Adolescence begins in biology and ends in society. The definitions we accept to describe the onset of adolescence revolve around puberty, biological changes of the body. Therefore I consider adolescence to begin in biology. Adolescence ends in society. Entrance into adulthood marks the end of adolescence. The definitions of who is considered an adult are defined by society and therefore I contest that adolescence ends in society.
The onset of adolescence is marked by a sudden increase in the production of many hormones in the body. The hypothalamus, the part of the brain that controls the pituitary, sends signals the increase hormone production. Growth hormone produced in the anterior pituitary is increased in production, targeting the soft tissue and bones making them grow rapidly. Gonadotropic or follicle stimulating hormone, also produced in the anterior pituitary, is increased and is responsible for the growth of hair on the body and face. The gonads, ovaries and testes, increase production of estrogen and testosterone respectively, which are responsible for the growth of secondary sex characteristics, such as breasts in females and masculine features in males. The production of these hormones causes many of the changes we characterize as the start of adolescence, to occur. The question remains, what causes the hypothalamus to signal these increases in the hormonal production? Much research has been done on this subject, however it has been inconclusive to an accepted reason. This is largely due to the fact that so far we cannot experiment physically on the brain to see what causes the signals to be sent from the hypothalamus to the pituitary. Most of the research is studies of different individuals and g...
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...k of labor force, or need for militia for a war society has considered younger people adults, In times of high unemployment and need for advancing of knowledge the age of adulthood has been raised by society to keep adolescents in schools longer. So the end of adolescence is determined largely by society.
Arguments can be made to show that adolescence either begins in biology or society, and ends in either biology or society, Biological proof of genetic control over hormone regulation is still lacking, but reasonable evidence can be shown that the onset of maturation is largely due to biological factors. Society has a large role in defining the transition from adolescence to adulthood. The age of the onset of adulthood has constantly changed and differs greatly from individual to individual with no correlation to physical factors, mostly social factors.
7). During puberty, adolescents will begin to have an increase in sex drive and sexual activity. They will begin to look at the opposite sex differently. Unfortunately most adolescents are not ready to deal with feelings of sexual interest, so they will react in awkward ways. Adolescents will tease one another about the opposite sex or make up stories about the opposite sex. Until they can understand and be comfortable with these new found feelings, they may have a difficult time talking to the opposite sex. Puberty also causes changes the adolescent’s self-image which will affect how the adolescent behaves. Self-image is dependent upon what changes may take place. Some adolescents begin to feel more mature and will seek out more independence. The final change during puberty is in the adolescents’ appearance which can change how others react to the teenager. An adolescent with acne, a high voice, or breast formation will appear different from their peers. This difference may lead to being made fun of, being ignored, or getting extra
Adolescence is a transition which has no fixed time limits. However, the changes that occur at this time are so significant that it is useful to talk about adolescence as a distinct period of human life cycle. This period ranges from biological changes to changes in behavior and social status, thus making it difficult to specify its limits exactly (Damon, 2008). Adolescence begins with puberty, i.e. a series of physiological changes that lead to full development of the sexual organs and the ability to breed and sex. The time interval that elapses begins at 11 to 12 years and extends to 18 to 20. However we cannot associate to a 13 with one 18 years. Let us talk about early adolescence between 11 to 14 years, which coincides with puberty, and after a second period of youth, or late adolescence between 15-20 years. Its extension to adulthood depends on social, cultural, environmental as well as personal adaptation.
According to Dolgin (2011), “Biological theorists - primarily biologists and psychologists – believe that adolescents are the way they are because of their genes, hormones, or evolutionary history. These theorists downplay environmental influences and tend to believe that the adolescent experience is similar regardless of where someone is raised” (p. 32). “Development occurs in an almost inevitable, universal pattern, regardless of sociocultural environment” (Dolgin, 2013, p. 32).
Adolescence is an important period of life where significant physical, cognitive and social-emotional developments take place very rapidly. Changes in any developmental area affects all the other areas of development, which shapes the appearance, personality and social status of a person.
In the article “The Teen Brain: Still Under Construction”, the author believes that teens’ sleep, as well as social, physical, and emotional behavior are all impacted by teens’ changing brains, which in turn, affect teen’s decisions. First, the author states hormones do impact social behavior in teens. For instance, the author writes, “Enormous hormonal changes take place during adolescence. Reproductive hormones shape sex-related growth and behavior, but overall social behavior.”. This example reveals that the author believes that adolescences’ hormonal changes greatly influences their social behavior. Social behavior, such as stress, may occur due to these drastic changes. Teen’s social behavior influences teen decision making and teen’s
Adolescence is the period of life between childhood and adulthood. “The process lasts from roughly 10-13 years of age and ends at 18-22 years of age. However, defining when adolescence ends is not an easy task. It has been said that adolescences begins in biology and ends in culture” (Clark, 2010,
In the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) Frontline six video series “Inside the Teenage Brain” covers how the teenage brain goes through extensive changes during puberty and how two critical waves of development are different between the initial growth spurts and pruning phases during the what is called “In utero” that is most
American teenagers are often criticized for being irresponsible and immature. Some in the older generation will also state that kids are taking too long to move out of the house. These views of young adults are pessimistic and demeaning to the current generation. While the adolescent stage has been extended, American kids are taking an ample amount of time to accept the responsibilities of becoming an adult.
