Adolescence. Psychological characteristics of a teenager. methodological development
Adolescence. Psychological characteristics of a teenager
The crisis of 13 years is very often compared with the crisis of 3 years, only it is not aimed at the development of space and objective actions, but at the development of social space, the space of human relationships.
In the psychological literature, this stage is called the “second umbilical cord cutting” stage. The child separates from his parents and goes into his own world - the world of his peers.
1. Basic approaches to the problem of the crisis of adolescence Chronologically, adolescence is defined from 10-11 to 14-15 years. Teenager - (10 - 19). The main feature of this age is sudden, qualitative changes affecting all aspects of development. The process of anatomical and physiological restructuring is the background against which a psychological crisis occurs. The activation and complex interaction of growth hormones and sex hormones causes intensive physical and physiological development. The height and weight of the child increase, and in boys, on average, the peak of the “growth spurt” occurs at 13 years of age, and ends after 15 years, sometimes continuing until 17. In girls, the “growth spurt” usually begins and ends two years earlier (further, more slow growth may continue for several more years). Changes in height and weight are accompanied by changes in body proportions. First, the head, hands and feet grow to “adult” sizes, then the limbs—the arms and legs lengthen—and lastly the torso. Intensive skeletal growth, reaching 4-7 cm per year, outpaces muscle development. All this leads to some disproportion of the body, teenage angularity. Children often feel clumsy and awkward at this time. Due to rapid development, difficulties arise in the functioning of the heart, lungs, and blood supply to the brain. Therefore, adolescents are characterized by changes in blood pressure (blood pressure), increased fatigue, and mood swings; hormonal storm => imbalance. This state was successfully expressed by an American teenager: “At the age of 14, my body seemed to go crazy.”
Emotional instability increases the sexual arousal that accompanies the process of puberty.
2. Features of the social situation of development of adolescence The social situation of development represents a transition from dependent childhood to independent and responsible adulthood. A teenager occupies an intermediate position between childhood and adulthood. A teenager is no longer a child, but not yet an adult. This intermediate position causes a lot of trouble. Sometimes the door to the world of adults is slammed in front of the nose by the most significant adults themselves, with the motivation “you are still too young,” “your nose is not mature enough.” They, most often the parents, find themselves unprepared for the child’s new status in the family and society.
The contradiction of adolescence lies in the fact that the child strives to gain adult status and adult opportunities, but combined with avoidance of adult responsibility.
The internal crisis of self-esteem of a teenager arises in connection with the expansion and growth of opportunities and the preservation of child-school status.
3. The problem of leading activity in adolescence The leading activity of a teenager is communication with peers. The main trend is the reorientation of communication from parents and teachers to peers. A teenager, considering himself a unique person, at the same time strives to be no different in appearance from his peers. A typical feature of teenage groups is CONFORMITY - a person’s tendency to assimilate certain group norms, habits and values, and imitation. The desire to merge with the group, not to stand out in any way, which meets the need for security, is considered by psychologists as a mechanism of psychological defense and is called social mimicry.
4. Educational activity and cognitive development of adolescents Qualitative changes are taking place in the intellectual sphere: theoretical and reflective thinking continues to develop. At this age, a male view of the world and a female one appear. Creative abilities begin to actively develop. Changes in the intellectual sphere lead to an increase in the ability to independently cope with the school curriculum. At the same time, many teenagers experience learning difficulties. For many, studying takes a back seat.
5. Personality characteristics of adolescents 1. The central new formation of adolescence is the “sense of adulthood” - the teenager’s attitude towards himself as an adult. This is expressed in the desire for everyone - both adults and peers - to treat him not as a child, but as an adult. He claims equal rights in relations with elders and enters into conflicts, defending his “adult” position. The feeling of adulthood is also manifested in the desire for independence, the desire to protect some aspects of one’s life from parental interference. This concerns issues of appearance, relationships with peers, and perhaps studies. The feeling of adulthood is associated with ethical standards of behavior that children learn at this time. A moral “code” appears, prescribing for adolescents a clear style of behavior in friendly relations with peers. Every age is good in its own way. And at the same time, each age has its own characteristics and difficulties. Adolescence is no exception. On the one hand, this is the longest transition period, which is characterized by a number of physical changes. On the other hand, it is at this time that intensive development of the personality occurs, its rebirth.
