Youth – a rather long period of human life from 14–15 to 25 years, divided into early and late youth. Early youth covers the period from 14–15 to 18 years.

The study of the psychological problems of adolescence is marked by two main approaches.

A number of theories (biological, psychological, psychoanalytic direction) explain the youth, based mainly from changes in the body and internal factors. This is opposed to the development of a person or as an individual, or as a person at one of the poles of this approach – biological theories for which the youth – this is an important stage of growth of the organism determines all the lines (morphological, physiological, social – psychological) ontogenesis of the individual.

Psychological theories emphasize that youth is a kind of stage in the development of the inner world, first of all – the child's identity

In psychoanalytic theory focuses on youth as a stage of rapid psychosexual development of the child

Another approach – the sociological – noted attempts to reveal the main external determination of the period of adolescence from the point of view of society, the interests of its development. In this sense, youth – socialization stage of her child, the transition from dependent childhood to independent adulthood, formation of social roles, values orientation.

For domestic psychology characteristic of the account of the dialectical unity of the biological, psychological and social aspects in the personality development of youth difficulties are due to the difference in the time of reaching the individual, on the one hand, the biological maturity, and on the other – a social maturity in our technologically highly developed society, where the schooling period long enough and it has a tendency to growth, biological maturation ahead mental.

Most of the boys and girls of this age have already reached puberty. Almost completed maturation and the child's whole body. Physical development of high school students in the pace slows down and is more noticeable in girls and boys gradually "catch up" with them. Increased growth in girls continues basically to 16–17 years, and for boys – up to  17–18 years.

Particularly rapidly growing muscle mass and strength in children, making this an important period for their achievements in some sports. Become more balanced performance in the growth of internal organs, the heart size in proportion with respect to indicators of cardiovascular and muscular systems achieves performance significantly improved adult nervous system, which is stable and sturdy.

Another feature of today is to accelerate the biological maturation (acceleration) and slowing social. Social maturity is measured by a number of parameters that appear not simultaneously and individually. Thus, society acknowledges the person with maturity of 17 years, when it receives a passport, all begins to be responsible for their actions before the law, enjoy the right to vote and all other human adult. For a long time after the age of entry of young people keeps material dependence on parents and family (especially if continued teaching).

The social situation of development due to the preparation of senior pupils to enroll in adult life, which is the choice of profession, in determining the future course of life (to continue their education, to start a family, so start working) here – the most pressing personal concern is the implementation of the senior life of self–determination, which would give him in the future to fully realize themselves in work, society, governmental life in the family.

Mental development in early adolescence – it is the necessary foundation that enables a person consciously and reasonably implement a choice of further way of life according to their abilities and individual characteristics. Verifying life choices made, and in some cases, it takes a change in the second half of the juvenile age.

The social situation of the senior pupil creates a contradiction between identification and individualization of his personality among the people around them. On the one hand, young people aspire to independent living, independence, protect their right to individuality. In addition, the activated value – orientation activities, increasing the desire to consciously regulate their conduct in accordance with the social norms and demands. The result of the interaction of individualization and identification process is the differentiation of mental abilities and interests, and the development of integrated identity mechanisms.

The leading activity for high school students in favor of training – professional activity

The central new formation of personality in early adolescence is the readiness of senior pupils to self–determination of life, the center of which is a professional range of professions.

Vital self – determination comes with a support for the main neoplasms psyche school student – his outlook, which is a system of generalized views of reality, where scientific knowledge is intertwined with the beliefs I have and attitude.

Conclusion on the general characteristics of early adolescence:

• early youth covers the period from 14–15 to 18 years;
• for today's youth is characterized by the acceleration of biological maturation (acceleration) and slowing down ahead of social biological;
• physical development of high school students in the pace of growth is slowing down the size of internal organs occurs in proportion to the relative indicators of cardiovascular and muscular systems, the nervous system inhibitory processes with balanced excitation processes;
• social situation of development is due to the preparation of high school student for entrance to an independent life;
• a central new formation of identity in early adolescence is the willingness of the child to life self – determination;
• the main neoplasms school student psyche – his outlook.

The development of cognitive processes of the senior pupil.

The development of cognitive processes due to the senior general nature of his mental activity Mental development is slowing the pace, but qualitatively it is much more complicated, ensuring the formation of ideology as a system of views on the reality of high school student masters the complex intellectual operations, there is a significant enrichment of the concepts, the differentiation of interests and abilities. Formed individual style of mental activity.

Perception becomes complex intellectual process, differentiation and integration which, among other cognitive processes has reached a high level by relying on previous experience, existing knowledge and mental abilities.

