Theory and Problems of Adolescent Development, Third Edition

Theorizing about the nature, control, and implications of adolescent development has been going on for at least 2000 years in Western culture, utilizing observational and essentially irrelevant and indiscriminate measurement research techniques. However, because these investigations were flawed by prejudgment and excessive subjectivity, the findings tended to be disorganized, irrelevant, incredible, non-explanatory and platitudinous.The most scientifically significant conceptual and research approach to adolescent development in my lifetime was made by Muzafer Sherif (Sherif & Cantril, 1947) of Columbia University during my student days there in the 1930's and 1940's. He insightfully conceptualized adolescence as a transitional, biosocial, interactional and marginal stage of personality development involving an abrupt shift from a derived and dependent status to an earned, independent, competence-based, marginal status and self-esteem with associated personality deficits and compensatory interim status.In my 1952 and thereafter textbooks, I applied this primary and central theory of adolescent development to all of the component functional areas of adolescence. (See Table of Contents)in a textbook of adolescent development (1952, 1954). In addition to its primary role as a graduate and honors undergraduate textbook for psychology and secondary-education majors, this book is also of interest to mental health specialists, pediatricians, counselors, the parents of adolescents and to the teachers of all secondary-school subjects and students.