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT OF A TEENAGER
But most of all, the characteristics of a teenager’s personal development are manifested in communication with peers (for, let us recall, the leading activity of this age period is intimately personal).
FRIENDSHIP. Every teenager dreams of a bosom friend. What about someone who could be trusted “100%”, like oneself, who would be betrayed. In a friend they look for similarities, understanding, acceptance. A friend satisfies the need for self-understanding. In practice, a Friend is an analogue of a psychotherapist. Most often, they are friends with a teenager of the same gender, social status, and the same abilities (although sometimes friends are selected by contrast, as if to complement their missing traits). Friendship is selective; betrayal is not forgiven. And coupled with teenage maximalism, friendships have a peculiar character: on the one hand, there is the need for a single, devoted friend, on the other, a frequent change of friends.
LOVE. Love at this age is less stable than youth. The leaders of the “pioneer camps” probably repeatedly noted one feature of teenage falling in love. For example, at the beginning of a shift a boy is in love with one girl, in the middle he is jealous of another, and at the end of the shift he exchanges phone numbers with a third. And after all, each of the relationships is quite serious intentions, in which the boy himself sincerely believes. But in reality it's not that simple. After all, often the object of love is generally divided:
- one girl is loved perfectly
— show relationships (walk) with another.
A significant role in the formation of a teenager’s personality is played by the REFERENCE GROUP - a group that is significant for the teenager, whose views he accepts. This could be a neighborhood group, a class, friends in a circle, or neighbors on the floor. This is when parents need to be especially attentive. After all, such a group is a greater authority in the eyes of the child than the parents themselves, and will be able to influence his behavior and relationships with others. And it is to the opinions of the members of this group that the teenager will listen. It is in it that he will try to establish himself.
V. A. Sukhomlinsky deeply noticed the main contradiction in the relationship between a teenager and an adult:
“Do not patronize me, do not follow me, do not bind my every step, do not wrap me in swaddling clothes of supervision and mistrust, do not remind me with a word about my cradle. I am an independent person. I don't want to be led by the hand. There is a high mountain in front of me. This is the purpose of my life. I see it, I think about it, I want to achieve it, but I want to climb this peak on my own. I'm already getting up, taking my first steps. And the higher my foot steps, the wider the horizon opens up to me, the more people I see, the more I get to know them, the more people see me. The magnitude and limitlessness of what is revealed to me makes me scared. I need the support of an older friend. I will reach my peak if I lean on the shoulder of a strong and wise person. But I am ashamed and afraid to say about it. I want everyone to believe that I will get to the top on my own, on my own.”
An adult must understand this complexity and inconsistency of a teenager’s inner world and build their relationship with him on the basis of this understanding. An adult should be a friend of a teenager, but a special friend, different from a peer friend. This is due not only to the difference in the social positions of an adult and a maturing person (one already has a certain range of responsibilities and the rights arising from them; the other is still trying to obtain these rights, having a rather vague idea of \u200b\u200bresponsibilities), but also by the special psychological function that must be performed by adult. An adult is a friend-leader. His task is to help a teenager get to know himself, evaluate his abilities and capabilities, and find his place in the complex world of adults.
Having an adult friend is the most important condition for normal development and the correct formation of a child’s personality in the most difficult period of his life. The need for an adult friend is very acute in a teenager. In the family, at school, in some other areas of communication - after all, he is looking for such a friend! And where he finds him, who he turns out to be, largely depends on what the atmosphere is in the family, what the microclimate of relationships surrounding the teenager is.
A teenager needs joint activities with adults. At the same time, they should have common interests and hobbies. The content of such cooperation can be very different. A teenager can be a parent's assistant in household chores. An adult can introduce a teenager to his activities and interests or share the interests and hobbies of the teenager himself. Passion for art, joint visits to cinema and theater, discussion of literary novelties, assistance in construction, modeling - this is not a complete list of those areas in which an adult can be together with a teenager. It must be emphasized that it is the joint activity of a teenager and an adult that gives rise to a commonality of experiences, feelings, moods, facilitates contacts with a teenager, and gives rise to emotional and spiritual intimacy. In joint activities, not only parents discover the character of their son or daughter, but children get to know their parents better. A teenager comprehends the complex spiritual world of adults, the depth of their thoughts and experiences, and learns a sensitive and caring attitude towards people. While giving a child a lot, parents have the right to ask a lot from him. He can and should be attentive to all family members. The atmosphere in the family should be such that sensitivity and responsiveness become a habit, a kind of need. Only in an atmosphere of mutual respect, mutual care and assistance, trust and sincerity, a respectful attitude towards people will become a habitual form of behavior for a teenager.
