The information provided relates to a leaflet written for the NHS, about the process that family members can follow during adolescence and adulthood. How neurological changes can affect a teenager's sense of self and what seizures can occur in adulthood, including any key events that may occur in adulthood. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why violent video games should not be banned"? Get the original essay A structural change in the brain during adolescence occurs when synapses transmit neurotransmitters or "chemicals" to cell receptors. nerve cells, which then pass to other nerve cells. This is particularly important for adolescents because they experience a flood of synapses (Chechik, Meilijson, and Ruppin 1759). During adolescence, a typical adolescent's brain undergoes synaptic pruning, meaning the brain eliminates synapses and nerve cells that are not being used (Fisher, 2017). Applying this to adolescents could be taking up hobbies or learning a new language but not practicing it after a long period of time and this is when synaptic pruning takes place. The two brain regions linked to change during adolescence are the prefrontal cortex and the nucleus accumbens. . The prefrontal cortex is part of the frontal lobe and is involved in many higher cognitive functions such as forms of judgment and control of impulses and emotions. The nucleus accumbens is the area of ​​the brain that seeks pleasure and reward. This region of the brain is also responsible for risk-taking (Edmonds, 2015). Increased sensitivity to the limbic system has been associated with feelings of embarrassment in adolescents. Teenage girls are constantly trying to conform to the unrealistic beauty standards that society imposes on them, whether it's looking like the prettiest model on the cover of their favorite magazine or altering their appearance on social media to impress others . Social media “influencers” now have their own brands of products to make teens believe that if they buy them, they might look like that person. Unrealistic beauty standards have led to girls and boys having low self-esteem and depression, which then leads to more serious problems such as eating disorders, dieting and anxiety (Socialworkers.org, 2001). Teenagers feel embarrassed all the time; Teenage girls feel embarrassed when they compare their bodies to others, but teens use others to build their strengths and self-esteem. Self-esteem is caused by many factors such as relationships, thoughts and experiences. One of the most common factors is puberty and development. During puberty, the body goes through many changes; pimples, hair growth, and growth spurts can affect how teens perceive themselves. Not all bodies develop in the same way or at the same time, so if a teen starts later or earlier than their peers, they may feel like they don't fit in with society or their group. 'friendship. School and family are another factor, parents can make judgments towards a teenager which could be seen as negative as it affects how teenagers view themselves. Other students at school may say harmful things and tease each other, which contributes to self-image (Trinh, 2013). The teenagers aremore likely to take risks and be reckless due to their developing hormones. Although the nucleus accumbens is responsible for risk taking, testosterone plays a role in risk taking. Testosterone is a sex hormone that is mainly common in men. During puberty, testosterone is responsible for growth spurts, deep voice, facial and body hair growth, muscle development, and increased libido. This is important because male teenagers are more interested in sex than teenage girls. The higher the amount of testosterone, the more likely a person is to take risks (Anawalt and Matsumoto, 2014). That being said, even though testosterone is primarily linked to men, it is found in women too, but not as much as men. The female sex hormone is called estrogen and it is responsible for the start of the menstrual cycle, the storage of fat in the hips and thighs and the acceleration of metabolism. A testosterone imbalance can be seen in women, which could lead to an increased libido, like in men. This could be linked to teenage girls having unprotected sex which leads to teenage pregnancies (Munoz, 2013). Adolescent girls are more likely to engage in risky behaviors due to the sex hormones that develop during puberty. Male adolescents have more testosterone, which is linked to risky behavior: the more testosterone, the more likely the person is to take risks. However, this can also be found in women. A test was carried out by Peper to analyze risky behaviors in both sexes; this was done by asking participants to press a button that would inflate a balloon. Each time the balloon inflated, participants earned money. Participants had the option to “cash out” and walk away with the money they had earned or continue to inflate the balloon to get more money. If the balloon was inflated to the maximum, it would explode and participants would lose the money they won. Peper and his team found that the amount of money won and balloon bursts depended on testosterone levels in participants. They found that boys and girls having higher testosterone levels led to higher risky behaviors, but that male participants tended to pop more balloons while female participants earned more money. “In boys, higher testosterone levels may lead to greater sensation seeking – the pleasure of