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Adolescence: A social psychological analysis
.~obumal of Adolescence
1984. 7, 305-308
Book Reviews Adolescence: International.
A Social Psychological Analysis. Hans Sebald. 1984, 3rd edn, Pp. 336. E22.75.
London:
Prentice-Hall
The subtitle of this book can be misleading. The author is a social psychologist teaching in a sociology department in the United States who believes that traditional social psychology is largely obsolete. The social psychological analysis used involves looking at the adolescent’s reactions to the urban-industrial conditions in the U.S. The sociological analysis involves examining attempts made by the adolescent to cope with the uncertainity and vulnerability resulting from various structural features of the environment including the uncertainity of occupational choice, difficulties in identifying with adult models, inconsistencies in authority relationships, conflicts between generations, discontinuity in socialization patterns, etc. The characteristic adaptation strategy of the adolescent is to engage in subcultural or even countercultural behaviour. The author views adolescence as “. . . an invention of urban-industrial life and not a universal such as infancy, childhood, adulthood and old age.” (p. 31 I) The notion of identity is stressed but explained in terms of the socio-cultural environment rather than developmental theory, in keeping with the sociological orientation of the author. The typical adolescent is said to lack a unitary identity because it reflects the socio-cultural environment in post-industrial America that is neither unitary nor integrated. The changes made in the third edition include giving more emphasis to conditions an a historical adolescence as a normative phase; to post-industrial perspective; to the impact of the mass media; to the counterculture and the True Believer movements, and to the antecedents of the youth culture. Less emphasis is given to minority youth, specific problem areas and “momism”. Certain topics that have received much attention in recent books on adolescence are largely ignored, for instance, adolescent friendship. Most of the chapters are organized around key issues and questions for which the author seeks to present both sides. The kinds of questions include: is the notion of a unitary identity obsolete in a rapidly changing society. 7 Is there really intergenerational conflict? What is wrong with the modern family? What is wrong with the modern educational system? Is TV violence harmful to the youth? What causes alienation and dropout? Is there really a youth subculture? The author anticipates possible criticism of his book for the lack of a specific theoretical perspective. Instead, an interdisciplinary approach is espoused to tap the multifaceted nature of adolescence. The source material relies heavily on books and mass media periodicals dealing with youth unrest. Scholarly journals in the
306
BOOK REVIEWS
disciplines of psychology, sociology and anthropology receive much less attention, particularly in the last seven years. It is understandable that a socio-cultural approach would make limited use of the typical, experimental-type studies, but even much of the recent research using a socio-cultural approach is underutilized. The book is stimulating, insightful and readable. The author has tried to appeal to the so-called intelligent layperson and parent. A broader audience is sought than college students. Academic lingo is avoided as well as the detailed research findings characteristic of many psychological texts on the adolescent. I would not recommend this book, however, for a course in social psychology in a psychology department. it is likely to be well received in courses that focus on the problems and conflicts of adolescents in a rapidly changing society. YohnJ. La Gaipa
Problems of Adolescence in the Secondary School. Geoff Lindsay Croom Helm, 1984. Erg.95 (Hardback) E7.95 (Paperback)
(Ed.).
London:
Geoff Lindsay is the Senior Educational Psychologist for the City of Sheffield; he also lectures at the Institute of Education there. Together with colleagues from the education and the psychological services, he has produced a collection of quite separate chapters (six of them by himself) on the rather well-worn topic of adolescent problems in the secondary school. He himself grapples with the 1981 Act and its implications. Other chapters cover the “usual” topics--identifying problems, establishing assessment systems, learning difficulties, emotional and behavioural ) problems, abnormal conduct, sex, drugs, school refusal, vandalism and support services. The most refreshing chapters are those on sex (Kathleen Cox) and vandalism (Brian Harrison). For experienced journal readers, not much of this book will either add knowledge or provoke new thought. Even the teacher in training or the new teacher (for whom one assumes the book is written) will, I suspect, not find this book particularly inspiring or illuminating. It is worthy, solid and sound enough, but fails to stimulate thought or capture the imagination. It too often reads like stale lecture notes which have become boring even to the lecturer. Nor is it cheap: E15-95is a lot for a hardback library copy, particularly in school. The paperback copy at iE7.95 fell to pieces in my hand at the first read. The book is both dismissive and disparaging about counselling, but this apart, what is the problem with the book? In the last analysis it does not connect sufficiently with classroom practice for the practising teacher. A great pity for there is much in the book of merit. Anne Jones
1984. 7, 305-308
Book Reviews Adolescence: International.