The mistake is made by those parents who, fearing that their children will be overloaded with their studies, release them from any responsibilities in the family. This is an extreme, leading, as a rule, to undesirable consequences: selfishness and neglect of work develop. When expanding the responsibilities of a teenager, we must not forget that he must have a certain, broader range of rights in the family than a junior schoolchild. The reason for this is its increasing capabilities. A teenager can participate in discussions of family and social affairs, in conversations and conversations about literature and art. Be respectful of his opinion. If he is mistaken, argue with him, but not about. The teenager is sensitive to the attitude of adults in the family towards him and is ready to actively defend his main right - the right to respect.
In adolescence, there is an increased interest in a person’s inner world, in his feelings and experiences. The teenager seeks to answer the question: what does it mean to be an adult? He draws parallels between his actions and the behavior of adults, begins to be intolerant of what he had not always paid attention to before: real or imaginary attempts by adults to infringe on his dignity or rights, the tone of an order or excessive manifestations of parental tenderness. He may be offended by either one or the other. Teenagers vigilantly notice individual mistakes and shortcomings of adults. At the same time, they are spontaneous and sincere; and if we, adults, honestly admit our mistake, and if necessary, apologize, then our authority will not suffer at all. Teenagers ask adults many questions and want to share many things with them. The indifference of adults is painful for them. Parents should show constant interest in the teenager’s studies, his work, hobbies, experiences and dreams and at the same time talk with him about his work, friends, interests. The lack of mutual trust not only offends the teenager, but also causes significant damage to his overall, spiritual development.
When a teenager comes to you with questions or doubts, do not tell him “no”, do not refer to being busy or lack of time. The child’s desire to have a heart-to-heart talk with his parents must be supported and strengthened in every possible way. The unsatisfied need to share innermost thoughts and experiences with his father or mother forces the teenager to look for a “confidant” outside the family. He may turn out to be a random person with a dubious reputation who will lead the teenager down the wrong path. In such cases, parents are forced to think about their relationship with their son or daughter because of any serious misconduct by their children. Sometimes it's too late.
Since adolescence is a period of intense self-esteem formation, it is very important that the family has the right attitude towards the child’s successes and capabilities. If praise leads to self-confidence and arrogance, then underestimating a teenager’s capabilities and abilities can lead to the development of passivity, isolation, and self-doubt.
You should treat the teenager’s inner world, his experiences, and hobbies with care and understanding. Know how to listen to a teenager, agree with him if he is right, and convince him if he is wrong. The demands made on the teenager must be reasonably justified. The choice of educational influences, means of reward and punishment should be determined by the wonderful formula proposed by A. S. Makarenko: “As many demands on a person as possible, but also as much respect for him as possible.”
Frankness and trust must be mutual, only then there will be no wall of omissions, secrets, or misunderstandings between you and the teenager. Helping a teenager grow up means taking care of the harmonious development of his personality: shaping his cognitive interests, developing abilities, nurturing moral qualities, developing physically
PROBLEM 1. “My child can’t HEAR me” Example “My 14-year-old daughter is completely out of control: she doesn’t react at all when I ask her to do something. Makes it look like I'm not even there. And I’m already tired of repeating: “How many times do I have to tell you?!” - still no answer. “Leave me alone!” - and even then he doesn’t always deign to say...” Is this a familiar story? What to do in such cases, how to “reach out” to your child? The following rules will help you:
Rule 1. When addressing a child, say less, not more. In this case, you increase the likelihood of being understood and heard. Why? But because children need more time to comprehend what they hear before answering something (they have a completely different speed of processing information than adults). Thus, if you ask your child a question or ask for something, wait at least five seconds - the child will absorb more information and, quite possibly, give an adequate answer. Try to speak briefly and precisely, avoid lengthy monologues. At this age, the child becomes more receptive if he knows that he will not have to listen to a whole lecture. For example: “Please clean up the closet before you go for a walk”, “Now you need to learn physics”, etc. Sometimes one reminder word is enough: “Cleaning!”, “Literature!”
