How would a conventional psychologist of 1940 define "What is an Adolescent"? Any references?

-- Craig O. Bailey (craig@myhome.net), April 09, 2001

Answers

I'm afraid I cannot tell you what psychologists thought about adolescence in the 1940, but I believe the term was coined early in the 20th century by G. Stanley Hall. See his 2-vol. _ADOLESCENCE: ITS PSYCHOLOGY AND ITS RELATIONS TO PHYSIOLOGY, ANTHROPOLOGY, SOCIOLOGY, SEX, CRIME, RELIGION AND EDUCATION_ (1904).

-- Christopher Green (christo@yorku.ca), April 09, 2001.

[Posted for F.W. by C.G.] -- G. Stanley Hall was probably the key figure in defining adolescence as a separate stage of life. Hall, along with a number of other thinkers at the turn of the last century, cast the history of humankind in a developmental-evolutionary mold (for more on this way of framing history, which seemed to be independent of evolutionary theory -- although linked in Hall's work -- see the work of George Stocking, a well known historian of anthropology). A firm believer in "ontogeny recapituates phylogeny," Hall believed that adolescence replicated the "savage" stage of human history, and was marked by "sturm und drang," storm and stress. As the phrase suggest, this view of adolescence or young adulthood also owes a great deal to the German romantic tradition. It was partly to contradict this view of adolescence popularized by Hall that Margaret Mead wrote her Coming of Age of Samoa, in which she presented adolescence as a period of continuity and smooth transition to adulthood.

The conception of adolescence as a separate period of life also owes a great deal to psychoanalysis, since adolescence is the period which marks the return of sexuality and consequently, neurosis. It also fits the storm and stress model. However I think its not until Erik Erikson that you find the idea of adolescence considered explicitly as a separate stage of development in psychoanalysis. (And his conception of development begins to appear in writing, I think 1950, although I think his work may have been known earlier than that). Erikson also recognized that there is a large cultural component in the idea of adolescence; it only seems to emerge in complex industrial society, where one cannot move immediately into adult roles from childhood. (The widespread growth of high-school education both marks and reinforces the idea of adolescence as a separate period of development.)

Beyond Hall, I would look at some of the major longitudinal studies begun in the 1940s. One was the longitudinal study done at the Fels Institute at Antioch College. (Bob McCall-- I am not sure where he is now, but he was associated with Boy's Town at one period, and I think may now be at Pitt--can tell you about that research, as can Jerry Kagan at Harvard. Both of them were involved with the study. The other major longitudinal study of the time is the research done as part of the Berkeley Growth Study. Erikson was involved with that, and so was Mary Cover Jones. I am not sure whether either of these longitudinal studies high-lighted adolescence as a separate stage, but they both should be checked out.

Hope this is helpful.

Fred

-- Fredric Weizmann (weizmann@yorku.ca), April 09, 2001.

I can't really say what definetion would be given by a 40's psychologist, but I would say you have to also consider the cultural or social context ,and ask old pple how they were considered then.And may anyone expand on the stirm and stress theory.

-- hlengani bhebhe (hlengsbhebhe@yahoo.com.au), April 15, 2002.

In lieu of an answer to the above question, I wish to contribute a question. How would a conventional psychologist of the 21st century define Adolescence especially in cognisance of Erikson's view of adolescence as a stage of "storm and stress" vis-a-vis the hyperactive culture of this era?

-- Ibe Oguh (TANSI@MANGO.ZW), April 16, 2002.