A Social Psychological Analysis. Hans Sebald. 1984, 3rd edn, Pp. 336. E22.75.
London:
Prentice-Hall
The subtitle of this book can be misleading. The author is a social psychologist teaching in a sociology department in the United States who believes that traditional social psychology is largely obsolete. The social psychological analysis used involves looking at the adolescent’s reactions to the urban-industrial conditions in the U.S. The sociological analysis involves examining attempts made by the adolescent to cope with the uncertainity and vulnerability resulting from various structural features of the environment including the uncertainity of occupational choice, difficulties in identifying with adult models, inconsistencies in authority relationships, conflicts between generations, discontinuity in socialization patterns, etc. The characteristic adaptation strategy of the adolescent is to engage in subcultural or even countercultural behaviour. The author views adolescence as “. . . an invention of urban-industrial life and not a universal such as infancy, childhood, adulthood and old age.” (p. 31 I) The notion of identity is stressed but explained in terms of the socio-cultural environment rather than developmental theory, in keeping with the sociological orientation of the author. The typical adolescent is said to lack a unitary identity because it reflects the socio-cultural environment in post-industrial America that is neither unitary nor integrated. The changes made in the third edition include giving more emphasis to conditions an a historical adolescence as a normative phase; to post-industrial perspective; to the impact of the mass media; to the counterculture and the True Believer movements, and to the antecedents of the youth culture. Less emphasis is given to minority youth, specific problem areas and “momism”. Certain topics that have received much attention in recent books on adolescence are largely ignored, for instance, adolescent friendship. Most of the chapters are organized around key issues and questions for which the author seeks to present both sides. The kinds of questions include: is the notion of a unitary identity obsolete in a rapidly changing society. 7 Is there really intergenerational conflict? What is wrong with the modern family? What is wrong with the modern educational system? Is TV violence harmful to the youth? What causes alienation and dropout? Is there really a youth subculture? The author anticipates possible criticism of his book for the lack of a specific theoretical perspective. Instead, an interdisciplinary approach is espoused to tap the multifaceted nature of adolescence. The source material relies heavily on books and mass media periodicals dealing with youth unrest. Scholarly journals in the
306
BOOK REVIEWS
disciplines of psychology, sociology and anthropology receive much less attention, particularly in the last seven years. It is understandable that a socio-cultural approach would make limited use of the typical, experimental-type studies, but even much of the recent research using a socio-cultural approach is underutilized. The book is stimulating, insightful and readable. The author has tried to appeal to the so-called intelligent layperson and parent. A broader audience is sought than college students. Academic lingo is avoided as well as the detailed research findings characteristic of many psychological texts on the adolescent. I would not recommend this book, however, for a course in social psychology in a psychology department. it is likely to be well received in courses that focus on the problems and conflicts of adolescents in a rapidly changing society. YohnJ. La Gaipa
Problems of Adolescence in the Secondary School. Geoff Lindsay Croom Helm, 1984. Erg.95 (Hardback) E7.95 (Paperback)
(Ed.).
London:
Geoff Lindsay is the Senior Educational Psychologist for the City of Sheffield; he also lectures at the Institute of Education there. Together with colleagues from the education and the psychological services, he has produced a collection of quite separate chapters (six of them by himself) on the rather well-worn topic of adolescent problems in the secondary school. He himself grapples with the 1981 Act and its implications. Other chapters cover the “usual” topics--identifying problems, establishing assessment systems, learning difficulties, emotional and behavioural ) problems, abnormal conduct, sex, drugs, school refusal, vandalism and support services. The most refreshing chapters are those on sex (Kathleen Cox) and vandalism (Brian Harrison). For experienced journal readers, not much of this book will either add knowledge or provoke new thought. Even the teacher in training or the new teacher (for whom one assumes the book is written) will, I suspect, not find this book particularly inspiring or illuminating. It is worthy, solid and sound enough, but fails to stimulate thought or capture the imagination. It too often reads like stale lecture notes which have become boring even to the lecturer. Nor is it cheap: E15-95is a lot for a hardback library copy, particularly in school. The paperback copy at iE7.95 fell to pieces in my hand at the first read. The book is both dismissive and disparaging about counselling, but this apart, what is the problem with the book? In the last analysis it does not connect sufficiently with classroom practice for the practising teacher. A great pity for there is much in the book of merit. Anne Jones