Introduction to Psychology

Introduction to Psychology of 97 to internalize and be influenced by these teachings in later life. For instance, girls who are informed that boys are innately better at math than they are, may report that they dislike math and disclaim their interest in that subject. Theymay go on to believe that they are not good at this academic subject, and to perform poorly on math tests and homework assignments. Children learn vicariously, in part, through their observation and imitation of what they see their primary caregivers doing. They tend to imitate and internalize what they see and then repeat those patterns in their own lives as though they had come up with them independently. Children raised watching their parents adhere to strict gender-stereotyped roles are, in general, more likely to take on those roles themselves as adults, than are peers whose parents provided less stereotyped, more androgynous models for behavior. Adolescents- Adolescence is a socially constructed transition period between childhood and adulthood. In contrast, puberty is a biologically based period of rapid maturation. Physical and perceptual functioning typically peak in young adulthood. Adolescents may show egocentric social thinking. Their abstract thinking blossoms, and information-processing abilities improve. Beginning in early adulthood, information processing speed slows, but many intellectual abilities do not begin to decline reliably until late adulthood. The search for identity is a key task of adolescence. During adolescence, peer relationships become important. Most teens maintain good relationships with their parents. Overall, for most teens, daily emotional experience becomes less positive as they move into and through early adolescence. Adulthood- In many traditional cultures, marriage is the key transitional event into adulthood. Through socialization, males develop skills that will enable them to provide for a family of their own, and females learn skills needed to care for children and run a household. Marriage signifies that each partner has acquired these skills and is capable of raising a family. For many couples, marital satisfaction tends to decline in the years following the birth of children but increases later in adulthood. Old Age- Retirement is an important milestone. Some adults view it as a reminder that they are growing older, but look forward to leisure, and other opportunities they were unable to pursue during their careers. The decision to retire or keep working typically involves many factors, such as one’s feelings about one’s job, leisure activities, physical health, and family relationships. Part of being human is the fact that we are mortal. Understandably, the elderly are more accepting of their own mortality than any other age group. Many terminally ill patients experience similar psychological reactions, as they cope with impending death, but beliefs and feelings about death vary with culture and age, and there is no normal way to approach death. © 2015 Achieve Page 64