pumping the ball more. In girls, however, higher testosterone levels may lead to more advantageous risk-taking in the long term. “Peper states (Munoz, 2013). Oxytocin is another hormone that can affect behavior during adolescence. Oxytocin is also known as the bonding hormone that enables the production of lactation in females, it also affects maternal behaviors and group bonding (MacGill, 2015). Oxytocin increases positive attitudes of the in-group, but can be the cause of negative feelings toward the out-group. People are less likely to accept members of other ethnicities and strangers, or someone who doesn't like what the group does; like sports teams. Oxytocin is responsible for creating out-group prejudices, which can lead to violence (De Dreu et al., 2011). A test was conducted in which participants could dishonestly report theirperformances for the benefit of their own group. The experiment allowed individuals to lie anonymously for the benefit of their own group. This showed that healthy men given oxytocin lied more for the benefit of their own group, thus causing dishonesty towards the other group. The effects of this test were that lying would have consequences within each group, shaping distrust and that collaboration can turn into corruption (Shalvi and De Dreu, 2014). Serotonin is another hormone that may be linked to adolescents. It regulates anxiety and mood; it is responsible for controlling sleep and wakefulness. Due to increased serotonin, teens are more likely to stay up later at night and have trouble waking up in the morning – which is usually blamed on teens playing video games late at night and are not able to concentrate on their school work. Morning. Most adolescents produce too much or too little serotonin. When teens are exposed to light, it causes an increase in serotonin, which may be linked to playing video games late at night or texting on their phone. Stress lowers serotonin levels, making teens moody. Serotonin is twice as present in girls as in boys. Too much serotonin can act like a drug because it makes people happy. This can be dangerous because people want an overdose of serotonin, which can cause serotonin syndrome if used in conjunction with other medications (Nielsen, 2013).Two theories will be studied in this essay, Freud's theory and that of Kohlberg; both theories focus on the theme of morality. Freud theorized that the mind is divided into three parts; The ID that is pleasure-oriented and focuses on what feels good in the moment, regardless of the consequences. The superego, which focuses on doing the right thing, based on the environment around it – Freud believed this was where morality was found. And the ego, which is the decision-making component, operates on what we can realistically do in the world, trying to satisfy both the DI and the Superego (Castelloe, 2013). In 1904, Hall hypothesized adolescent storm and stress, which refers to the decreased self-control in adolescents as well as the increased sensitivity among adolescents to various stimuli around them. The three ways in which a teenager can exhibit stormy and stressful behavior can be in three ways:; conflicts with parents, mood disturbances and risky behaviors. Bandura (1963) criticized Hall's hypothesis by showing that most adolescents do not view their adolescence as "stormy." Bandura said the media rarely portrays teenagers as anything but stormy, which is unrealistic. He concluded that expecting a teenager to be stormy often becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy (Roundy, 2017). Hollenstein and Lougheed (2013) developed their own 4T approach which is similar to Hall's hypothesis. The 4Ts are included; Typicality is when an adolescent exhibits problematic behavior. Thanks to new technologies, researchers can focus on individual differences. Temperament, when a child's temperament changes dramatically at different times in their life. Transactions, between biological and mental impacts on our body; mainly occur during stress, environment and timing, not all adolescents will develop at the same rate (Hollenstein, T. and Lougheed, JP2013). In1963, Kohlberg developed a series of moral dilemmas that typically involved a choice between two conclusions, both of which would be considered generally unacceptable by society. Which included three levels: pre-conventional, conventional and post-conventional. Each level is divided into two stages. Kohlberg's goal was to study how people arrive at their reasoning. The pre-conventional level has two main stages; motivated by obedience and punishment and by self-interest. The first stage focuses on the child's desire to obey the rules and what they are told to avoid punishment and the second stage focuses on expressing "what is this for me?" brought ? ” meaning that a child's behavior is defined by what they believe to be in their best interests, if they receive a reward for their behavior. The conventional level has two stages, but they are recognized as stages three and four in Kohlberg's theory. The third stage is where children seek approval from others, act in ways that avoid disapproval, behave well, and are kind to others. The fourth stage is where a child accepts the rules given by his parents because he considers that their obedience is normal and that what he is “supposed” to do is considered important. This is where moral development begins. The post-conventional level is a child's sense of morality, principles, and values. Children begin to realize that if they disobey the rules, there will be consequences for their actions. 