Parents who have teenager daughter or son must know one of these following facts about adolescence. Adolescence is a transitional stage of physical and psychological human development that generally occurs during the period from puberty to legal adulthood (age of majority). The period of adolescence is most closely associated with the teenage years, though its physical, psychological and cultural expressions may begin earlier and end later. For example, although puberty has been historically associated with the onset of adolescent development, it now typically begins prior to the teenage years and there has been a normative shift of it occurring in preadolescence, particularly in females. To get to know more about this, here are some other facts about adolescence you might be interested in.
Facts about adolescence 1: Various Perspectives
A thorough understanding of adolescence in society depends on information from various perspectives, including psychology, biology, history, sociology, education and anthropology. Within all of these perspectives, adolescence is viewed as a transitional period between childhood and adulthood, whose cultural purpose is the preparation of children for adult roles.
Facts about adolescence 2: Process
The end of adolescence and the beginning of adulthood varies by country and by function, and furthermore even within a single nation state or culture there can be different ages at which an individual is considered (chronologically and legally) mature enough for society to entrust them with certain privileges and responsibilities.
Facts about adolescence 3: Popular Culture
In popular culture, adolescent characteristics are attributed to physical changes and what is called raging hormones. There is little evidence that this is the case, however.
Facts about adolescence 4: Changes
Major pubertal and biological changes include changes to the sex organs, height, weight, and muscle mass, as well as major changes in brain structure and organization. Cognitive advances encompass both increases in knowledge and in the ability to think abstractly and to reason more effectively.
Facts about adolescence 5: Puberty
Puberty is a period of several years in which rapid physical growth and psychological changes occur, culminating in sexual maturity. The average onset of puberty is at 10 or 11 for girls and age 11 or 12 for boys.
Facts about adolescence 6: Significant Parts of Puberty
Some of the most significant parts of pubertal development involve distinctive physiological changes in individuals’ height, weight, body composition, and circulatory and respiratory systems. These changes are largely influenced by hormonal activity.
Facts about adolescence 7: Egocentrism
A common belief about adolescence is that it is the time when teenagers form personal identities. Egocentrism in adolescents forms a self-conscious desire to feel important in their peer groups and enjoy social acceptance.
Facts about adolescence 8: Sense of Identity
Unlike the conflicting aspects of self-concept, identity represents a coherent sense of self stable across circumstances and including past experiences and future goals. Everyone has a self-concept, whereas Erik Erikson argued that not everyone fully achieves identity. Erikson’s theory of stages of development includes the identity crisis in which adolescents must explore different possibilities and integrate different parts of themselves before committing to their beliefs.
Facts about adolescence 9: Sexuality
Many cultures define the transition into adultlike sexuality by specific biological or social milestones in an adolescent’s life. For example, menarche (the first menstrual period of a female-bodied individual), or semenarche (the first ejaculation of a male-bodied individual) are frequent sexual defining points for many cultures. In addition to biological factors, True Pheromones are most likely playing a large and very clever role in mate attraction.
Facts about adolescence 10: Criticism
The concept of adolescence is criticized by some experts such as Dr. Robert Epstein. Some argue that adolescence is a modern recent invention by society and that forcing young people to stay immature for extended periods of time is detrimental.
Hope you would find those adolescence facts really interesting and useful for your additional reading.
