Adolescent Learners

- Notes

UGC NET Paper 1

Copyright © 2014-2023 TestBook Edu Solutions Pvt. Ltd.: All rights reserved
 Download Testbook App

Characteristics of Adolescent Learners

Learning 
Learning is a Natural process of growth or change in a person which is manifested as a new
mode or pattern of behaviour. It is a permanent change in behaviour and is the result of
reinforced practise through the process of stimulus and response. 
Learning is basically psychological in nature; few definitions are offered by psychologists
are: 
1. Learning is the process where the behaviour of an organism undergoes a change as a result
of experience. 
2. Learning is a permanent change in capacity for performance, which is acquired through
experience. 
3. Learning is the way through which human beings acquire new skills, knowledge, attitude
and values. The outcomes of learning are the new capabilities possessed by the learner. 
Elements of Learning: 
The main components of learning are as follows: 
1. Learner, 
2. Stimulus, 
3. The internal conditions of the learner, 
4. Response.
Characteristics of learning: 
• It involves change. 
• Learning involves activities. 
• It requires interaction.
• It is a lifelong process. 
• It occurs randomly throughout life. 
• It involves problem solving. 
• It is the process of acquiring information. 
• It involves far more than thinking

Theories of learning 
(i) Classical Conditioning Theory 
Classical conditioning is a type of conditioning in which an individual responds to stimulus that
would not ordinarily generate such a response. Classical conditioning is learning through
association and this was discovered by Pavlov, a Russian physiologist. In simple terms, two
stimuli are linked together to produce a new learned response in a person or animal. 

The stimulus for a flow of saliva is the taste of food. But often the mouth waters on
hearing it. Thus, one situation is replaced by another to elicit behaviour. 

SUBJECT
|
UGC NET Paper 1 1 of 7
 Download Testbook App

In this, learning involves a conditioned stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus. Here,

the meat was an unconditioned stimulus; it caused the dog to react in a specific
manner. 
The reaction that took place when the unconditioned stimulus takes place was termed
as an unconditioned response. The bell was a conditioned stimulus. 
When the bell was combined with the meat, it produced a response when presented
alone. This is a conditioned response. 

(ii) Operant Conditioning Theory 

The second type of conditioning is operant conditioning. 
Here, a particular behaviour is followed by a reward or punishment. Operant conditioning
(instrumental conditioning) is a method of learning that takes place with rewards and
punishments for any behaviour. 
Through this, an association is made between a behaviour and a consequence.
(iii) Cognitive Theory 
Cognition means an individual’s thoughts, understandings, knowledge of interpretations or
ideas about his environment and himself. 
This is a process of learning through constructive and active and thought processes, by
memory or practice. 

One example: teaching how to look at time. 

Someone would have taught you the meaning of the big hand and little hand, and you might
have practised telling the time. 
This process of learning takes place entirely inside the mind and doesn't involve any
behaviours or physical motions. It is cognitive, meaning an internal thought process. 
(iv) Social Learning Theory 
The social learning theory, also known as observational learning, states that an individual
learns by just being told about something or observing what happens to other people. 

One can learn things by observing parents, models, teachers, motion pictures, peers, bosses,
TV artists, etc. 
Many patterns of behaviour are learned by just watching the behaviours of others and
observing their consequences for them. 

ADOLESCENT LEARNER 
Adolescence is between childhood and adulthood. (Ages 13-early twenties). Three main stages
of Adolescent learner:
(i) Early Adolescence (Ages 10 to 13) 
(ii) Middle Adolescence (Ages 14 to 17) 
(iii) Late Adolescents (18-21 and beyond) 

SUBJECT
|
UGC NET Paper 1 2 of 7
 Download Testbook App

Learner characteristics will be discussed under five broad heads namely: 

1. Intellectual 
2. Social 
3. Physical 
4. Emotional and Psychological 
5. Moral 
Characteristics of young adolescent learners 
(i) Intellectual development includes: 
➔ Abstract thinking in place of concrete thinking. 

➔ An intense curiosity 

➔ High achievement when engaged and challenged. 

➔ Prefers active learning experiences over passive learning. 

➔ During learning activities Interested in interacting with peers. 

(ii) Self-reflective ability 

➔ Demand relevance in what is being taught and learned. 

iii) Social development: 

➔ Changing the behaviour after that of older students, not necessarily that of parents. 

➔ In search of a social position with the peers Experimenting with ways of acting and talking in
the process. 
➔ In visible or invisible ways Exploring questions of sexual identity. 

➔ Feeling intimidated or frightened by the previous school experience. 

➔ Being interested in popular culture and liking fads. 

➔ Overreacting to embarrassment, rejection and ridicule. 

➔ With attention-getting behaviours Seeking approval of peers and others 

➔ As interpersonal skills are being developed at this stage, fluctuates between a desire for
guidance and direction and a demand for independence.

(iv) Physical development includes: 

➔ Fatigue and Restlessness due to hormonal changes in the body. 

