How were the adolescents communicating?
Social Situation: Go to a location where teens/adolescents are present and in social groups. Sit and observe them while paying attention to the following questions. Your write-up should address each of these major areas. The write-up should be 3-5 pages in length of content and written in APA format. You should consult at least 2 peer-reviewed journal articles to support your observations and assessments/conclusions.
Write-Up: Required Elements
- Please give all appropriate demographic information including:
- Location
- Date/time of observation
- Number of adolescents observed
- Estimated age range
- Male to female ratio
- Ethnic/cultural information
- Biological Issues
- Did the adolescents appear comfortable in their own skin/bodies? Describe how you could tell.
- Cognitive Development
- Try and listen to conversation.
- What kinds of cognitive skills seem to be present? (i.e. abstract thought, reasoning, decision-making…)
- Social Issues
- What social situations did you observe?
- Did you notice any differences in SES?
- What kinds of social roles did you see being played out by these adolescents?
- Did you notice any observable emotions? Peer pressure? Gender stereotypes?
- Peer Groups
- What types of cliques/crowds did you observe?
- How important did friendship appear?
- How important did popularity appear?
- Did you notice any kind of power struggle?
- Communication
- How were the adolescents communicating?
- What types of non-verbal communication did you observe?
- Did you observe any technological forms of communication?
- Identity
- Did adolescents do anything that leads you to believe they are searching for identity? Explain.
- Did some adolescents appear to be more confident than others? Explain.
- Moral Development
- Did you learn anything about adolescents’ moral development? From what?
- Do you have any opinion on their knowledge or interaction with “right vs wrong”?
- What kinds of values did you see in their communication and/or behavior?
- Problems
- Did you observe any dangerous, illegal, self-injurious or anti-social behaviors? Describe.
- How severe did these problems appear to be?
- Conclusion
- What was the most valuable lesson learned from this field assignment for you?
- What assumptions/stereotypes of yours regarding adolescence and adolescent culture were challenged or affirmed? Explain.