PSYCHOLOGY

Hokitika Guardian, 20 September 1929, Page 5

PSYCHOLOGY

PROBLEM OF ADOLESCENCE.

NEED FOR SYMPATHETIC UNDERSTANDING.

WELLINGTON, Sept. 17

The need for a sympathetic understanding of youth during the difficult period of adolescence, on the Rart of parents, teachers, and the general community, was stressed by Professor T. A. Hunter in his W.«E.A. lecture to a large audience at the Trades Hall on Saturday night.

- ‘ ‘lf vve are to understand ourselves,” said Professor Hunter, ‘‘especially at those periods of life in which rapid and fundamental changes occur, wo must keep in mind sojne of the big discoveries of modern thought. The .biological concept of man has shown us the close relationship of the body and the mind, 'and we have: now passed through tile stage when we regarded man >as two separate beings. He is -an organism in the process of becoming rationalised and is continually striving againßt the wide-reaching effects of conflicts and repression. “Ir> considering the growth ,aqd development of the human being, r.lt is necessary to realise that man’s physical characteristics, like height and weight,. do not increase evenly in all periods of life to maturity. Rather there are periods of rapid growth, followed by periods of stability, 'as if Nature were consolidating its gains. Prom birth, until the age of seven or eight years the child grows rapidly, and then follows a period of. relative stability from eight till twelve, , before the onset, of puberty. The period of puberty is not definitely fixed, but may be roughly said to occur at the ages of 13 to 15 for girls, and 11 to 16 for boy?. The period of ■ adolescence culminates at about 17 or 18, but many authorities hold that stabilisation does not occur till 23 to 25.’’ y THE. TERM ADOLESCENCE.

“The term adolescence is now commonly adopted for the period between childhood and maturity,”, continued Professor Hunter, “}duripjg which characteristics, physical, mental and moral changes take place ,in which the nature of f the individual Hs at once disclosed and modified. The time and conditions of these changes vary with climate, race, and social surroundings. We now know - that these .changes are -physiologically bound up with the operation arid balance of the endominal. system. It is a well-established fact that "the thymus is an organ of that defective development of gland leads to early sexual development, and that at and after puberty its size relatively diminishes. Similarly, the adrenal system,, is the physical basis of the fundamental emotions of fear and'anger, and the cranial and saceral organs balanced the sympathetica. Many of the abnormalities that occur are due to the lack of balance in regard to: these glands. In studying the question of adplescence it is important to remember that man is a complex organism whose parts grow at different rates at varying periods.” . > 1 ." ' The lecturer explained the physical and physiological changes that take place during the period of puberty and pointed out that-many of the minor troubles of adolescents were due to disproportionate development. “It is now realised,’’ (he continued, “that we cannot separate the body from the mind, and these changes in the physiological processes have mental effects that are very far-reaching, as they rest on an instinctive .emotional basis that provides new drive? to action, changes in the emotional background of experience and gives rise to new outlooks. If care is not taken new abnormalities will arise.

TWO THEORIES. “The whole of the changes have been brought under tw.o main, theories that some psychologists consider antagonistic,- -but that. ma . v well * ,e supplementary to each other. The theory associated with the name of Stanlfey Hall asserts that the individual climbs his ancestral tree not only biologically but also psychologically and socially. This is seen in the initiation rites of the savage, in secluded .civilisation, and the prolongation of adolescence and in the ceremonies of the Church. Freud’s view is that the adolescent is now facing the conflicts arising in connection with sex, due to infantile experiences and repressions which go right back into the past and have been buried in the unconscious mind. With the physiological changes they yenippe&r and adolescence is the period in which these conflicts between primitive values and conventional or acquired values are fought out. Every child goes through these stages Or. epochs, and we can see the manifestations of this action in everyone.

DIRECTING INNER FORCES.. “Adolescence is the period of experiment and of romance, when the. mysterious changes within are interpreted in terms of the possibilities of • life. The love of adventure and the lure of the forbidden appeal to the young imagination, and it is very necessary that youth should find an outlet for its needs and cravings in some form of self-expression. Artcrafts and handwork of various kinds, an appreciation of music, painting and literature all provide ample scope for directing the inner forces into the right channels, and some aesthetic work should he included in the curriculum of all secondary schools.” Professor Hunter referred to the varying moods and irregularities in the behaviour of the adolescent, and stated that it was the period of what might seem like startling inconsistencies. Side