10 to 15% of adults exceed stage 4 (Kohlberg, 1975; Colby et al, 1983). Carol Gilligan has argued that Kohlberg's theory was androcentric, meaning that Kohlberg focused primarily on male participants to collect data. Kohlberg initially used male participants from a white, middle-class background and people often demonstrated inconsistency in their moral reasoning. In dilemmas involving drunk driving and business, people use self-interest as a moral judgment (Parke, Gauvain, & Schmuckler, 2010). Erikson's theory has five stages that involve adulthood. Stage 5 is the confusion between identity and role which is the adolescence stage (12 to 18 years old). During this stage, teens and preteens begin to find a sense of self and personal identity. A person may struggle to find their own identity, fit in, or feel accepted. At this stage, a person develops a moral sense. Some people may feel distant from their responsibilities; it may also include role confusion. Stage 6 is Intimacy and Solidarity versus Isolation – Love or Young Adult stage (18-35). During this stage a person will begin to seek love and companionship, some may settle down and start their own family. In recent years, it seems that this step has been postponed due to career developments. If this step fails, people may begin to isolate themselves, avoiding marriage and having long-term friends. Stage 7 corresponds to middle-aged adults (35-55/65). People who are in this stage of their lives tend to prioritize their career and work because providing for their family is very important. Erikson's idea about this stage is that people will attempt to produce something that will improve society. Major life changes may occur during this stage, such as children leaving the home. Some people might struggle with this, losing their sense of purpose. Step 8, the final step of Erikson's theory isintegrity versus despair or late adulthood (55/65 – Death). At this point, Erikson believed that people were preparing for the middle stage of adulthood and that this final stage involves an individual reflecting on their life, whether they have contributed to society in a positive way, and whether they have accomplished his own life. However, some people may have difficulty accepting the idea of ​​death and feel that they have not contributed to society as best they could and begin to question whether life truly had a purpose and whether was worth it (Erikson, 1972). Erikson's theory is that many people find the theory to be relevant, referring to its steps. Although Erikson is vague about what causes his stages to develop, this does not apply to everyone because different cultures have a huge influence on how each person's life is planned. Erikson does not explain why emotional development occurs during the development of these stages or how the outcome of each stage can affect a person later in life (McLeod, 2013). Within each stage of Erikson's theory are key relationships and roles. associated with the stages of adulthood. Stage 5, which we call the adolescence stage, involves a few roles and relationships; the most important being peer groups, outside groups or friends, those with whom they have things in common and those with whom they do not. Erikson identified that adolescents are developing a sense of “who they are” and are uncertain about the roles they play now and in the future. Stage 6 or young adult stage will develop long-term friendships and more committed sexual relationships. However, at this stage the focus is also on the workplace, people have relationships with their colleagues, whether people choose to cooperate and compete with them. This is the only step that allows you to identify a relationship where there is competition, but it does not indicate whether it is healthy or unhealthy competition. Stage 7 or the middle-aged adult will now be a parent and committed to a long-term career, placing family and work at the top of their priorities. Many people have children in their 20s and 30s. Erikson does not emphasize the relationship that the individual has with their children until midlife, which is not entirely valid, because when people have children later or a teenage pregnancy arises, Erikson's theory is not always reliable. Stage 8 or late adulthood is where the focus is on people's lives as a whole and their impact on society. Erikson doesn't explain what happens and how people evolve if we don't get these relationships. Some relationships during the stages may not apply to everyone. What happens if some women can't have children or simply choose not to? What if same-sex couples chose not to adopt their own children and become parents? (Erikson, 1972) Adolescents are more capable of forming strong attachments and are more capable of resolving conflict and forming strong attachments as adults (Marcia, 1966). As an adult, many key events can occur during this time. The events that occurred were: unemployment, retirement, marriage, divorce and parenthood. Unemployment can have a detrimental effect on a person, both physically and psychologically. Determined by a psychological effect to be depressed – the longer it lasted, the more likely it was to develop (Argyle, 1972). Martin Seligman conducted two experiments with dogs to study what he calls "learned helplessness," which is a state of persistent pain because, 2017).