Cognitive and Physical Development of the Male Adolescent Essay

Cognitive and Physical Development of the Male Adolescent - Essay Example This is of course from a scientific perspective and from researchers who have studied the phases of adolescence in young people. The main difference that has been documented with girls and boys is the fact that physically they both develop at a similar pace but cognitively males seem to be slower in developing certain emotionally skills and rationalization skills in comparison to females. While the physical changes of puberty are important indicators which signal adolescent development to researchers, it is the cognitive aspects of adolescence that is the most detrimental to developing into a normal adult human being. There are many other changes that take place during this time that are varied from just physical and some of these are related to areas that are fundamental to life. Some of these are cognitive, self-concept, social / moral reasoning, and the ability to think abstractly. Although this developmental period of life needn't be an uncommonly stressful time, adolescents do encounter stresses, especially male adolescents because they have so many goals they feel that they must meet and they want to fit in with the popular male groups so desperately. Nevertheless, despite the struggles that male adolescents go through, most of them are well adjusted individuals who are not depressed nor mixed up people, which is commonly thought. Rather than them lacking in self-control and confidence they seem to have a great deal of abilities in rationalizing their personal circumstances and they deal with them far better than many psychologists give credit. At the same time it must be recognized some adolescents exhibit signs of disturbance and can suffer severe life crisis. The male adolescent is not looked closely enough at and therefore their physical and cognitive development is not as questioned as heavily as it is with the female gender. Male adolescents have many obstacles to overcome in their young lives and though some cope and make it through just fine with perfectly normal developmental progress in these two areas, as was stated others do struggle just as any young person can regardless of their gender. Early Adolescence and Beyond Kolaric & Galambos (1995) state that between boys and girls in the early adolescence period there is not much of a difference in their body language, verbal communication, and common gestures between the two in a social atmosphere. Boys exhibit a carefree during this period, which is quite normal. They appear to adapt in specific situations during this time period seemingly easy, especially when they exhibit self confidence and obviously have high self esteem as well. Blos's research (1965) from a few decades back clearly illustrates how although a large percentage of time has past his points are still remarkably close to what young males in the early stage of adolescence do experience. Time seemingly does not change how human beings develop, or in this case how the male figure develops cognitively and physically as well. In 1965, Blos stated clearly that the individual characteristics and the immediate environment had the most pull in a young male developing correctly from a cognitive perspective and from the physical concept as well. Even today this type of analytic theorization is quite common place as many researchers have proven that a child is directly affected by their environment and who they associate with. In