Psychology 2036A/B Chapter 5: Psychology 2036 – Chapter 5

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 2036A/B
• Professor: Doug Hazelwood

Document Summary

There is a window of vulnerability in adolescence. Psychology 2036 chapter 5: health-compromising behaviours: drinking to excess, smoking, illicit drug use, over-controlled eating, unsafe sex, and risk-taking behaviour can lead to accidents or early death all begin in early adolescence. Many of these behaviours are heavily tied to the peer culture, as children learn from and imitate the peers they like and admire. Several health-compromising behaviours are also intimately bound up in the self-presentation process in the adolescent"s or young adult"s efforts to appear sophisticated, cool, tough or savvy in his or her social environment. Many of these behaviours are pleasurable, enhancing the adolescent"s ability to cope with stressful situations, and some represent thrill-seeking which can be rewarding in it"s own right: each of these behaviours is also very dangerous. Development of all of these behaviours occurs gradually, as the individual is exposed to and becomes susceptible to the behavior, experiments with it, and later engages in its regular use.