Growing attention to the possibility that fully manifest only when a deep interest in the cognitive object of knowledge. Therefore, attention indicators strongly depend on the motivation of cognitive activity, do not have a stable character. Young men often show inattention to educational material from – because too immersed in their own personal problems, deeply experiencing difficulties in communicating with others, etc. You can say that the main difficulties experienced high school student when necessary to shift attention, while being distracted from their deep feelings.

Memory improved under the influence of will and thought. Arbitrary memory clearly ahead involuntary. Quality memory depends on the abilities of the senior strong – willed, and from the possession of methods of mental treatment of the material, as well as the interests of a professional choice. High school student has the whole system of voluntary memorization methods, which studied in detail the AO Smirnov. This schoolboy growing memory capacity at an abstract material.

Thinking senior high school student develops a complex learning activities, providing mastery of scientific knowledge, which form the basis of outlook of the person high school student is able to educate themselves, and while achieving the same level of results as in terms of training. Thinking operates with the knowledge that I have a high school student. The role of logical reasoning and obtain the correct inference.

Signs are thinking of senior pupils the following properties:

• consistency, when the student purposefully looking for links between their knowledge, the causes of certain facts, events, trying to realize their natural character;
• reflexivity (the conscious use of thought to find an answer to a question, the flexible use of thinking, its variability, hypothetical);
• ideological orientation, theorizing, creating abstract theories, passion philosophical reflections;
• focus on the search, thinking is a productive, creative nature. The student seeks to independently get to the essence of issues of interest to him, to give them an explanation assumes the role of the scientist, the searcher, research – the search process;
• the limitations of thinking is the lack of a system and method. This is especially acute in case of errors in thinking, in the preparation of false results that high school student is not able to overcome.

It is complicated in content and form thanks to the development of thinking and mastery of all systems (especially lexical and syntactic) native and foreign languages. High school student at a high enough level, familiar with all kinds of speech (dialogic and monologue, spoken and written, internal and external). This gives him the ability to accurately express their thoughts and feelings. The transition from the deployed to the reduction of internal speech, the latter becomes a form of existence of mental ideas.

The imagination of the senior notes arbitrariness, which is manifested in the ability to plan their activities and the further course of life becomes perfect reproductive imagination. With the help of senior creative imagination can develop complex ideas of creative works (drawings, design, works), and to implement them.

The plans for the future occupy an important place dreams that are specific and effective.

Conclusion on the development of cognitive processes of the senior pupil:

• mental human development during early adolescence slows down the pace, much more complicated and ensures the formation of ideology;
• cognitive processes become stable arbitrariness, intellectual complexity, differentiation and integration;
• boys is difficult to direct their cognitive activity on the study material of – the fact that they are too immersed in their own personal problem;
• high school student has a complex system of methods of arbitrary memory;
• thinking of senior pupils ensures mastery of scientific knowledge;
• high school student is able to educate themselves while achieving results at the same level as in terms of training

Emotionally – volitional in early adolescence.

Emotional sphere seniors complex and colorful It becomes more rich and flexible compared with a teenager, grows its manageability and controllability. Reduced content of affective reactions, emotional background. So, boys and girls, regardless of the type of nervous system, is much more restrained compared with adolescents.

Significant development levels reach the higher feelings that cause a variety of needs: aesthetic, intellectual, and social – moral. Due to the high importance for the senior dialogue on the basis of partnership in his social feelings are developing most intensively: empathy, a sense of understanding, spiritual unity, responsiveness.

In an emotional portrait school student become increasingly prominent individually – typological features. Maturation temperament determines its impact on the emotional life.

In the sphere of volition growing level of self–conscious associated with the desire to meet the requirements of the group time, the level of self–control is still unstable and situational. In different situations, the same high school student can do quite unpredictable enough school students and the ability to make systematic efforts to overcome obstacles, seen as a weakness of will, unreliability, and a tendency to easily unjustly offended, etc. When nervously – mental stress self senior pupil is significantly reduced.

At the senior high enough to clearly manifest a certain type of temperament, which is the basic patterns are set in adolescence. Early adolescence is marked intensification of integral relations between its members, resulting in easier management of the individual's own reactions. Typological features of the nervous system appear the acute behavioral school student, referring to its most extreme form of accentuation, arising out of innate characteristics of the nervous system in the presence of unfavorable social conditions. With the deepening of accentuation they move in abnormal times frets psyche – psychopathy.

Among high school students often meet the following accentuation(K. Leonhard).

Jam – excitement combined with stubbornness, mistrust, intolerance to criticism and objections.

Demonstrative – ambition, boasting, bragging, impudence, that the desire to emphasize their importance, the ability to unpredictable actions in order to attract the attention of others.

