Theories
What theory suggests that media shapes the perceptions of reality among adolescents?
Cultivation Theory
What percentage of adolescents ages 13 to 17 have access to digital devices?
Over 95% of adolescents in this age group have access to a smartphone or similar digital device.
What types of jobs do American adolescent girls and boys typically hold?
Girls often work in retail or food service (e.g., cashier or waitress), while boys are more likely to do manual labor jobs like yard work or warehouse help.
What historical trend in secondary school enrollment occurred in the United States from 1890 to 1920?
There was a significant increase in enrollment due to the rise of compulsory education laws and industrialization.
What are the two types of problems discussed in relation to adolescents, and which is more common among females?
Internalizing problems (e.g., depression, anxiety) and externalizing problems (e.g., aggression, delinquency); internalizing problems are more common among females.
Describe Super’s theory of occupational development.
Super’s theory outlines career development in five stages—growth, exploration, establishment, maintenance, and disengagement—emphasizing self-concept and its evolution over time.
Identify the five major types of media use among adolescents.
Social media, television, video games, music, and online videos.
How many hours per week are considered detrimental to adolescents' psychological functioning due to work?
Working more than 20 hours per week is generally associated with negative effects on mental health and academic performance.
How does school climate influence adolescents' experiences in secondary school?
A positive school climate, marked by supportive teachers and high expectations, leads to better academic engagement, mental health, and lower dropout rates.
Summarize the overall pattern of crash risk in relation to age and identify a key factor promoting risky driving in adolescence.
Crash risk is highest in the first year of driving, especially among adolescents; a key factor is peer influence, particularly when adolescents drive with friends in the car.
What are the six personality types in Holland’s theory of occupational choice?
Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional.
How do violent television shows correlate with aggressiveness in adolescents?
Studies show a positive correlation; adolescents exposed to more violent TV are more likely to exhibit aggressive behavior.
Summarize the positive effects of working on adolescent development.
Moderate work can build responsibility, time management skills, financial literacy, and independence.
What are the main reasons why some adolescents drop out of school?
Reasons include academic failure, lack of engagement, family responsibilities, economic hardship, and school climate issues like bullying or lack of support.
Describe the features of graduated driver licensing programs and assess their effectiveness in reducing crash rates.
Graduated driver licensing (GDL) programs include stages like a supervised learner phase, an intermediate license with restrictions, and finally full licensure. They are highly effective, reducing crash rates by 20–40%.
Explain the Media Practice Model and its significance in media use.
The Media Practice Model posits that adolescents actively choose media based on their identities and use it to shape and express who they are, influencing their beliefs and behaviors.
What are the primary concerns about adolescent use of social media?
Concerns include cyberbullying, social comparison, decreased self-esteem, and impacts on mental health and sleep.
What is the Job Corps program, and what are its benefits?
Job Corps is a U.S. government program offering education and vocational training to young people ages 16–24, leading to improved employment outcomes and earnings.
Compare American and Asian views on educational expectations for adolescents.
Asian cultures often emphasize collective success and effort, valuing education highly, while American culture tends to stress individual achievement and may place less consistent emphasis on academic rigor.
Explain how substance use varies across the United States, Canada, and Europe, and discuss its relation to unstructured socializing in emerging adulthood.
Substance use is generally higher in European countries (especially alcohol) compared to the U.S., with Canada in between. Unstructured socializing—time spent with peers without supervision—is strongly linked to increased substance use.
What is the "Mean World Syndrome" and how does it relate to media consumption among adolescents?
Mean World Syndrome is the belief that the world is more dangerous than it actually is, often due to heavy exposure to violent media content.
Discuss the role of media in the globalization of adolescence.
Media exposes adolescents worldwide to shared cultural content, promoting similar values, trends, and consumer behavior, thereby globalizing the adolescent experience.
Describe the main characteristics of apprenticeship programs in Europe.
European apprenticeships combine part-time classroom instruction with hands-on work experience, typically lasting 2–4 years and leading to industry-recognized certification.
What factors contribute to differences in academic performance among American ethnic groups?
Influential factors include socioeconomic status, access to quality education, cultural attitudes toward schooling, teacher expectations, and systemic inequalities.
Identify the two types of delinquency in Moffitt’s theory and explain their different origins.
Moffitt identifies adolescence-limited delinquency, which arises due to peer influence and typically ends in adulthood, and life-course-persistent delinquency, which starts in childhood due to neuropsychological and environmental factors and continues into adulthood.