Abstract
Focusing on the social construction of reality or knowledge, the social constructionist perspective exhibits characteristic features, including the critical role played by language; the social process involved in reality construction; the different levels of meaning making; individuals' agency; the co-construction of social reality; power and knowledge construction; a pragmatic orientation to knowledge; and a preference for qualitative research. Social constructionism challenged the dominance of positivism in knowledge production. In relation to adolescence, social constructionist studies have examined how adolescence as a social category is constructed and how adolescents themselves form their identities and understand the social world. The perspective questions dominant discourses such as the developmental and peer group influence discourses; deepens our understanding of family dynamics and the various social discourses within which meaning making takes place; exposes the discursive power in disciplining different teenager groups; unravels the different meanings and identities that adolescents hold; and promotes their agency.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | The Encyclopedia of Child and Adolescent Development |
Editors | Stephen Hupp, Jeremy D. Jewell |
Publisher | Wiley |
Volume | History, Theory, and Culture in Adolescence |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9781119171492 |
ISBN (Print) | 9781119161899 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 20 Dec 2019 |
User-Defined Keywords
- adolescence
- social constructionism
- social constructivism
- teenagers