Rule 2. Speak kindly, politely - as you would like to be spoken to - and... QUIETLY. A lowered, muffled voice usually takes a person by surprise, and the child will definitely stop to listen to you. It’s not for nothing that teachers use this technique so successfully to attract the attention of a raging class.
Rule 3. Be an attentive listener, do not be distracted by extraneous matters when your child is telling you something. Listen to him twice as much as you talk. Your growing child simply will not be able to become an attentive listener if he has no one to learn this from. Make sure that you yourself can serve as an example of what you require from your child (pay attention to how you listen to your husband, friends, family and, of course, the child himself).
Rule 4. If you are very irritated, you should not start a conversation. Your irritation and aggression will be instantly transmitted to your child, and he will no longer hear you. This is due to the fact that one of the psychological characteristics of this age is emotional instability, largely due to hormonal changes occurring in the child’s body.
Rule 5: Make eye contact with your child before you say anything. First, make sure he is looking at you and not away (if not, then ask him to look at you - this technique also works with adults, such as husbands). When you look into each other's eyes - the child is at your disposal, you can formulate your request or question. Doing this all the time when you need your child's attention will teach him to listen to you.
Rule 6. It is often difficult for teenagers to immediately switch their attention to your question, especially if they are busy doing something they really like. Moreover, the child may indeed not hear you (this is a feature of attention at this age). In this case, give warnings - set a time limit: “I want to talk to you in a minute, please take a break” or “I will need your help in two minutes.” In this case, the established time interval should not exceed five minutes, otherwise the teenager will simply forget.
PROBLEM 2. “Rudeness, disrespect for elders. My child is IRRITATE all the time” Example “My son is 13 years old, he grew up as a kind and calm well-mannered boy. Now, according to him, he completely feels like an adult, but with this adulthood, completely new features have appeared in him - he stopped obeying, is rude all the time, argues, no matter what he is told. All I hear is: “Yeah, now!”, “Don’t tell me!”, “What do you even understand?”
The psychological reason for this behavior: the need to feel like adults. There is a desire to feel like an adult, but there is no true adulthood yet. A teenage child cannot yet enjoy the privileges that the status of an adult gives a person, but has already lost the advantages that he had in childhood. So the teenager doesn’t know how to show his “maturity”, and finds the easiest way - rudeness, impudent phrases that he could not afford before. And here it is very important for parents to behave correctly, so as not to just yell and “crush” with authority, but to correct the situation.
Rule 1: If your child is rude, point it out to him right away so that he always knows that he has crossed the line. Direct your comments at the child's behavior, not at the child's personality. For example: “When I talk to you, you roll your eyes. This is a sign of disrespect. You don’t have to do that anymore,” “Telling me to “leave you alone” when I’m talking to you is unacceptable. Try to make sure that I don’t repeat this again.” Rule 2. Learn to speak with your child as equals, don’t coddle or suppress - let him feel your importance so that he doesn’t look for other ways to get this feeling. Consult with him more often on various family issues - it is possible that he will offer some fresh solution, and there is no need to be rude in such a situation, moreover, rudeness here will look childish.
Rule 3. Explain to your child what is right and what is wrong, what is possible and what is not. Do not think that the child himself knows how to behave correctly. He still really needs your authority. Just try to do this not in the form of a moral lesson, but during a friendly conversation, or even better, using the example of your own experience.
Rule 4. Try not to get into arguments. There is no need to sigh demonstratively, shrug your shoulders, show that you are angry, persuade, swear - such tactics only aggravate such behavior. Practice shows that teenage children stop being rude and insolent when they see that this is ineffective in attracting the attention of adults. So stay neutral and don't respond. For example, look at something distantly, and if that doesn’t help, lock yourself in another room. Just refuse to continue the conversation while the child is being rude, and do this ALWAYS.
Rule 5. Even if a teenager behaves incorrectly and rudely, reprimand him only face to face, and not in the presence of other adults or teenagers. Teenagers are VERY sensitive to any criticism addressed to them, and this can lead to pronounced oppositional behavior and will only increase rudeness.
PROBLEM 3. “My child lies all the time” Example “My son lies to me all the time - for any reason, in situations where this could not have been done. Even in small things, just like that. Indeed, in many cases, lies immediately come to light, and he understands this. And he still lies! Why?"
