Developmental Psychology Term Paper
Essay Assignment 2
Rebecca’s Rebellion
1. Describe the changes in physical growth and development that she would have experienced in the past 3-4 years and how these changes could be impacting her current state. A number of factors have contributed to Rebecca’s current rebellion against her parents, most of them being normal and healthy parts of development. However, it would seem that one aspect of her physical development somewhat strayed from the normative; an issue that, according to several findings in the field of developmental psychology, has had a negative catalyzing effect on her body image, peer-acceptance, relationship with her parents, and overall emotional stability. This umbrella issue is Rebecca’s pubertal timing; specifically, the early onset of it relative to her peers. As cited in our textbook, from several different studies, “(E)arly-maturing girls were unpopular with -drawn lacking in self-confidence, anxious, and prone to depression, (...) were more involved in deviant behavior (getting drunk, participating in early sexual activity) and achieved less well in school.” This behavioral trend is mostly reflected in Rebecca, who as early as 10-11, hit a growth spurt that made her much taller and leaner, “such a notable growth spurt often signals the coming of menarche within a six month period,” and as early as 12 year old became both sexually attracted to men, and began developing an unhealthy self-image in the form of a perceived weight problem as a result of gained weight in the hips, “another common signal of menarche.”
The trend of early onset puberty in caucasian girls has been demonstrated to impact both body-image and self-esteem as a result of their awkward and differing appearance to their peers as well as the hormonal influenced emotional changes that are typical of early adolescence. Often a result of this desire for peer-acceptance, early-onsetters tend to gravitate towards older and more sexually matured individuals who match
Rebecca’s Rebellion
1. Describe the changes in physical growth and development that she would have experienced in the past 3-4 years and how these changes could be impacting her current state. A number of factors have contributed to Rebecca’s current rebellion against her parents, most of them being normal and healthy parts of development. However, it would seem that one aspect of her physical development somewhat strayed from the normative; an issue that, according to several findings in the field of developmental psychology, has had a negative catalyzing effect on her body image, peer-acceptance, relationship with her parents, and overall emotional stability. This umbrella issue is Rebecca’s pubertal timing; specifically, the early onset of it relative to her peers. As cited in our textbook, from several different studies, “(E)arly-maturing girls were unpopular with -drawn lacking in self-confidence, anxious, and prone to depression, (...) were more involved in deviant behavior (getting drunk, participating in early sexual activity) and achieved less well in school.” This behavioral trend is mostly reflected in Rebecca, who as early as 10-11, hit a growth spurt that made her much taller and leaner, “such a notable growth spurt often signals the coming of menarche within a six month period,” and as early as 12 year old became both sexually attracted to men, and began developing an unhealthy self-image in the form of a perceived weight problem as a result of gained weight in the hips, “another common signal of menarche.”
The trend of early onset puberty in caucasian girls has been demonstrated to impact both body-image and self-esteem as a result of their awkward and differing appearance to their peers as well as the hormonal influenced emotional changes that are typical of early adolescence. Often a result of this desire for peer-acceptance, early-onsetters tend to gravitate towards older and more sexually matured individuals who match