Adolescent Psychology Chapter 10. Intimacy

Why is development of intimacy especially important in adolescence?

1. it is not until adolescence that truly intimate relationships- openness, honesty, self-disclosure, and trust- emerge

2. strong emotional foundation vs. we like the same things (children)

3. . increasing importance of peers, esp. other-sex

cognitive change and development of intimacy

maturation of connections in the adolescent brain regions involved in decision making, emotional experience, and processing social information, goes hand in hand with improvement in interpersonal competence

changes in social roles and the development of intimacy

1. behavioral independence that accompanies this transition provides adolescents greater opportunity to beg alone w/ friends and engage in intimate discussion

2. recognition of adolescents as “near adults'“ may prompt parents and other adults to confide in them + the development of emotional autonomy

Sullivan’s Theory of Interpersonal Development

1. took less biological view —> emphasized social aspects of development. believed that psychological maturation can be understood by looking at our relationships

Stages of Interpersonal Needs

as children develop, different interpersonal needs surface that can lead to feelings of security (needs met) or anxiety (needs are frustrated)

what does feeling secure do for an adolescent?

it is the glue that holds one’s sense of self together

—> identity and self-esteem are gradually brought up through interpersonal relationships

Does Sullivan believe psychosocial development is cumulative or non-cumulative?

cumulative.

the frustrations and satisfactions individuals experience during earlier periods affect their later relationships and developing sense of identity

how does Sullivan view intimacy and sexuality?

he said that the need for intimacy surfaces before the need for sexual relationships.

intimacy is in regards to same-sex relationships—> quality of same-sex friendships is predictive of later romantic relationships

platonic relationships

non-sexual relationships with individuals who might otherwise be romantic partners

attachment (in infancy)

the strong affectional bond that develops between an infant and caregiver

what are the four types of infant attachment?

1. secure

2. anxious-avoidant

3. anxious-resistant

4. disorganized

secure attachment

a healthy affectional bond that develops between an infant and a caregiver

anxious-avoidant attachment

an insecure attachment between infant and caregiver characterized by indifference on the part of the infant toward the caregiver

anxious resistant attachment

an insecure attachment between infant and caregiver characterized by distress at separation and anger at reunion

disorganized attachment

a relationship between infant and caregiver characterized by the absence of normal attachment behavior

internal working model

the implicit model of interpersonal relationships that an individual employs throughout life, believed to be shaped by early attachment experiences

—> determines to big extent whether ppl feel trusting vs. apprehensive in relationships and whether they see themselves as worthy of affection

rejection sensitivity

heightened vulnerability to being rejected by others

—> more likely to develop depression and anxiety, which furthers rejection sensitivity

adult attachment interview

a structured interview used to asses an individual’s past attachment history and internal model of working relationships

—> categorizes individuals as “secure”, “dismissing”, or “preoccupied”

is early attachment security a guarantee that the individual will feel secure and satisfied in their relationships indefinitely?

no. negative events/ relationships, can cause security to decrease over time. early attachment security isn’t a guarantee, but rather a psychological advantage that increases the probability of developing in healthy ways.

what role does jealousy play in female adolescent peer relationships?

girls, in particular, show an increase in jealousy in early adolescence. girls who have low self-esteem and are especially likely to be sensitive to rejection tend to feel more envious. while intimate relationships can be a blessing, they are also more fragile and easily disrupted. girls’ friendships dont last as long as boys’ do.

how does conflict differ based on how intimate the relationship is?

conflict with adolescent and intimate peers are less frequent than w/ ppl that are less known to the adolescence. however, conflict w/ more intimate peers is more emotional with lots of anger and hurt. it is also more likely to provoke efforts to restore relationships than casual friendships

how does conflict resolution change w/ development?

more likely to end their disagreements by negotiation (compromise) or disengagement (walking away) and less likely to end them with one person coercing or overpowering the other and getting his/her way

are how children handled conflict with parents indicative of how they’ll handle conflict as an adolescence w/ a peer

yes.

how are females more intimate?

1. adolescent girls, esp in middle adolescent yrs, talk abt guy friends more than girls

2. more often mention intimacy as a defining aspect of a close relatinoship

3. greater distinction between intimate and non intimate relationships

4. more exclusive relationships

5. more likely to provide help

6. more sensitive/ empathetic

how does girls being more intimate affect them?

when it’s going well it can be very positive, but when it’s going bad the negative effects are exacerbated

what is co-rumination, and how is more likely to do it?

1. excessive talking with another abt problems

2. girls spend more time doing this

—> can be a double-edged sword for girls

how do guys resolve conflict differently?

conflict is shorter lived, and typically over issues of power. conflict is more likely to escalate to physical aggression, and are usually resolved w/ no conflict resolution (letting things slide)

true or false: a break-up is a significant source of stress and most often the first stressor that leads to a depressive episode in adolescence

true

true or false: the quality of adolescents’ friendships are predicative of the quality of their subsequent romantic relationships

true! the inverse is not true