Reason: Unfortunately, in adolescence, lying, especially if it happened before, becomes more habitual for the child, he lies more often. In communication with adults, this manifests itself because there are more and more secrets from parents, and, consequently, reasons to deceive. In communication with peers - to embellish your qualities, capabilities and abilities. It’s very bad when this becomes a habit, and the statement “It will go away on its own” is clearly inappropriate here. You need to try to gently, delicately, but decisively wean your child from lying.
Rule 1: Assume honesty and demand truthfulness. Constantly explain your attitude towards honesty: “Everyone in our family should be honest with each other.” But before that, analyze what example of honesty you yourself set. Do you use “white” lies yourself? Have you asked your child to answer the phone that you are not at home when you are, etc.
Rule 2. Try to identify possible reasons for deception. As a rule, a teenager begins to lie primarily in order to attract the attention of parents, adults, and friends. In second place is envy, despair, resentment or anger. And the third is fear of punishment or fear of letting parents down. Moreover, a direct question on this topic does not work: he, as a rule, himself does not know exactly the real reasons. Analyze for yourself: when did the lying begin, to whom does he lie - to everyone or only to some? Rule 3. Despite the fact that your child is no longer a baby, continue to explain to him why lying is bad. Give compelling arguments, accompanying them with clear examples close to the child’s age: lying can lead to trouble, often very big; your reputation also suffers, your peer group stops trusting you (in adolescence this has a very big impact); deception offends, especially those closest to you, etc. Ask questions that will help the child understand for himself what such behavior can lead to, and wait for an answer. For example: “If you don’t keep your word, how can I trust you?” etc.
Rule 4. Remember that teenagers most often lie to get attention. Based on this, try not to react too harshly to exaggeration or distortion of the truth. If your child did exactly this, try to remain calm - your screaming and lamentation will only make him want to run away, but not become honest. Rule 5. Introduce a “fine” for lying. Moreover, choose a method so that your child, as a result of using it, will no longer want to cheat. For example, let him, every time he cheated, write an apology to the “victim” - mother, father, etc. (it will be useful for you to read what is written in order to understand your child).
Problem 4. “Constant desire for power” Example “Our 13-year-old daughter began to boss all her friends and believes that everything should be just the way she wants. She decides for herself what film she and her friends will go to the cinema to see, and achieves this as soon as she can, even if not everyone is in favor; she tells who it is better to be friends with or not to be friends with - because SHE doesn’t like it. At first I reassured myself that this was not bad, all the makings of a leader, but now it goes beyond all limits. I see: if she doesn’t stop, then because of this excessive self-confidence she will lose all her friends.” Psychological reason: the desire to dominate in adolescence is most often caused by an increased need for approval, low self-esteem (a very common companion of puberty) and simply a lack of communication skills. “If I manage to achieve my goal, it means it’s good, it means my friends respect me,” the teenager reasons.
Of course, you are not able to radically change the child’s domineering spirit, but you can teach him to take into account the opinions of others.
Rule 1. Carefully understand the teenager's behavior. Whatever the reason for his domineering behavior, the main thing is that he is aware of it.
Rule 2. Seize the moment when a child behaves correctly and praise him (don’t be surprised, this method is equally effective for primary schoolchildren and teenagers) - encouragement always encourages them to behave this way more often.
Rule 3: Commanders must be made clear that their behavior is disrespectful and often hurtful. Therefore, invite your child to “change the role”: “Imagine that you are..., to whom a friend constantly dictates what to do, what not to do, what is possible and what is not. What do you think she's thinking about right now? what does he feel? young woman
Rule 4. Explain that you need to take turns. It’s good to always be first, but you shouldn’t harshly suppress and infringe on those around you. After all, although in his small circle he is a commander, it is possible that in the new one he will be considered an upstart. Explain to him that in many cases, in order to be recognized first, you must first be able to “get in line”; it is much more important to be able to control mood swings, be able to wait and respect the queue.
Rule 5: Explain to your child that “commanding” also means taking responsibility for your commands. The “leader” must understand and even feel what actions of the group are best suited for its members. He must care about the group as a whole and about each person in particular. Even if this sometimes in a particular case goes against the personal desires of the leader. Only then can the “commander” become a real Leader, the Leader of a successful group that respects its leader.
