To get this week started, take a few minutes and watch the following video about the development of the adolescent brain.
Sarah-Jayne Blakemore: The Mysterious Workings of the Adolescent Brain
Source: http://www.ted.com/talks/sarah_jayne_blakemore_the_mysterious_workings_of_the_adolescent_brain
Want to read more about adolescent brain development? http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/teenbrain/work/adolescent.html
Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory & Ethnic Identity Measure
Having reviewed the video and as you get ready for this week, ask yourself how these new insights into brain development should affect the way we deal with adolescents and young adults. Think about traditional schooling, activities, and other cultural institutions. Have these institutions adjusted the way they operate in response to these discoveries? What implications should we be considering?
Discussion Prompt 1: Sociocultural Perspective: Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory (must be a minimum of 150 words)
Watch the following video lecture and read about the Sociocultural Perspective in your text on pages 11-13.
Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory
Source: http://youtu.be/aX2Kd9rp6aQ
In this lecture, you were introduced to the Sociocultural perspective of human development.
- Discuss your reactions to the theory. What was good/positive or bad/negative about this theory?
- How can you or have you seen this theory in your own life or those around you? (i.e. scaffolding and zone of proximal development)
Discussion Prompt 2: Ethnic Identity Measure (must be a minimum of 150 words)
A more recent concern for developmental theorists has been the importance of individuals discovering a racial/ethnic identity. For many people, an ethnic identity is an important part of their sense of self.
To help individuals ascertain an ethnic identity, Jean Phinney developed a survey to help measure to what level a person has identified with an ethic heritage. The questionnaire enables students to think about the importance of ethnic identity in their own lives. You can research more about this on the web.
Of specific interest to this discussion is Phinney’s three-stage model of ethnic identity [1], which suggests that individuals move through a three stage process of creating an ethnic identity:
- Diffused Stage: At this stage there is little to no connection with an ethnic origin. Many individuals never really move beyond this stage, especially if they are part of the dominant culture. The individual may be aware of an ethnic connection, but self-identity is not really rooted through that knowledge.
2. Moratorium: In this stage the individual seeks out opportunities to discover his or her connection with an ethnic origin. Exploration includes activities such as cultural events, language development, learning the history of the culture, seeking out others with similar ethnic origins, as well as other activities.
3. Achieved: During this stage, the individual has a fully developed sense of ethnic identity. Cultural participation and identity is important part of the individual’s sense of self.
Reflecting on what you have encountered during this module, discuss your insights to the following prompts with your fellow learners.
- Why do members of minority groups more often feel their ethnic identity is an important part of who they are, as compared to members of majority groups?
- Based on your experience, how does ethnic identity develop?
- How is ethnic identity the same and different from other aspects of the self-concept?
- Why do you think an ethnic identity is important (unimportant)?
[1] Phinney, J. S. (1989). Stages of ethnic identity development in minority group adolescents. Journal of Early Adolescence, 9, 34-49.
References
Rathus, S. A. (2014). HDEV (3rd ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
- ISBN: 9781285057224
HDEV
- Pages 11-13 (Sociocultural Perspective)
- Chapter 11
- Chapter 12
- Chapter 13
- Chapter 14