them the autonomy is an ingredient for tension. These also show the tension that characterises the lives of the adolescents. Indeed, Dillon (280) cites psychologist Albert Bandura, who challenged Hall’s notion of ‘adolescence as a turbulent age’ and instead, argued that during this stage, the adolescents seek to break themselves free from the direct control of their parents as they get to discover the world as being freer. On the other hand, their parents may reprimand their struggles to seek unnecessary autonomy. It is this form of conflict, which brings about tension during the adolescence period. Such conflict is what characterises the tensions in their adolescent life. Because of this, the adolescents are likely to become unpredictable and rebellious. However, Bandura challenges this notion and suggests that the prevalent view of adolescents as being rebellious and unpredictable is a creation of the media and that, when the adolescents are portrayed in these ways, it is what they actually become. Still, Bandura’s views can still be challenged, as the adolescents often demonstrated justice orientation, or a tendency to point out that they are right and that the adults are wrong (Dillon 287). They may, therefore, point to inconsistencies in the actions and words uttered by the adults. In which case, they see everything as an error and have a difficulty seeing shades of grey.

The adolescents also tend to think in abstract ways, which makes them vulnerable to tensions. While the development of the capacity to think about hypothetical scenarios and in abstract ways enables them to develop a moral perceptiveness of the world, it also enables them to build high expectations over others, particularly the adults. This may trigger conflicts between them and the adults who tend to be more rational and realistic (Holford 299-304). Essentially, the adolescents tend to become very cause-oriented. Their behaviour is consistent with their capacity to think about things in abstracts. After learning about certain celebrities, they want to behave like those celebrities, despite the potential for the behaviour to be inadmissible at home. Because of these developments, the adolescents exhibit a heightened degree of self-consciousness. They also tend to perceive that others are concerned with their behaviours and thoughts, which leads them to hold the notion that an “imaginary audience” always watches them. Apparently, they may believe that they are the first ever to experience their emotions and feelings. As a result, they may become excessively dramatic in their description of the things that upset them.

The adolescents also tend to become excessively dramatic in their description of the things they see as moral or right. This enables them to build unrealistic expectations of other. Failure to attain these expectations is a cause for tension. In this respect, moral development refers to the manner in which the young people begin to learn and appreciate the difference between what is right or moral and what is wrong or immoral. Basing on Piaget’s stage theory of cognitive development, psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg (1981) created a stage theory of morality, which describes the manner in which moral reasoning transforms through a three-level sequence. These levels become increasingly complex as individuals undergo through them. Piaget opined that compared to children, adolescents have the superior capability to handle problems with varied answers or solution. Piaget theory of discrete stages contends that adolescents begin to hypothesise and seek answers systematically then make decisions based on formal reasoning. Still, their unstable emotions may make their reasoning less rational. On the other hand, Kohlberg believed that unlike adults, the teenagers were yet to reach the highest levels of moral reasoning, which they could only achieve once they had simultaneously attained the greatest degree of cognitive development. Kohlberg suggested that adolescents and adults predominantly experienced a conventional stage of reasoning. During this stage, the adolescents judge the morality or rightness of actions through the comparisons they make to the societal views and expectations. Hence, they may tend to follow societal norms without questioning their rationality (Dillon 288-90).

Adolescence is a stage of social and personal development for an individual. Their pursuit of social relations and need to achieve personal ambitions may be excessively unrealistic and unwarranted, leading to tensions. During this transition period, the young people take part in different forms of social relationships. They also tend to come up with newer constructions of their self-identity. This leads to them creating different relationships or intimacy with their peers, parents, as well as other social groups of interest. Indeed, theorists like Erikson dubbed this period of transition the “stage of identity versus identity confusion,” as during this phase individuals are driven by the need to explore personal strengths and discover a weakness. Erikson’s psychosocial theory suggests that this is the stage of crisis, which requires resolution. Building on this, it could be reasoned that the adolescence stage marks a stage of tension, as one of the fundamental changes is that the adolescents demand much broader social life, seek more autonomy and are less likely to comply with the parental approvals. Rather than rely on parents and family, they rely on peers and friends for guidance, support, and information. Hence, they are vulnerable to negative peer pressure. Hence, the adolescents become constantly at odds with their parents. This assumption relates to stage three of Kohlberg’s theory of morality, where he argues that at this stage (of good girl or good boy orientation), the young people tend to acquire and seek approval of others in the society other than their family (Dillon 289-90). A potential for conflicting viewpoints between the family and the individual’s friends may cause tension.

Conclusion

As argued, adolescence is a period of transition into adulthood that is inherently characterised by tensions because of volatile emotions, conflicting views, unruly behaviours, and the pursuit of autonomy. Adolescents are characteristically emotionally unstable. During adolescence, the young people tend to be emotionally unsteady, which trigger them to take unnecessary risks, including drinking and driving, fighting or engaging in unprotected sex. They also tend to have intensified the conflict with parents, experience mood disruptions. Adolescents also tend to demonstrate unruliness or engage in unruly behaviour or forcefully seek autonomy, despite conflicting views from their parents or the society. The adolescents also tend to think in abstract ways, which makes them vulnerable to tensions. Unlike adults, their actions may not be rational, as a potential for conflicting viewpoints between the two parties may cause tension.

Works Cited

Dillon, Gayle. “Adolescence.” Cha 3

Hall, Stanley. “Adolescence: Its Psychology and Its Relations to Physiology, Anthropology, Sociology, Sex, Crime, Religion, and Education (vols.1 and 2).” D. Appleton and Co: New York, 1904

Holford, Naomi. “Transitions to adulthood.” Ch14

Kohlberg, Lawrence. The Development of Modes of Thinking and Choices in Years 10 to 16, PhD dissertation. University of Chicago: Chicago, 1958

Piaget, Jean. The Moral Judgment of the Child. Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner and Co: London, 1932