Exploring Adolescence

Exploring Adolescence
Jo Saylors
PSYCH 500
FEB4, 2013
Vineeta Kapoor

Exploring Adolescence

“Adolescents are not monsters; they are just people trying to learn how to make it among the adults in the world, who are probably not so sure of, themselves- Virginia Satir.” I believe it is important to understand the period in our life span development, adolescence, in which we evolve through transition and experimentation in order to become the adult we aspire to become. Is the experience the same for males and females? Is adolescence the same across different historical time periods or eras? In this summary of my research on adolescence and the development the psychology, I will try to answer those questions as I understand the answers to be. As well as exploring the similarities and differences in the adolescent experience for males and females through time. “The concept of adolescence, as generally understood and applied, did not exist before the last two decades of the nineteenth century. One could almost call it an invention of that period; though it did incorporate, in quite a central way, certain older attitudes and modes of thinking (Demos, J and Demos V. 1969)” What I found interesting in researching the subject of adolescence and the beginnings of the study of adolescence was that the more information compiled and the more theories formed it appears that adolescence has become a phenomenon of sorts.
During the last part of the nineteenth century pamphlets and booklets on parenting started to be published. According to John and Virginia Demos prior to 1825 there were few books on child rearing in America (Demos. 1969). John and Virginia Demos also state that around the year 1900 G. Stanley Hall and his students at Clark University ‘made adolescence the focus of a new current of psychological study (Demos. 1969) G. Stanley Hall is also credited with founding of child and educational psychology. The issues of his time period are mostly the same as the issues of ours. The language may be different but adolescence then as well as now are in transition between childhood and adulthood. Whether male or female this is a time of mixed emotions, experimentation, discovery of self and identity. Developing personality, character and

Adolescence or puberty starts at approximately 11 years old and ends approximately at 22 years old as a general rule. For females puberty can start as early as 10 years old, for males as early as 11 years old. Both males and females will experience physical changes in size, height and body mass growing to their adult size by of end of adolescence. Sexual maturity will be reached as well, by both sexes during this time. Males and females will start to grow hair on their body in locations such as pubic area, under arms, and males will start to grow facial hair. Females will start menarche or rather their menstrual cycle and they will start to grow breasts. Males voices deepen during adolescence and their adam’s apple will become prominent.

There is no friendship, no love, like that of the parent for the child.
Henry Ward Beecher