20
Development During Adolescence
20.1 Introduction
“Can’t you use your own brains? You are not a child any more to whom everything needs to
be explained!”
“Can’t you see that adults are discussing something? Go out of the room. You are too young
to be here.”
Do you remember the time when you were considered too old to be a child, but too young
to be in the company of adults? This period of development that you passed through is
known as adolescence. Most of you who are reading this lesson have either first gone
through this period or are facing many changes in your life at the moment.
In this lesson, you shall study about adolescence and the changes that take place during this
period.
20.2 Objectives
After reading this lesson, you will be able to do the following:
define the term ‘Adolescence’;
describe the physical development which takes place during adolescence;
identify sex differences is physical development during adolescence;
outlines the socio-emotional aspects and impllcations of the physical changes;
describe language and cognitive development during adolescence;
discuss social development during adolescence.
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20.3 What is adolescence?
As you know, adolescence is the time when you are no longer a child, and not yet an adult.
Can you now give the definition of adolescence?
Adolescence may be defined as the period of development between childhood and
adulthood.
Adolescence corresponds roughly to the teen age. The boy or girl enters adolescence as a
child and emerges as a man or woman, expected to be ready to assume an adult’s role in the
society. This growing up involves much more than merely living through the teen years and
increasing in size. During adolescence, the boy or girl is expected to ‘mature’; to change
from childish ways of thinking, feeling, adjusting and acting to ways of an adult. This transformation into an adult is gradual and takes a few years to complete.
Child
adolescence teenage.
adult
The specific age at which adolescence begins and ends varies from one individual to another
and from one society to another. As you can imagine, it is very difficult to draw a line and say
that at this point, childhood ends and adolescence begins, or at that point, adolescence ends
and adulthood begins.
Nevertheless, it is generally accepted that when the sex organs begin to function, childhood
comes to an end and adolescence begins. Among girls, the indication for this is when menstruation occurs for the first time. In the case of boys, beginning of adolescence is indicated
by the first nocturnal emission. Nocturnal emission is the ejaculation of semen during sleep.
The age at which the adolescent becomes an adult is again doubtable. Some consider the
age of marriage as the beginning of adulthood while for others, adulthood begins when the
individual gets the right to vote or get a driving license.
In the majority of boys and girls, the onset of adolescence is between 11 and 14 years of
age, and its completion between 18 and 21 years of age.
Finding out the age at which adolescence begins or ends is not really important. What is
important is to be sensitive to the occurrence, during adolescence, of numerous bodily
changes which have far reaching consequences in the lives of boys and girls. So, let us now
study the physical development during adolescence. And then, we shall go on to finding out
the equally important social and cognitive development during this period.
Development During Adolescence :: 53
20.4 Physical Development During Adolescence
1. Occurance of bodily changes
Do you remember the various bodily changes that took place during your adolescent years?
Tally those with the changes listed below.
(i) Rapid increase in height and weight
This period increase in height and weight is often referred to as the adolescent growth
rapid.
In both sexes, the spurt lasts about 4 years. The average age when there is maximum gain in
height and weight is 11 years in the case of girls and 13 years in the case of boys. Further
slow growth may continue for several years after the growth spurt is completed.
The growth spurt varies widely in intensity, duration and age of onset from one individual to
another, even among perfectly normal adolescent. Thus, it may even happen that in some
adolescents the growth spurt ends while in others, it may be yet to begin. Many adolescents
and their parents do not realise this fact and worry unnecessarily.
(ii) Changes in body proportions
Changes in height and weight are accompanied by changes in body proportions in both
boys and girls. As a result, the body attains the adult proportions.
(iii) Growth and development of the sex organs
As is true in the case of growth spurt in height and weight, there are wide individual difference in the age at which sexual maturation occurs, and this is normal.
The reproductive organs of both boys and girls mature-during childhood they had been
small and functionally immature. As a result of this development, there is the onset of menstruation in the case of girls and nocturnal emission in the case of boys. Girls become capable of child bearing.
In addition of those mentioned above, various other physical changes also take place during
adolescence. In girls, there is development of breasts, deposition of fat on the hips and
growth of hair in the public and armpit regions.
In boys, there is growth of hair in the public region, under the arms, on the face as well as on
the rest of the body. Voice changes also take place. In addition there is increased muscular
development. Changes in skin texture also occur in the case of both boys and girls.
