Question

G. Stanley Hall coined the term adolescence at the beginning of the twentieth century; thus, it is a relatively new developmental stage.

Discuss the societal changes and influences that produced the need for an adolescence stage.

How did the industrial revolution create a need for an adolescence stage?

What effects did the need for more education have on the teenage years?

Could modern society exist without an adolescence stage?

How might society change if teenagers were allowed to compete as equals with adults in the workforce?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of adolescence?

Why does society hurry individuals through childhood and then suspend them in a prolonged period of adolescence?

Answer 1

The period of adolescent is very important milestone for the development of human being. In this stage various changes occur which put a marked impression for the development of a human being. The societal changes are-

• In this time they have many peers. So their social desirability is great in this time.
• They feel identity crisis as they can not match themselves with the previous one.
• Autonomy at this stage is high.
• They start to take small responsibilities.
• They are now have their own societal circle.
• Self esteem starts to grow in this stage.

Before the industrial revolution, starting of 19th century, there was no concept of personality. Children use to learn from home and they had no formal education from school. After the industrial revolution many families shifted to the industrial countries. Also from that time it was mandatory for everyone to maintain a minimum attendance in primary schools as well as secondary schools. This revolution gave light to the concept of personality and the changes occur are known as adolescence.

There were many effects that did the need for more education have on teenage years-

• For industrial growth there were so many child labours. To stop it education was necessary
• For industrial growth education was important to handle the industries.
• Industrialization made people more sophisticated, so there was a need for basic education.

The stage of adolescence is a definitely needed one. In this stage children are not childish but they are not adult that they can take responsibilities. In this stage can do reproduction but not mature enough to take care of the baby. In this stage the go through various developmental processes which have a high rate of acceleration for a child's growth and develop him as an adult. In this stage they are not mature enough but also not immature. So this stage has a high impact for the development. For this, adolescence is needed.