Worksheet Taking Sides # Issue 12 Does Dating Impede Adolescent Development - Essay Example

Worksheet Taking Sides # 4 – Does Dating Impede Adolescent Development? Briefly describe the 2 pieces of evidence that Cui and colleagues present to support their argument that for some teens dating is not a good idea. Do you think that based on the research that Cui and colleagues review that dating impedes developmental adjustment for adolescents? Why or why not? Please justify your answer by evaluating the merit of the research they present.Cui and colleagues explored and responded to the issue of dating and adolescent development by looking at the relationship that exists between having romantic relationships and showing delinquent behavior.

The researchers found that the younger people involved in the study were at more risks of engaging in such unaccepted behavior compared to their older counterparts. They attributed this to the fact that such individuals are not yet fully developed to deal with various issues such as insecure representation of perianal relationships, disappointments, break-ups, unfaithfulness and making sexuality-based decisions (Rye & Drysdale, 2012). Based on this empirical study, I think that dating impedes developmental adjustment among adolescents due to the fact that they are not yet at the right age, mentally or emotionally, to properly handle the dilemmas that are associated with romantic relationships.

I do not find the conclusion and evidence from this research very compelling since it does not fully justify the effect of the various emotional challenges associated with dating on development. 2. Briefly describe the 2 pieces of evidence that Harden and colleagues present to support their argument that dating is an important developmental milestone for teens. Do you think that the research that Harden and colleagues review is compelling? Why or why not? Please justify your answer by evaluating the merit of the research they present.

Harden and colleagues carried out a study which was meant to explore the kind of relationship that exist between dating and delinquent behaviors. From the data which they collected, it was concluded that there seem to be a direct relationship between gene make up and involvement in unacceptable behavior. Certain kinds of gene make ups increased the chance of the young people engaging in risky behavior. The second reason why it is argued that dating does not impede adolescent development based on this study is the finding which made them conclude that early sexual activity and romantic relations had no impact at all on how young people developed.

They however note I think that the research presented by Cui and colleagues is compelling as it clearly explains the important role of romantic relationships in development among adolescence. Dating allows adolescents to learn how to relate with others in an intimate level, as well as increase their independence at an early age. This contributes to better critical thinking as they proceed into adulthood. However, these kinds of relationships are advocated for the older teens rather than the younger ones.3. Imagine that you are a researcher and want to develop a study to assess whether teen dating is a good idea.

Describe what that research study would look like so that you could get all the information you need to fully assess this question. In your response discuss how big your sample would be, what variables you would assess, and what your research design would be. Pretend that money is not an object. As a researcher with the desire to develop a study to assess whether teen dating is a good idea or not, I would focus on high school students as my target population since most teenagers are in high school.

I would then select a representative sample from the entire population so as to be able to collect the information I need in good time. The variables I would assess would be the advantages and disadvantages of dating among teens in terms of their social, emotional and academic development as influenced by their teenage dating. The research design I would use would be the survey research design as it is appropriate for assessing trends and opinions and would in this case be appropriate for assessing the opinions on teenage dating.

It also allows for interviewing a large population through methods such as digital questionnaires as would be used in this research study to collect information from various teenagers on different experiences in teenage dating.ReferenceRye B. J, Drysdale M. (2012). Taking sides: Clashing Views in Adolescence. 3rd edition. New York: McGraw Hill.