Introduction

Adolescence is the most difficult and complex of all childhood ages. It is also called transitional, because during this period there is a kind of transition from childhood to adulthood, from immaturity to maturity, which permeates all aspects of a teenager's life. The successful formation of a child, a teenager, and subsequently a young person as a person, determines not only his inclusion in public life, but also finding his own niche.

Features of the development of a teenager

Adolescence is the age from 10-11 to 15 years. Adolescence is called the transitional age, because during this period there is a kind of transition from childhood to adulthood, from immaturity to maturity. In this sense, a teenager is half a child and half an adult: childhood has already passed, but maturity has not yet arrived. The transition from childhood to adulthood permeates all aspects of the development of a teenager and his anatomical, physiological, and intellectual, and moral development, and all types of his activities: educational, labor and play.

In adolescence, the conditions of life and activity of a schoolchild seriously change, which leads to a restructuring of the psyche, breaking the old, established forms of relationships with people. Schoolchildren move on to a systematic study of the foundations of science. And this requires a higher level of their mental activity: deep generalizations and proofs, understanding of more complex and abstract relationships between objects, the formation of abstract concepts. The schoolchild significantly changes his social position, his position in the team. The student begins to play a much greater role in the school and family, he begins to make more serious demands on the part of society and the team, on the part of adults.

The most important fact of the physical development of adolescents is puberty, the beginning of the functioning of the gonads. The onset of puberty to a large extent depends on national ethnographic and climatic factors, as well as on the characteristics of individual life (health status, past illnesses, nutrition, work and rest schedule, environment, etc.). Most boys mature sexually by the age of 15, and girls - by 13-14 years. Despite the fact that the body becomes sexually mature by the age of 13-15, it is, of course, impossible to talk about physical, and even more spiritual, ideological, social, civic maturity at this age.

Development of thinking. In the process of learning, the thinking of a teenager is very noticeably improved. The content and logic of the subjects studied at school, the change in the nature and forms of educational activity form and develop in him the ability to actively, independently think, reason, compare, draw deep generalizations and conclusions. The teacher's trust in the mental abilities of a teenager is the best possible match for the age characteristics of his personality.

Development of observation, memory, attention. In the process of learning, a teenager acquires the ability for a complex analytical and synthetic perception of objects and phenomena. Perception becomes planned, consistent and comprehensive. The adolescent no longer perceives only what lies on the surface of phenomena, although here much depends on his attitude to the perceived object. Lack of interest, indifference to the material - and the student strikes with the superficiality, lightness of his perception. A teenager can conscientiously look and listen, but his perception will be random.

Teen labor. As a rule, teenagers are very willing to work. Firstly, this expresses such a striking age feature as the activity of adolescents. Secondly, in serious work they get the opportunity to realize the feeling of adulthood that is forming in them, and the guys value this opportunity very much. Thirdly, work usually takes place in a team, and the significance of life and work in a team for a teenager is very high. Thus, the labor activity of adolescents is an activity that fully meets their age characteristics and needs. The observed cases of laziness, evasion of work, ignoring one's work duties, negligent attitude to work assignments are exclusively the result of improper education.

Labor makes it possible to form in adolescents the skills of independent planning, which is directly related to the development of independent thinking. Therefore, it is important that adolescents do not always receive ready-made instructions on how to perform and the sequence of individual labor operations, but establish this on their own, analyzing the work assignment they have received.

In shaping the personality of a teenager, the teacher must rely on the emotionally colored desire, which is extremely characteristic of a teenager, to actively participate in the life of the team. The acquisition of experience in collective relationships directly affects the development of the personality of a teenager. The team develops a sense of duty and responsibility, the desire for mutual assistance, solidarity, the habit of subordinating personal interests, when necessary, to the interests of the team. The opinion of the group of peers, the group's assessment of the actions and behavior of a teenager are very important for him. As a rule, the public assessment of the class team means more to the teenager than the opinion of teachers or parents, and he usually reacts very sensitively to the friendly influence of the group of comrades. Therefore, making demands on a teenager in a team and through a team is one of the ways to form his personality.