Adolescence is the transitional stage from childhood to adulthood, commonly occurs amongst individuals aged between 12 to 18 years (Hoffnung et al., 2016, p. 350). It is a developmental period characterised by hormonal changes that result from the onset of puberty, which is defined by the emergence of secondary sexual characteristics, such as growth of body hair and deepening voices in males, and breast development and menstruation in females (Jones & Creedy, 2012, p. 28). The timing in the onset of puberty differs in gender, girls generally reach pubertal development at an earlier age than boys (on average 13 years old for girls, and 14 years old for boys). In addition, environmental variables also influence the timing of puberty. For example,
Three factors are important in the development of adolescence as a distinct stage of the life cycle. The first factor is education. Young children are required to spend many years in school and state laws make education mandatory up to the age of 16. The second factor that separates young people in a different type of group is the exclusion of youth from the labor force. In many states, child labor laws keep people from going to the labor force until they hit the age of 16. Adolescents usually work part time while still going to school. The third factor is the rise of adolescence as a distinct stage of the ...
Throughout our life, it can be marked by developmental changes in every domain of life: our physical, cognitive, social, personalities, and morals. Due to some important researchers such as Erickson, Freud, Piaget we are able to understand the development of each of these domains. Each stage of it’s life has it’s own difficulties and events that can determine a person’s life (Mogler, 2008). During the stages of adolescence, they are very vulnerable to a lot going on in their life such as fitting in, peers, family, school, activities, and society, and not to forget the ups and downs of puberty. Adolescence can be viewed as a huge part of many children’s lives where in this part of their life they try to find teenagers experience physical, cognitive,
In example, according to the Euro-Western view, adolescence is characterised by the interaction between the individual’s biological development and the demands requested by the industrial and post-industrial societies. Although adolescence is globally referred to as the period in life that groups individuals from 12 to 18 years, each individual’s development varies within different countries and cultures. According to the Euro-Western world, adolescence is a time in life that is characterised by experimentation, fun as well as personal growth that will later lead the individual to become a full adult. However, not every young individual experiences this positive and fun side of this life stage. In fact, adolescence is characterised by the hormonal changes that occur during puberty, which are argued to influence adolescents’ behaviour. Hall (cited in Drewery and Claiborne, 2010) argued that due to the effects caused by puberty, young individuals often experience tension, conflicts with their parents and peers, as well as critical mood changes. In line with Hall, Freud (cited in Drewery and Claiborne, 2010) argues that adolescence is a life stage in which it is hard to maintain a steady equilibrium. For these reasons, adolescence can still be considered a “problematic” stage in life, yet it is not necessary true that these conflicts are triggered by biological changes (Drewery and Claiborne,
Adolescence is a period of transition between the ages of 13 – 19, after childhood but before adulthood. Adolescence can be a difficult period in a teenager's life. Many teenagers do not know how to react or how to adapt to all of the physical, social, and psychological changes that occur during this period. Some adolescents pass through this period without problem, while for others, it is a period of torture, discomfort, and anxiety. With all the biological and social pressures that occur during adolescence, many teens fail to assume their identity. Sometimes family and society does not help to make this task easier. Challenges teenagers face due to biology and society are body image, hormonal changes, social and parental pressures, family problems, school pressures, alcohol, drug abuse, homosexuality, and suicide.
Indeed, adolescent may be defined as the period within the life span when most of a person’s biological, cognitive, psychological and social characteristics are changing from what is typically considered child-like to what is considered adult-like (Learner and Spainer, 1980). This period is a dramatic challenge for any adolescent, which requires adjustment to change one’s own self, in the family, and in the peer group. Contemporary society presents adolescents with institutional changes as well. Among young adolescents, school setting is changed; involving a transition from elementary school to either junior high school or middle school; and late adolescence is accompanied by transition from high school to the worlds of work, University or childrearing. An adolescent experiences it all ranging from excitement and of anxiety, happiness and troubles, discovery and bewilderment, and breaks with the past and yet links with the future (Eya,
Adolescence is the bridge between childhood and adulthood. It is the place in development for a transition. In this time period, adolescent’s social life and relationships develop. Social development occurs throughout a person’s whole lifetime. Social development in adolescence marks the beginning of independence, selective interactions, and conformity. This the time where family relationships can be put to the test as well as seeking independence and adult acknowledgment from parents. Due to the development of the brain in regards to plasticity, adolescences are discovering and trying out new things. They are also viewed as risk takers. Social development in adolescence is important because any decision can lead to future consequences. I decided