Sexuality
hdfs 239
  • Romantic relationships in adolescence are qualitatively different than romantic relationships during adulthood
  • Brown's phases:
    • initiation: expand social focus to other-sex peers as potential romantic partners
    • status: focus of dating is on the self and self's connections to others
    • affection: focus is on the romantic relationship itself (including intimacy)
    • bonding: includes the possibility of long-term commitment
  • Most middle school students are:
    • interested in having a boyfriend/girlfriend
    • have had a boyfriend or girlfriend
    • never see that boyfriend or girlfriend outside of school
  • Adolescent relationships are BRIEF, but emotionally INTENSE
    • early high school (age 15) 87% have dating experience
      • average relationship lasted 4 months
      • 8% had relationships that had lasted a year (compare to 97% of same-sex best friends)
      • saw each other or talked on phone every day (mean call was 60 minutes)
  • How does it affect adolescents?
    • does NOT lower girls' self-esteem
    • dating adolescents have higher self-esteem
    • adolescents with more contact with the opposite sex have higher self-esteem
    • adolescents in mixed-sex groups enjoy activities more
    • Intimacy does not become a central feature of romantic relationships until late high schoo
 
  • Attachment
    • Ethological model: attachment functions to keep us close to one or a few significant others
    • child develops an internal working model of relationships based on their interactions with attachment figures
    • IWM includes:
      (1) representations of availability and quality of support
      (2) the extent to which the self is worthy of love and support
      (3) appropriate responses to the distress of others
  • ALL CHILDREN DEVELOP ATTACHMENTS:
    • secure
    • ambivalent
    • avoidant
    • disorganized
  • As we move into adolescence and adulthood, focal attachment figure moves from parents to peers to romantic partners
  • Romantic attachment develops along two dimensions:
    • rejection anxiety
    • avoidance of intimacy
      • secure (can draw on others for security and can provide care: positive models of themselves and others)
      • avoidant and preoccupied have less sophisticated conflict resolution and relationship maintenance skills
  • Success in romantic love is PARTLY based on relationship with parents
  • Long-term, successful involvement in romantic relationships can change attachment systems