The attraction of adolescents to the team is often expressed in the fact that they organize street, courtyard companies. Most of these groups are stable formations led by older guys - boys 17-20 years old. Of course, not all such companies should cause a wary attitude on the part of educators. But in any case, it is necessary to look closely at them, observe and try to draw them into the sphere of influence of public organizations.

It is necessary to single out a number of important directions in which the development of the individual is going. This is an intensive formation and development of: a) moral (moral) consciousness, 6) self-awareness, c) a sense of adulthood and d) communication activities.

Thus, adolescence covers the period from 11-12 to 15 years. During these years, a restructuring of the whole organism takes place. Therefore, adolescence is called the transitional age. At this time, intellectual, moral and physical forces are actively developing. A modern teenager strives to comprehend himself and the world around him, has a wide range of spiritual needs, interests and hobbies. A teenager is distinguished by an increased interest in his inner world, his strengths and capabilities, in life goals. The desire of a teenager to actively influence himself does not always coincide, and sometimes even conflicts with his habits, spontaneously arisen desires. The result is disorganization and indiscipline. An important feature of adolescent thinking is criticality, especially in relation to the statements of adults. There is a desire to understand life itself. This feature of a teenager's thinking contributes to the development of independent views and beliefs, which is important in the development of his personality. Physical development at this age is characterized by intensive growth of the body in length. Therefore, the teenager looks long, narrow-chested, awkward. This affects his posture and gait.

Learn about the peculiarities of adolescence, get acquainted with recommendations for parents on how to survive and not lose touch with a child during this difficult period of life for the whole family.

Adolescence(it is also called middle school age) - the period of a person's life from 11 to 14 years, a period of mentally unstable, contradictory, transitional. Sometimes it can be called a crisis, but it is individual. The timing of human development during this period depends on individual characteristics. The period proceeds very rapidly, and not only for a teenager, but also for his environment (parents, teachers, relatives).

What are the characteristics of adolescence

1. The lines of mental and physical development do not run in parallel, although at the same time. This means that mental development may not keep pace with the development of the physical body, or vice versa, outstrip it.

2. Emotional instability. This is a feature of adolescence. Experiencing adolescence crisis can be accompanied by deep sadness, a feeling of brokenness, complete passivity due to a hormonal storm. Emotional instability is aggravated by sexual arousal.

3. Increase in the phenomena of puberty (puberty). Puberty is associated with endocrine changes in the body, which is accompanied by a complex intensive physiological development. During this period, the height and weight of the child can increase dramatically. The limbs, the size of the hands and feet are lengthening, the growth of the skeleton is ahead of the growth of muscle mass and tissues. This explains the stoop of adolescents. As a result, problems with blood vessels may occur, dizziness, headaches may appear, because. The heart can't keep up with the bones.

A sudden change in the map of the body in space is not yet assimilated, children in adolescence feel clumsy, they knock cabinets with their heads, they cut their fingers when cutting bread, etc. Sports activities are good at this age: swimming, trampolining, running, basketball, etc.

4. Hypertrophied significance of the image of the physical "I"."Physical Self" is a representation of external attractiveness. Evaluation of qualities occurs through the prism of values ​​accepted in the family and among peers. Girls who consider themselves ugly will try to act as very smart and competent, compensating for their external lack. Boys emphasize their masculinity as much as possible (spit over their shoulders, walk with an imposing gait, etc.), in girls, the desire to emphasize their femininity is manifested in the desire for cosmetics and other “female things”.

In this case, there may be overweight or, on the contrary, thinness, acne on the face, sweat stains under the armpits. Fat girls begin to limit themselves in food, and then overeat, because the hormonal restructuring of the body will still “require its own”. This is how bulimia develops. Girls with intensive breast growth stoop, others, on the contrary, can put something in their underwear. All these tricks from self-doubt.

Tactless remarks, shouts of adults exacerbate pessimism and additionally neuroticize the child. Therefore, during this period, special requirements are important for the culture of relations with children, for their developing sexuality in the family. For adolescents with delayed sexual development, it is important to stand on the same rank with an adult intellectually; such children are characterized by better development of volitional qualities, since they are forced to argue and prove their adulthood in disputes with teachers and parents.

