Psychology Adolescent Sexual Behavior This

Psychology Adolescent Sexual Behavior This report attempts to provide insights into a research project by Melanie J. Zimmer-Gembeck, Jessica Siebenbruner and W. Andrew Collins entitled "A Prospective Study of Intraindividual and Peer Influences on Adolescents' Heterosexual Romantic and Sexual Behavior." The objective this review is to briefly review the research findings and then to identify some critical aspects of the research design. From there, the intention is to evaluate the research as it was presented to point out obvious flaws, bias and/or questions that were not really answered.

Next, the report then present an analytical, informative, as well as critical but subjective reflection of the piece with a focus on what impressed me both favorably and unfavorably, the empirical data recorded, and if there were any questions I came up with about the research as a whole. And finally, the report attempts to present insights into the method used including the independent variables, dependent variables, experiment grounds and the controls identified including total results as they pertain to if this research could be generalized to a larger population.

Critical parts of the research design The research report presented the authors findings based on their attempt to answer specific theories about adolescent sexual behavior. A generalization o the overall hypothesis is that adolescence sexual tendencies are based on specific and measurable phenomenon that can be identified by contributions of personal attributes, social experiences as well as other factors such as the introduction of alcohol in the mix.

"Predictors examined were sociability and impulsivity assessed at 30 months of age, physical characteristics and experiences with peers measured at age 12-13, the age of first romantic relationship, and frequency of alcohol use at age 16. The pathway to greater sexual involvement was marked by some desired personal attributes (e.g., sociability) and peer experiences (e.g., higher quality friendships)." (Zimmer-Gembeck, et al.) Evaluation of the Research believe there were many flaws, biases and questions not answered by this research.

This is because there were far too many points throughout the research and data classification that completely based on subjective or immeasurable means yet considered to be scientifically acceptable. In addition, the conclusion drawn from the research was unfounded and could have been based on a number of other factors. The overall sampling seems to have been drawn from a worthy source but that was where the accuracy and scientific method seems to have stopped. An example of a bias or subjective breakdown can be seen at several points.

For example, measuring social acceptance and attractiveness were not valid classification methods. "Appearance of physical maturity was rated by assessing each adolescent's observable physical development. Ratings of mature appearance ranged from 1 = very immature appearance to 6 = very mature appearance. Voice and physical characteristics, adult facial features, breast development, and body proportion were considered. Most adolescents were observed standing and sitting." (Zimmer-Gembeck, et al.) Although society has many icons of beauty, true beauty is in the eye of the beholder and what the raters considered attractive may not necessarily be true.

The same type of random test that was used to measure attractiveness was used to measure social acceptance. "In grade 6, teachers ranked each child according to his/her level of peer acceptance in relation to the other children in the classroom. Each teacher was asked to read a description and rank each child numerically on a scale of 1 to n, where n was the number of children in the class, and 1 was the highest rank of the characteristic.

Peer competence was defined as a "child being well liked by others and having clearly identifiable, mutual friends. Additionally, others respect her/him, and follow his/her ideas." (Zimmer-Gembeck, et al.) Although teacher may know their students well, there is no guarantee that a teacher is completely accurate in an assessment of something with so many variables. Based on these measures of peer acceptance and attractiveness, many questions would simply go unanswered.

For example, in neighborhoods where crime is rampant, social acceptance may be based on an ability to survive yet in a different atmosphere social acceptance may be based on clothing allowance - when there is cross contamination of these two social settings, is a person still as accepted and therefore attractive? Subjective Reflection do not want my attempt of presenting an analytical, informative, and critical assessment of this research project to understate my disappointment in the overall project.

I was very disappointed in how the information was gathered as well as some more than obvious flaws in thinking by the researchers. Consider that my mother and father are both very big influences in my life. Yet, this research gave too much credence to social setting outside of the home. Parents are only a minor part of this research project. The involvement of alcohol was also poorly instituted into this work. Like sex, alcohol experimentation has a strong foundation in heredity.

If a child is raised in an environment where alcohol is prevalent, than that child is more than likely to also be involved in alcohol experimentation. But just as important, there are many studies already done that point to the fact that neglect at home also leads to many instances of adolescent experimentation with sex, drugs, alcohol and even gangs. Social expectations are far.