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Social Transitions

Explore how society's definitions of adolescence impact social roles, identities, and transitions to adulthood. Learn about rites of passage, emerging adulthood, and psychosocial development in contemporary society.

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Social Transitions

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  1. Social Transitions Social Transitions Historically Common Practices in Social Redefinition Process Separation Transition Re-incorporation Rites of Passage Changes in Clarity & Continuity Contemporary Adolescence

  2. Socialization is… The process by which people acquire the behaviors and beliefs of their culture Socialization Outcomes • Self-regulation – ability to comply with social norms • Role preparation – for roles in work, gender, institutions such as marriage, parenthood • Cultivation of sources of meaning – “what’s important?” “What’s to be lived for?”

  3. Adolescence as a Social Invention • Adolescence defined primarily by being distinct from childhood or adulthood, not by cognitive and biological changes • Inventionists stress that because we perceive adolescence as distinct, it exists as a distinct period of the lifespan • Relative to other cultures and historical periods • Problems experienced during adolescence may be due to society’s definition of adolescence, not cognitive or biological changes

  4. Adolescence as a Social Invention • Roots in the Industrial Revolution • Young people excluded from labor force • Economic dependence on elders • Formal schooling is lengthened • New Terminology • Teenager • Youth • Emerging adulthood

  5. Emerging Adulthood • Arnett’s (1998) term for ages 18-25 caught between adolescence and adulthood, characterized by: • Exploring possible identities before making enduring choices • Unstable work, romantic relationships, and living situations • Focus on oneself and independent functioning • Subjective feeling of being caught between adolescence and adulthood • Subjective feeling that life holds many possibilities

  6. Social Redefinition • A time of change in social roles and status • How society defines adolescence • Contemporary society vs. traditional cultures • Implications for development • Identity, autonomy, responsibility, intimacy, sexuality, achievement

  7. Social Redefinition and Psychosocial Development • Identity • Attainment of adult status causes adolescent to feel more adult-like • Autonomy • Adult status leads to shifts in responsibility, independence, and freedom • Intimacy, dating and marriage • Need for new decisions about sexual activity • Achievement • Becoming a full-time employee; leave school of their own volition

  8. The Process of Social Redefinition • Contemporary America: Movement through a series of status transitions with a cohort over a period of years • Driving, purchasing alcohol, etc. • Generally begins at age 15 or 16 • Permission to drive, work, leave school • Voting, age 18 • Purchasing alcoholic beverages, age 21 • Timetable is affected by economics, politics, and culture

  9. The Process… • Three themes: • Separation • Transition • Reincorporation

  10. The Process… • Separation • Extrusion: Real or symbolic separation from parents

  11. Social Redefinition: Three Major Components • Transition • Separation of males and females • Brother-sister avoidance • Passing on of cultural, historical, and practical information • from the adult generation to the newly inducted cohort of young people

  12. The Process of Social Redefinition • Some societies mark social redefinition of the young person with a dramatic and elaborate initiation ceremony called a rite of passage • This often marks the beginning of a long period of training

  13. Social Redefinition: Rites of Passage • Cushion emotional disruption • Anchoring • Provides a sense of belonging to both individual and society • Inform • Individual and society • Attempt to provide clarity

  14. Social Redefinition • Reciprocity • Privileges and rights in exchange for good conduct • Change in status • Interpersonal • Political • Economic • Legal

  15. Changes in Status • Two-sided alteration in status • Given privileges/rights reserved for society’s adults • Increased expectations for • self-management • personal responsibility • social participation

  16. Four Major Changes in Status • Interpersonal • Political • Economic • Legal

  17. Changes in Interpersonal Status • Addressed with adult titles • Maintain new types of social relationships with • Parents and elders • Younger individuals whose status has not yet changed • New interpersonal obligations • Taking care of and setting example for younger members of family

  18. Changes in Political Status • More extensive participation in the community’s decision making • Voting (U.S. citizens) • Ceremonial life (Navajo people - formal initiation ceremony) • Expected to serve their communities in emergency and train for warfare

  19. Changes in Economic Status • May own property and maintain control over their income • Until age 16, belongs to parents • Until 18, cannot enter into legal contract like a car lease • Age is a prerequisite for employment in certain occupations • Child labor laws in the United States • Expected to pay taxes

  20. Changes in Legal Status • Ability to participate in activities typically reserved for adults • Gambling • Purchasing alcohol, smoking • Driving, voting • Expected to take increased responsibility for self-management and social participation

  21. Types of transitions I • Clarity – explicit markers of beginning and end of adolescence • Traditional cultures – ceremonies, initiations • Contemporary culture • Less of an emphasis on attainment of roles • Arnett (1998) – what defines adulthood? • Accept responsibility for consequences of actions • Financially independent

  22. Social Transitions: The Importance of Clarity • Lewin’s “Marginal man” • caught between two cultural systems and feel alienated by one or both . • threats to identity may lead to higher levels of deviance, excessive anxiety and psychiatric instability • Contemporary trends in status according to Arnett: • Less emphasis on attaining a specific role and more emphasis on self-reliance • Decline in importance of family roles • Similar criteria for males and females, fewer gender-typed role expectations

  23. Social Transitions: Clarity in Industrialized Societies • Given the absence of clarity • People of the same chronological age may feel more mature or less mature than age-mates • No clear indication of when adult responsibilities and privileges begin • How adolescents view themselves today • Less emphasis on attainment of specific roles • Less emphasis on importance of family roles • Fewer gender role differences

  24. Social Transitions: Clarity in Traditional Cultures • Social redefinition is clearly recognized • Formal initiation ceremony • Boys: timing of ceremony varies • Girls: timing usually linked to menarche • Physical appearance is often changed (clothing, circumcision) • Adults clearly differentiated from children

  25. Social Transitions: Clarity in Previous Eras • Baby boom generation (1950s-1960s) • Finishing school, moving out, getting married all occurred early and within narrow timeframe • Transition in the early 19th century was more disorderly and prolonged (like today) • School – viewed as children • Work – viewed as adults • Timetable depended on household/family needs

  26. Types of transitions II • Continuity – smoothness of passage into adulthood • Continuous • Gradual transitions, in which the adolescent assumes the roles and status of adulthood bit by bit • Assume new roles a bit at a time with lots of preparation and training • Discontinuous • Sudden transitions, in which the adolescent’s entrance into adulthood is more abrupt, with little or no training • Thrust into new roles with little preparation

  27. Continuity and Discontinuity • Modern society is very discontinuous • Little preparation for roles of worker, parent, citizen • Call to improve “school-to-work transition” • Youth apprenticeship model • Options for non-college-bound high school students • Make transition more like traditional cultures & previous eras

  28. Discontinuity • Socializing of adolescents for adult roles (worker, parent) – adequate? • Contributes to psychological and behavioral problems • Benedict – creates stress • Abrupt transitions • Teenage parents • School drop-outs • Moving out of family home

  29. The Transition into Adulthood in Contemporary Society Two trends are reshaping the transition • The transition period is getting longerPuberty occurs earlier and schooling lasts longer. • Success in the labor force is more dependent on formal schooling

  30. Contemporary Transitions • In all societies: • Adolescence is a period of social transition • The individual comes to be recognized as an adult • The social transition is less explicit in contemporary U.S. society than in traditional cultures Osgood, Ruth, Eccles, Jacobs, & Barber (2005)

  31. The Transition into Adulthood in Contemporary Society • Adolescents are living at home longer than ever before • 55% U.S. 20- to 22-year-olds • May be a result of increased costs of housing and transportation

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