➔ Because of increased energy, there is a there need for physical activity 

➔ Developing sexual awareness. 

➔ A concern with changes in body shape and size. 

➔ Physical vulnerability resulting from poor dietary\health habits.

SUBJECT
|
UGC NET Paper 1 3 of 7
 Download Testbook App

.
(v) Emotional and Psychological Development 
➔ Mood swings marked by unpredictability and peaks of uncertainty. 

➔ Sudden outbursts of activity that results from needing to release energy. 

➔ A desire to become independent and search for adult acceptance and identity. 

➔ Being sensitive to personal criticism and Self-consciousness. 

➔ Concern about maturity and physical growth. 

➔ A belief that their personal experiences, problems, feelings, are unique. 

➔ Overreacting to rejection, ridicule, embarrassment. 

➔ Attention-getting behaviours, Seeking approval of peers and others.

(vi) Moral development: 

➔ An understanding develops of the complexity of moral issues (question values, religious
teachings and cultural expressions). 
➔ Being interested and capable of participating in democracy. 

➔ Impatience with the pace of change. 

➔ Being influenced by adult role models. 

➔ Relying on important adults and parents for advice, but wanting to make their own
decisions. 
➔ Judging others quickly, but acknowledging one’s own faults slowly. 

➔ Show compassion and are vocal for those who are downtrodden or suffering and have a
special concern for animals and environmental issues. 

INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCE 
Individual differences stand for the variation or deviation and among individuals in regard to a
single characteristic or a number of characteristics like height, weight, colour, complexion, etc.
It is a known fact that no two individuals are alike, not even the twins. Each person has an
intellectual capacity through which he gains experience and learning. 

Individual Differences Definitions: 

“Variations or deviations from the average of the group, with respect to the mental or physical
characters, occurring in the individual member of the group are individual differences.” 
-Drever James

The variation or deviations among individuals is regarded to a single characteristic or a

number of characteristics, those differences which in their totality distinguish one individual

SUBJECT
|
UGC NET Paper 1 4 of 7
 Download Testbook App

from another.
-Good, C.V.

Types of Individual Differences 

1. Physical differences 
Short or tall, fatness, darkness or fairness of complexion, weakness or thinness, are few
physical IDs. 

2. Differences in terms of Intelligence 

Individuals differ from each other in intelligence level. On the basis of their intelligence level.
individuals can be classified from super-normal (above 120 I.Q.) to Mentally defective (from 0 to
60 I.Q.) 

3. Attitude Differences 
Individuals differ from each other in their attitudes towards different people, institutions,
authorities and objects.

.
4. Differences on the basis of achievement 
Through achievement tests, it has been found out that individuals differ from one another in
their achievement. These differences are very much visible in writing, reading and in learning. 
These differences can even be seen among children who are at the same level of intelligence.
These differences are due to the differences in experiences, intelligence, educational
background, interests. 

5. Difference on account of motor ability 

There are differences in motor ability. Some individuals can perform mechanical tasks easily,
while others feel much difficulty in performing these tasks. 

6. Differences in interests
Factors such as family background, sex, level of development, differences of race and
nationality etc., cause differences in interests. 

7. Emotional differences

SUBJECT
|
UGC NET Paper 1 5 of 7
 Download Testbook App

Individuals differ from each other in their emotional reactions to a particular situation. Some
are aggressive and they get angry very soon. There are others who do not get angry easily and
are peaceful in nature. At a certain thing, an individual may be so much enraged that he
commits the crimes like murder, while another individual may only laugh at it. 

Spranger classified personalities into six different types: 

1. Theoretical 
2. Economic 
3. Aesthetic 
4. Social 
5. Religious 
6. Political

Jung classified people into three categories: 

1. Introverts 
2. Extroverts 
3. Ambiverts 

Trotter divided individuals into 

1. Stable 
2. Unstable. 
Jordan thinks of personalities into 
1. Active type 
2. Reflective 

Thorndike has classified individuals into four categories on the basis of thinking: 
1. Abstract thinkers 
2. Ideational thinkers 
3. Object thinkers 
4. Thinkers in whom sensory experience is prominent. 

Terman has classified into nine classes according to the level of intelligence:
1. Genius 
2. Near genius 
3. Very superior 
4. Superior 
5. Average 

SUBJECT
|
UGC NET Paper 1 6 of 7
 Download Testbook App

6. Backward 
7. Feeble Minded 
8. Dull 
9. Idiot. 

Causes of Individual Differences: 

1. Heredity 
2. Environment 
3. Influence of caste, race and nation 
4. Sex differences 
5. Age and intelligence 

6. Temperament and emotional stability 

7. Economic condition and education
8. Other Causes 
 Individual Differences in Education 
One of the important objectives of Education is the wholesome development of the individual.
Individuals have different interests, different goals, different abilities, different emotional
problems. 
We cannot ignore these individual differences in providing education to children.

SUBJECT
|
UGC NET Paper 1 7 of 7