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In the image of the “physical I”, instability may appear due to an inaccurate joke of an adult or a peer: “legs are like threads”, “a horse will jump between the legs”, etc., while self-esteem may be shaken, this will lead to self-doubt, and then to passivity, despair.

5. The neoplasm of age is the feeling of adulthood. Young people begin to treat themselves as adults, this is a form of self-awareness. They begin to demand an appropriate attitude from their parents. However, a teenager is still far from adulthood, both physically and mentally. At the same time, all adult forms in romantic relationships are copied: correspondence in SMS, dates, etc.

It is very painful at this age that parents reject the interests of a teenager.(“listens to the wrong music”, “dresses in a wrong way”, “chooses expensive things, phones”, etc.) Judgment of parents and other significant adults is perceived very painfully, because the child believes that he is not taken seriously.

Feeling like an adult, the child sees the privileges of rights, so teenagers begin to defend them intensely, and sometimes aggressively. At this age, there is still no understanding that rights entail duties, that these are interdependent concepts. Therefore, it is important and useful to charge the child with some household duties (for example, take out the trash, buy bread, clean up the house, wash the floors, pick up the younger brother or sister from the kindergarten, etc.), after which you can have conversations about rights. Such a position contributes to the development of adulthood.

6. Personality features. The personality at this age is unstable, contradictory, opposing tendencies and traits struggle with each other and coexist in the personality of a teenager. A child can be selfish and at the same time devoted and self-sacrificing, it can be rude, but at the same time very vulnerable; pessimism is replaced by optimism, romanticism by unusual cruelty, asceticism by debauchery of small levels.

7. Communication with peers becomes the leading activity at this age. In adolescence, the phenomenon of friendship appears, which acts as a psychological support for the child. In teenage microgroups, there may be an illegal image of honor: for example, to keep secrets, to be on the side of “their own”, even if they are wrong, etc. Violations of the code can be severely punished.

The “I-concept” is being formed, i.e. a system of images, ideas about oneself, a teenager discovers his inner world, friendship is the identification mechanism.. Friendship among teenagers is always same-sex, they are friends, as a rule, with their “mirror”, with someone who is very similar to a teenager and allows them to recognize themselves better. Similar interests, appearance, success in school, the level of intellectual abilities, social behavior.

The need to understand oneself gives rise to the confession of communication - this is keeping diaries, revealing secret secrets to a friend (girlfriend), terrible scary secrets, etc.

8. Hobbies. Those are chosen that will increase the sense of adulthood and a sense of independence from parents, their opinions. The child wants to separate from adults even in the choice of hobbies. Can quit dancing, music school, wrestling, etc., everything that was "imposed" by parents.

Hobbies (according to A.E. Lichko) can be:

- intellectual, aesthetic(love for interesting activities: history, literature, technology, etc.);

- egocentric(by type they can be both intellectual, their main goal is to attract attention to themselves with their successes. The child strives to stand out with originality, looking for hobbies in which he will be the most talented, most successful);

- bodily-manual(associated with the intention to strengthen one's strength, endurance. These are all types of sports activities: wushu, wrestling, etc. Pleasure brings not only the result, but also the process itself);

- cumulative(this is collecting in all directions: stamps, films, music, banknotes, etc.).

– information and communication(the main goal is the exchange of constantly changing and updated information, they exchange news from music channels, fashionable youth magazines, websites, etc. “Yesterday I read on the Internet ...”. That's all about it. At the same time, information is absorbed at a fairly superficial level and not remembered for a long time.

It is in such an environment that the danger of gambling, early alcoholism, the use of psychoactive substances, and antisocial behavior easily arises. Because the teenager is not busy with business, is not busy with anything in essence. Alcohol is also an adaptogen at this age).

Of course, the course of the teenage "crisis" is individual, of course, intra-family relations, parent-teenager relationships, marital relations, the parenting style of each parent, family history, etc. are of great importance. With this, you can work individually in each individual family. published .