Exalted – easily excited and suggestible, subject to passions, to identify excessively bright passion emotion, surprise, the inspiration, the amount of despair. The aggravation of these features results in a crude, adventurous actions.

Anxiety – the dangers awaiting the time, timid, shy, hesitant, inferior, inherent flight reaction, rather than overcoming difficult circumstances. Closure of "disturbing" high school students can develop into painful or self–isolation and a sense of inferiority.

Along with high emotional sensitivity and impressionable high school students in their intensive form of psychological defense methods (Kon).

Conclusion on the emotional – volitional sphere of man in his early youth:

• emotional sphere seniors becomes more rich and flexible compared with a teenager, grows its manageability and controllability;
• the emotional life of young people is intense, though less violent and more stable; a significant level of development reach the higher senses and the corresponding requirements (aesthetic, intellectual, and social – moral);
• expressiveness acquire individually – typological features of emotional sphere of youth;
• in the sphere of volition growing level of conscious self–control related to the desire to meet the Group's requirements;
• the level of self – control is still unstable and situational, which creates a fertile ground for the appearance of the young men of character accentuations.

The development of self – consciousness of the senior pupil.

Consciousness of the senior notes egocentrism, which plays a positive role. It allows a young man to open his unique inner world, correlating it with the outside world, to the understanding of its place in reality and contributes to the formation of outlook.

An important factor in the formation of self–consciousness becomes gender identity. The feeling of adulthood is coordinated in the minds of high school student with a male or female role. Intensively growing perception of himself as a person of a particular sex with distinctive needs, motivations, values, attitudes to the opposite sex and the corresponding forms of behavior.

The development of self – consciousness in this age occurs in the following main directions (V. Merlin):

1. Identity awareness (delineation of "I" – not "I" and its continuity in a time of personal perspective).
2. "I" – the subject of activity (there is even a 3 years old, when the child becomes aware of itself as a source of action, stating "I myself").
3. The realization of his mental qualities (self – identity).
4. The acquisition of the system of social – moral self – assessments.

Formation of personal identity is a very important direction of development of consciousness of the senior, whose peculiar sharpened the need to rethink its "I" is connected, – the first, with sharp and violent changes of appearance, the appearance of new experiences (identity crisis), and in – the second, with prospects life self – determination and choice of profession.

Young people have the attention to your own body and changes therein, painfully perceived any external defects (low growth, fullness, children's features.) They are trying to be an adult, first and foremost.

There is a growing introspection, reflection of their own experiences, interest in the inner world of man in general. The image of the "I" stands variants: the real "I" (what is now), the dynamic "I" (trying to be) the perfect "I" (what should be), the fantastic "I" (I would like to be).

Change the criteria of self – examination. If a teenager is focused on the search for its unique features, the young man – especially his position among others. The depth depends on the social introspection (type of school, where he studied the young man), individually – typological (extrovert or introvert), biographical (conditions of family education) factors.

Hits of the "I" leads to self – acceptance person school student, and unsuccessful – to self – denial.

Self–esteem in early adolescence becomes more differentiated, rational, reasoned and is the result of mental activity of the senior pupil in the following main forms:

• a comparison made with the expected ("i know, and therefore was praised"). the deformation of this process of self – confidence manifested in the fact that boys create unnecessary artificial situation of self;
• analysis of the views currently expressed by others. adults and peers use different criteria for evaluation of high school students who are sometimes opposed – that peers disapprove, condemn adults.

Ideas about yourself is different from their peers in a generic way ("We"), both in content and in the evaluation system. The boys consider themselves less bold, less sociable and cheerful than peers. Girls also attribute to themselves less sociable, but great sincerity, fairness and loyalty.

Generalized self – confidence is reflected in the self – esteem, which is a fairly stable formation changes gradually. The concept of self – self – worth is often exaggerated.

Otherwise, there is a reduced self – esteem, which makes a person inactive, uncertain, lonely. These young people are sensitive to criticism, humor.

Conclusion on the development of self – consciousness of the senior pupil:

• identity of the senior pupil is marked egocentrism, which allows him to open his unique inner world and contributes to a world;
• intensively developing perception of himself as a person of a particular sex;
• exacerbated by the need for a rethinking of the "I" associated with sharp and rugged appearance changes with the advent of new experiences, with the prospects of the life of self – determination;
• youth in enhanced self– observation, reflection of their own experiences, interest in the inner world of man in general;
• the successful search of his "I" leads a young man to self –adoption his personality and unsuccessful – until her self – denial;
• self – esteem in early adolescence becomes more differentiated, rational, reasoned.

Control questions

1. The problem of self–determination and identity crisis.
2. The leading activity in early adolescence.
3. Mental neoplasms adolescence.
4. The crisis of 17 years and the transition to adulthood.