You are on page 1of 4

DEVELOPMENTAL TASKS

A developmental task is one that arises predictably and consistently at or about a certain
period in the life of the individual (Havighurst, 1948, 1953). The concept of developmental
tasks assumes that human development in modern societies is characterized by a long
series of tasks that individuals have to learn throughout their lives. Some of these tasks
are located in childhood and adolescence, whereas others arise during adulthood and old
age (see also Heckhausen, 1999). Successful achievement of a certain task is expected
to lead to happiness and to success with later tasks, while failure may result in
unhappiness in the individual, disapproval by the society, and difficulty with later tasks.
Developmental tasks arise from three different sources (Havighurst, 1948, 1953). First,
some are mainly based on physical maturation (e.g., learning to walk). Another source of
developmental tasks relates to sociostructural and cultural forces. Such influences are
based on, for instance, laws (e.g., minimum age for marriage) and culturally shared
expectations of development (e.g., age norms; Neugarten, Moore, and Lowe, 1965),
determining the age range in which specific developmental tasks have to be mastered.
The third source of developmental tasks involves personal values and aspirations. These
personal factors result from the interaction between ontogenetic and environmental
factors, and play an active role in the emergence of specific developmental tasks (e.g.,
choosing a certain occupational pathway).



















Stages of Adolescent
Development

Early Adolescence

(Approximately 10-14 years of age)
Middle Adolescence

(Approximately 15-16 years of age)
Late Adolescence

(Approximately 17-21 years of
age)
Identity Development and
Movement Toward
Independence
Emerging identity shaped by in/external
influences; moodiness; improved speech to
express oneself; more likely to express
feelings by action than by words (may be
more true for males); cl
ose friendships gain
importance; less attention shown to parents,
with occasional rudeness; realization
parents not perfect; identification of own
faults; search for new
people to love in
addition to parents; tendency to return to
childish behavior during times of stress; peer
group influence on personal interests and
clothing styles.
Self-involvement, alternating between
unrealistically high expectations and
worries about failure; co
mplaints that parents
interfere with independence; extremely
concerned with appearance and body;
feelings
of strangeness about ones self and body;
lowered opinion of and withdrawal from
parents; effort to make new friends; strong
emphasis on the new peer group; periods of
sadness as the psychological loss of parents
takes place; examination of inner experiences,
which may include writing a diary.
Firmer identity; ability to delay
gratification; ability to think through
ideas; ability to express ideas in words;
more developed sense of humor;
interests and emotions become more
stable; ability to make independent
decisions; ability to compromise; pride in
ones work; self reliance; greater
concern for others.
Future Interests and
Cognitive Development
Increasing career interests; mostly
interested in present and near future;
greater ability to work.
Intellectual interests gain importance; some
sexual and aggressive energies directed into
creative and career interests; anxiety can
emerge related to school and academic
performance.
More defined work habits; higher level of
concern for the future; thoughts about
ones role in life.
Ethics and Self-Direction Rule and limit testing; experimentation with
cigarettes, marijuana, and alcohol; capacity
for abstract thought.
Development of ideals and selection of role
models; more consistent evidence of
conscience; greater goal setting capacity;
interest in moral reasoning.
Useful insight; focus on personal dignity and
self-esteem; ability to set goals and follow
through; acceptance of social institutions and
cultural traditions; self regulation of self
esteem.
Sexuality Girls mature faster than boys; shyness,
blushing, and modesty; more showing off;
greater interest in privacy; experimentation
with body (masturbation); worries about
being normal.
Concerns about sexual attractiveness;
frequently changing relationships; more
clearly
defined sexual orientation,
with internal conflict
often experienced by those who are not
heterosexual; tenderness and
fears shown toward opposite sex; feelings of
love and passion.
Concerned with serious relationships;
clear sexual identity; capacities for
tender and sensual love.


Physical Changes

Gains in height and weight; growth of pubic/
underarm hair; increased perspiration,
increased oil production of hair and skin.
Girls: breast development and menstruation.
Boys: growth of testicles and penis,
nocturnal emissions (wet dreams),
deepening of voice, facial hair.

Males show continued height and weight
gains
while female growth slows down (females
grow only 1-2 inches after their first
menstrual
period).

Most young women are fully developed;
young men continue to gain height,
weight, muscle mass, body hair.
10 TASK OF ADOLESCENT
In order to help parents influence healthy adolescent growth, the Raising Teens Project identified 10 critical developmental tasks that teenagers need to
undertake to make a successful transition to adulthood:
Adjust to sexually maturing bodies and feelings
Teens are faced with adjusting to growing bodies and newly acquired sexual characteristics. They must learn to manage sexual feelings and to engage in healthy sexual
behaviors. This task includes establishing a sexual identity and developing the skills for romantic relationships.
Develop and apply abstract thinking skills
Teens typically undergo profound changes in their way of thinking during adolescence, allowing them more effectively to understand and coordinate abstract ideas.
They begin to think about possibilities, try out hypotheses, plan ahead, think about thinking, and construct philosophies.
Develop and apply new perspective on human relationships
Teens typically acquire a powerful new ability to understand human relationships. Having learned to put themselves in another persons shoes, they begin to take
into account both their perspective and another persons at the same time. They learn to use this new ability to resolve problems and conflicts in relationships.
Develop and apply new coping skills in areas such as decision making,
problem solving, and conflict resolution
Teens begin to acquire new abilities to think about and plan for the future, to engage in more sophisticated strategies for decision-making, problem solving, and
conflict resolution, and to moderate their risk-taking to serve goals rather than jeopardize them.
Identify meaningful moral standards, values, and belief systems
Teens typically develop a more complex understanding of moral behavior and underlying principles of justice and caring for others. They question beliefs from
childhood and adopt more personally meaningful values, religious views, and belief systems to guide their decisions and behavior.
Understand and express more complex emotional experiences
Teens shift toward an ability to identify and communicate more complex emotions, to understand the emotions of others in more sophisticated ways, and to think about
emotions in abstract ways.
Form friendships that are mutually close and supportive
Teens develop peer relationships that play powerful roles in providing support and connection in their lives. They tend to shift from friendships based largely on shared
interests and activities to those based on sharing ideas and feelings, mutual trust, and understanding.
Establish key aspects of identity
Forming an identity is a lifelong process, but crucial aspects of identity are typically forged during adolescence, including developing an identity that reflects a sense of
individuality as well as connection to valued people and groups. Another part of this task is developing a positive identity around gender, physical attributes, sexuality,
ethnicity, and (if appropriate) having been adoptedas well as sensitivity to the diversity of groups that make up American society.
Meet the demands of increasingly mature roles and responsibilities
Teens gradually take on the roles that will be expected of them in adulthood. They learn to acquire the skills and manage the multiple demands that allow them to
move into the labor market as well as meet expectations regarding commitment to family, community, and citizenship.
Renegotiate relationships with adults in parenting roles
Although the task of adolescence has sometimes been described as separating from parents and other caregivers, it is more widely seen now as adults and teens
working together to negotiate a change in the relationship that balances autonomy and ongoing connection. The emphasis on each depends in part on the familys
ethnic background.

You might also like