Victoria Kolotilina

P.S. And remember, just by changing your consciousness - together we change the world! © econet

Each age has its own characteristics that affect the behavior and worldview of people. Adolescence is a long transitional period during which a series of physical changes occur associated with puberty and entry into adulthood. Psychological features of adolescence are called "teenage complexes" by psychologists for a number of reasons:

• increased sensitivity to the assessment of outsiders;
• extreme arrogance and categorical judgments in relation to others;
• inconsistency of behavior: shyness is replaced by swagger, ostentatious independence borders on vulnerability;
• emotional instability and sharp mood swings;
• struggle with generally accepted rules and common ideals.

Adolescence covers the period of life from 13 to 18 years (± 2 years). All psychological changes are due to the physiological characteristics of adolescence and a number of morphological processes in the body. All reorganizations of the body directly affect changes in the reactions of a teenager to various environmental factors and are reflected in the formation of personality.

Anatomical and physiological features of adolescence

1. Great changes occur in the endocrine system, which leads to a rapid and disproportionate increase in body weight and length and the development of secondary sexual characteristics.
2. Complex processes of structural and functional changes occur in the central nervous system and internal structures of the brain, which entails increased excitability of the nerve centers of the cerebral cortex and a weakening of the processes of internal inhibition.
3. Significant changes are observed in the respiratory organs and the cardiovascular system, which can lead to various functional disorders (fatigue, fainting).
4. The musculoskeletal system is actively developing: the formation of bone tissue is being completed, an increase in muscle mass, therefore, in adolescence, proper rational nutrition is very necessary.
5. The development of the digestive system is being completed: the digestive organs are extremely “vulnerable” due to constant emotional and physical stress.
6. The harmonious physical development of the whole organism is a consequence of the normal functioning of all organ systems and affects the mental state of adolescents.

Social and psychological characteristics of adolescence

The psychological aspect of adolescence comes to the fore. The development of the psyche is characterized by increased emotionality and excitability. Feeling his physical changes, the teenager tries to act like an adult. Showing excessive activity and unreasonable self-confidence, he does not recognize the support of adults. Negativism and a sense of adulthood are psychological neoplasms of a teenager's personality.

In adolescence, the need for friendship and orientation towards the "ideals" of the team become more acute. In communication with peers, social relationships are modeled, skills are acquired to assess the consequences of one's or someone else's behavior or moral values.

Features of the nature of communication with parents, teachers, classmates and friends has a significant impact on self-esteem during adolescence. The nature of self-esteem determines the formation of personal qualities. An adequate level of self-esteem forms self-confidence, self-criticism, perseverance, or even excessive self-confidence and stubbornness. Adolescents with adequate self-esteem usually have a higher social status, there are no sharp jumps in their studies. Adolescents with low self-esteem are prone to depression and pessimism.

Often it is not easy for teachers and parents to find the right approach in communicating with teenagers, but given the age characteristics of this age, solutions can always be found.

Often the terms "person", "individual", "personality" are used in the literature as close in meaning. However, each concept has its own specifics.

Human- one of the species of living beings on Earth (as opposed to fish, birds, snakes, etc.). That is, this concept denotes the universal abilities inherent in all people that distinguish us from the animal world.

Individual- a separate representative of the human race, the bearer of social and mental traits. Respectively, individuality- this is a unique combination of natural and social qualities in a person.

Personality- the individual as a carrier of social qualities. The concept of "personality" helps to characterize in a person the social beginning of his life, those properties and qualities that a person realizes in social relations, social institutions, culture, i.e. in public life, in the process of interaction with other people. It characterizes the social position, place and role of the individual in the system of social relations.

Historically, man originally existed as a herd animal, a tribal creature. With the development of social factors, the isolation of individuals occurs, personalities begin to form. In the individual development of a person, a similar process occurs. Initially, a child is simply a biological being, which has only instincts and reflexes. But as humanity develops and assimilates the social experience, it gradually turns into a personality. Thus, the personal is not innate; from birth, only the prerequisites for the development of a person into a personality are given.

