The Impact of Culture on Adolescents: A Critical Analysis

Abstract

The study of adolescence has long been shaped by the attempts to understand the development of adolescents through biological, psychological, and socio-cultural factors. Early theoretical perspectives influenced by G. Stanley Hall conceptualized adolescence as a universal period of ‘storm and stress,' characterized by emotional turbulence and behavioural instability. The recent studies examined adolescent development across the cultural contexts. However, these studies predominantly focus on isolated perspectives such as relational aggression, emotional intelligence, and parental influence. Cross-cultural comparisons undertaken by the existing research often lack depth in explaining the underlying cultural factors that shape adolescent behaviour and identity. Although recent studies acknowledge the influence of social change and globalization, it remains inadequate. This study therefore, drawing on cultural materialism and adolescent psychology, explores how class ideology, generational conflict, and moral frameworks, shape the behavioural and ethical development of Sheila Birling and Eric Birling. Inspector Goole, in the play, functions as a disruptive moral agent, challenging entrenched ideologies and facilitating ethical awakening. By contrasting the adaptability of the younger generation with the rigidity of the older characters, the paper argues that adolescence represents a crucial site for ideologies resistance and moral reorientation. The paper examines the impact of culture on the development of adolescent attitude. This study undertakes a qualitative textual analysis to examine how the cultural forces shape the attitude of adolescents in the play An Inspector Calls by J.B. Priestley. It reveals that the adolescent attitudes are influenced by the cultural and social structures, where moral consciousness influences the young individuals’ responsibility, attitude, and social relations. These findings underscore the significant role of cultural frameworks in shaping adolescent attitudes, underlining how social class, moral expectations, and collective values impact individual development.