Conclusion. We have examined only a small part of the problems that parents experience when communicating with teenagers. We will definitely return to discuss this topic on the pages of our website. In the meantime, we would like parents raising a teenage child to understand that being a teenager is very difficult. Filled with energy released in powerful physiological changes, obsessed with the emerging need for independence, full of expectations for future success in a big life, the teenager goes through the most difficult trials in search of his own paths in a new world for him. No matter how hard it is for you, do not leave him alone on this part of his life’s path, become his “guide.” The difficult life period will pass, and the child will never forget your help.
Good luck to you and your children, who are no longer children at all, but not yet adults.
Brain Development
According to neuroscience research, the brain of a young child is very plastic. This allows the baby to quickly adapt to external conditions, actively grow and develop. Plasticity decreases every year, but in adolescence (from 10 to 15 years) it is still quite high. This period is the last opportunity to create new and strengthen existing neural connections that will determine the rest of a person’s life.
What is instilled in a teenager at this time will remain with him forever. That is why it is important in what environment a child grows up, what principles and norms are instilled in him.
It is extremely important for girls in puberty to be given the correct guidelines that will guide her throughout her life. These are the principles of independence, self-respect, the basics of emotional intelligence, healthy self-esteem, ambition, etc.
Daughter's relationship with father
Paradoxically, it is the father who influences the formation of femininity in his daughter. Watching him, the girl notices their differences and understands that she is not like her dad. From her mother she draws models of behavior, and from her father the ability to apply them in different situations. Dad instills in his daughter the basic template of men, as well as the principles of harmonious coexistence between women and men within the family. He is an unquestioned authority, support and protection.
If a girl is unlucky with her father (for example, he leads a destructive lifestyle), there is a risk that in the future she will subconsciously strive for similar men.
A bunch of negative attitudes received in adolescence will leave an imprint on her future life. Therefore, it is very important that the girl has a positive example of a man next to her. Even if not a father, but a stepfather, older brother, uncle or grandfather.
Daughter's relationship with mother
For a girl, a mother is an absolutely omnipotent person. They are of the same gender, which means they have common interests. Their friendships are built on this basis. If a wise mother “turns off” her authoritarianism or hyperprotection in time, this harmonious union will last a lifetime.
Rivalry can be the basis for conflict. A daughter may be jealous of her father and mother and fight for his attention. And mothers may unconsciously envy the beauty and youth of their daughters. There are other extremes - the mother’s desire to tie the child to herself or, conversely, to push her away early and send her off into free swimming.
Relationships with the opposite sex
Due to the imbalance in the development of girls and boys of the same age, girls often pay attention to older boys. They are more developed physically and psychologically, they are interesting and fun to be with. The girl is ready to do anything to attract the attention of the object of her affection. Sometimes even to not entirely reasonable actions. Defiant behavior, makeup that resembles makeup, and revealing outfits are common tools for attracting a boy’s attention.
In girls' groups, tension increases due to competition between friends who do not share the same guy.
Intrigues and gossip appear. Parents should teach their daughter to behave correctly in such situations: not to succumb to provocations, not to encourage bullying, and be sure to report if bullying has affected her.
Body change
In her book “On the Side of the Teenager,” F. Dolto wrote: “We can say that we are born twice: the first time to exist, the second to live; the first time we find ourselves in space, the second time we find gender.” The girls are surprised to observe the metamorphoses that occur in their bodies. It is actively growing, the face loses its usual childlike contours, cheekbones stand out, and a clearer contour appears at the chin and lips.
Breasts begin to grow. This process is painful both from a physiological and psychological point of view. Girls even try to wear baggy clothes to hide their growing breasts. Any touch to her causes discomfort, the child slouches and becomes irritable. It is very important to choose the right teenage underwear made from soft fabric without seams to reduce discomfort.
Menarche - first menstruation
11-12 years is the time of the first menstruation. The mother’s task is to prepare her daughter for this event. Tell us why it happens and how to maintain hygiene during menstruation. If in the first days of menstruation the child feels severe pain in the abdomen, the gynecologist will select safe painkillers.
Psycho-emotional sphere
A teenage girl's emotions depend on a number of factors. Hormonal storms increase stress levels. And it provokes irritability. Changes in the body give rise to complexes, which leads to isolation. There is a strong desire to fit in with peers and a search for sexual identity.