The concept of "personality" is inextricably linked with the social properties of a person. A person is born as an organism, and is formed as a person. A person is not formed outside of society.

Personality- this is a person with his socially conditioned and individually expressed qualities: intellectual, emotional and strong-willed. The following personality traits can be distinguished:

• personality is a human individual who is aware of the totality of his social traits;
• the individual participates in the life of society as a subject of social and cultural life;
• personality - a carrier of individual characteristics that manifest themselves in the process of social relations, communication and work;
• a person understands his social significance, his own properties and qualities, realized in public life.

Psychology claims that a personality is every person with his own characteristics of character, intellect and emotional sphere.

Psychological properties of personality: character, temperament, abilities, features of the course of mental processes.

Personal qualities- a set of internal traits and characteristics of a person that respond to external influences.

External factors affecting personality development:

• upbringing (strict or liberal);
• a person's belonging to a particular culture (western or eastern);
• his stay and activity in the social environment (life in a metropolis or in the taiga);
• the influence of the system of connections and relations of groups in which a person was included in the course of his development.

The activity of the individual implies the existence of freedom and responsibility. Personal qualities are manifested in the course of social relations and imply a certain degree of human freedom in their actions and behavior. The scope of freedom is determined by legal, religious and moral rights and obligations and personal responsibility for one's misdeeds. Thus, a person can be characterized: as a part of society; as a representative of a culture, social community or group; as an individual.

The most important stage in the formation of personality is puberty (adolescence). At this time, a person begins to play a significant role for society.

Adolescence is characterized by:

• a person's choice of his life positions, goals and means of self-realization;
• the inclusion of the individual in the system of moral and cultural traditions of society;
• determination of their future professional activities, integration into the life of society;
• during this period, a person begins to make vital and future-determining decisions, as well as bear full moral and legal responsibility for his actions.

The assimilation of social experience by an individual, during which he is formed as a personality, is associated with the concept socialization.

Socialization- is the process of entry of the individual into society. It includes:

• training and education of the individual;
• interaction with other people;
• development of cultural values ​​and norms of society;
• acquisition of certain rights, duties, attitudes, habits;
• development of types of joint activities;
• finding one's place in society.

The need for socialization is due to the fact that social qualities are not inherited, they are acquired and developed. Socialization requires the active participation of the individual himself.

The process of socialization goes through certain stages, which are also called life cycles: childhood, youth, maturity and old age.

Associated with childhood and adolescence primary(early or initial) socialization. It is associated with the acquisition of general cultural knowledge, with the development of initial ideas about the world and the nature of human relationships. A separate stage of early socialization is adolescence. The special conflict nature of this age is connected with the fact that the possibilities and abilities of the child significantly exceed the rules and limits of behavior prescribed for him.

Associated with maturity secondary(continued) socialization. Its essence is the acquisition of special knowledge and skills, i.e. acquisition of a profession. At this stage, the social contacts of the individual, the range of his social roles, expand.

Third the stage of socialization is conditionally associated with the onset of retirement age or disability. It is characterized by a change in lifestyle due to exclusion from the labor process.

The process of socialization is carried out through "helpers". These are the people and institutions that have a significant impact on socialization. They are called agents of socialization. At each stage of the life path, its agents of socialization stand out.

During the period of primary socialization, the main agent is the family. In the period from 3 to 8 years, the circle of socialization agents expands significantly. These are educational and preschool institutions, friends, other people surrounding the child. An exceptionally important agent of socialization is the school. At school, children learn to work in a team, to correlate their needs with the interests of other children, to develop the skills of subordination to elders.

Along with "official" organizations, the agents of socialization for children and adolescents are peer groups, whose influence often outweighs that of the family; individuals who have authority in the eyes of young people. Of great importance as an agent of socialization in modern society are the media, especially television, which distributes and replicates more and more new role models. Television imposes certain standards of behavior, lifestyles and life goals.

One of the results of socialization is the acquisition by a person of certain social statuses and the development of their corresponding social roles. one