Against this backdrop, the need to define gender norms is growing. Girls ask questions: “Who am I?”, “What is my role in society?”, “What can I do and what is unacceptable/prohibited.”
Throwing between extremes is characteristic of late adolescence - from 14 to 16 years. Girls explore boundaries, test themselves and their parents' strength. They are anxious, suspicious, rebel with or without reason.
There is a risk of emotional and behavioral disorders. Girls often develop eating disorders. The imposed stereotypical images of Instagram beauties force you to refuse food or go to the other extreme - eat junk food in large quantities.
4.3.3.Teenager and media
Modern media carry extremely diverse, multifaceted information without taking into account the characteristics of the audience.
Diagram 3. Sources of information for schoolchildren
Our survey showed that students use the Internet as the main source of information about events in the world. 80% of respondents indicated that they receive information about world events through the Internet, 8% from radio and 54% through television.
The survey found that high school students get their news from a variety of news sites. All the major news sites have the same amount of traffic from high school students.
In educational terms, researchers identify the following functions of the media as significant:
- Recreational (defines leisure time, both group and individual);
- Relaxation - relieves the feeling of loneliness, serves as a means of distraction in case of complications in communication.
- Information and educational - Print, television, radio, cinema are focused on the need of people to obtain a variety of facts and data about interesting phenomena and social events.
- Normative - With the help of the media, norms and patterns of behavior in society are promoted, a system of values is approved, in this regard, the media act as an important social regulator of people's life.
- Integrative - The media unite the masses around ideas, contribute to the formation of common views, positions, assessments of certain events among people and create a psychological tone in society.
- Entertainment-compensatory - Relaxing in front of a TV screen, in a movie, with a magazine in your hands allows you to relax after a working or school day, change your emotional background and at the same time get a charge of vivid sensations and impressions that are missing in real life. This function of the media is especially significant for adolescence and young adulthood.
- Background - Radio, television, sound recordings allow many people to avoid loneliness.
The results of numerous studies allow us to conclude that the impact of information technology on humans has not been fully studied. In recent decades, the interest of many scientists has been drawn to the problem of the impact of television on teenagers, who spend a lot of time watching TV shows, movies and advertising. These television and video products are replete with various effective techniques for persuasion and imposition of a certain opinion - sound, music, bright images, the image of idols, actors, slogans, vocabulary of modern youth, fashionable life and others. Unlike an adult, a teenager cannot always classify incoming information into “good” and “bad.” Scenes of violence that abound on many television channels gradually lead to the fact that human life in the eyes of a mentally fragile teenager is devalued.
The psyche of a teenager during this period is very unstable, so he cannot always objectively assess the situation offered by these programs. A young man copies the actions of on-screen characters, transfers them into his life, thereby forming and developing interests, ideals, relationships with others, attitude towards the world and its values, based on the actions of the characters on the screen.
First love
Short-term romantic interests (fleeting crushes) develop into a desire to find true love. If earlier the objects of passion could change three times a week, then by the age of 15-16 a girl is already more conscious about her chosen one. Her emotional attachment is so strong that it consumes all thoughts and feelings. For her, literally only HE exists. And parents, girlfriends, school remain somewhere in the background.
Romantic relationships inspire a girl to be creative. She writes poetry and stories, composes music, and draws pictures. Her works are still childishly imperfect, but they carry powerful energy. This is how the girl realizes her inner potential, which love gives her.
The fragility and tenderness of first feelings is something that must be protected and respected. First of all, to the girl’s parents. If they forbid her to see her lover, she should be prepared for rebellion, depression, hysterics, leaving home and, in difficult cases, suicide attempts.
Assessing your own appearance
Doubts about one's own attractiveness are a typical problem for teenage girls. Any flaw in appearance, objective or fictitious, becomes a source of complexes. Regardless of what natural qualities a daughter has, her parents should support the belief that she is the most beautiful. And under no circumstances should you make fun of your shortcomings. Any feature of appearance should be presented as a highlight, a feature of personal charm.
A mother, older sister or friend becomes a guide to the world of beauty and fashion.
She tells how to use cosmetics, choose beautiful and trendy outfits and accessories. It is important to instill in a girl the skill of taking care of herself, playing sports, eating right, and maintaining hygiene.