2. Sex difference in physical development
You must have observed differences in the development of boys and girls during adolescence. The significant differences are:
(i)
Growth spurt in girls begins and ends about 2 years before it does in boys. Thus, girls
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attain their adult heights and weight about two years earlier than boys. Nevertheless,
after adolescence, males have greater height and weight than females.
(ii)
Girls become sexually mature before boys do.
(iii) Although even in childhood girls have wider hips than boys, this differences becomes
more pronounced during adolescence.
(iv) Male adolescents develop thicker as well as larger bones, more muscle tissues and
broader shoulders. They become, and remain stronger than females as adolescence
proceeds.
Intext Questions 20.1
1. Tick mark (√) the most appropriate alternative:
(i) Adolescence is the period of development between
(a) infancy and childhood.
(b) childhood and adulthood.
(c) infancy and adulhood.
(d) adulthood and old age.
(ii) In the case of females, adolescence is considered to begin with the occurrence of
(a) nocturnal emission.
(b) menstruation.
(c) rapid increase in height and weight.
(d) changes in body proportions.
(iii) Nocturnal emission is
(a) ejaculation of semen during sleep in males.
(b) ejaculation of semen during sleep in females.
(c) discharge of blood, mucous, etc. during sleep in males.
(d) discharge of blood, mucous, etc. during sleep in females.
(iv) Adolescence normally ends by about
(a) 11-14 years of age.
(b) 14-17 years of age.
(c) 18-21 years of age.
(d) 21-24 years of age.
(v) Females attain their adult height and weight
(a) before males.
Development During Adolescence :: 55
(b) at the same time as males.
(c) after males.
(d) sometimes before, but usually after males.
(vi) During adolescence, boys become
(a) as muscular as girls.
(b) less muscular than girls.
(c) more muscular than girls.
(d) usually less muscular, but sometimes more muscular than girls.
2. List any three prominent physical changes you observed in yourself during your
adolescence.
..............................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................
20.5 Implications of Physical Development And Socio-Emotional
Development
The physical development during adolescence has socio-emotional facets too. The physical
changes are accompanied by changes in behavior and attitudes.
Actually, the bodily changes taking place are so dramatic and pronounced, that the established pattern of life is disturbed. The adolescence fell anxious, uncertain and confused.
Their behavior is often unpredictable and asocial. As the tempo of growth and development
slows down, and the bodily changes are completed, both attitudes and behavior become
more agreeable.
If possible, observe a few adolescents closely. You would often notice the tension in them in
the form of restlessness, moodiness, withdrawal, irritability, rebellion against authority, assertion of independence, etc. What are the reasons for these? As you probably know, the
physical changes occur due to the activity of certain chemical substance in the body which
are called hormones.
The hormonal changes during adolescence have a hand in the emotional problems experienced by adolescents. Thus, as the hormonal activity subsides and the bodily changes get
completed, the anxiety that they cause in the adolescent also decreases.
However, many of the emotional problems of the adolescents are due to ignorance. If adolescents are not repared or informed about the bodily changes in advance, it can lead to a lot
of problems. Onset of menstruation in girls and ejaculation of semen in boys makes them
feel that there is something wrong with them. Most adolescents are very concerned about
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the normality of their changing bodies. They witness such rapid and dramatic changes in this
body, that they are unable to keep pace with what is happening and becomes anxious and
confused. Suddenly, they find that they have started feeling attracted towards the opposite
sex-and this often baffles them. They usually do not realise that this is simply the outcome of
the physical development and hormonal changes.
Thus the parents should be understanding and should educate and prepare their children in
advance.
As children approach adolescence, the parents should explain the changes that they would
be experiencing. The fact that these changes are normal and natural, and occur in everyone,
should be emphasized.
It is not just the occurrence of physical changes, but also the age at which they occur, which
is a source of anxiety. If the changes occur quite early, it is called early maturity. On the other
hand, if the changes take place after the age at which they occur in most cases, then it is
called late maturity.
For boys, early maturity is socially advantageous, while for girls, it is not. You may have
noticed that early maturing boys tend to be good at sports and are therefore quite popular.
As a result, they develop leadership qualities too. Superior height, weight and strength give
a boy prestige in the eyes of peers of both sexes.
Early maturing girls, on the other hand, face problems. You must have noticed that when
girls mature, certain obligations and curbs are laid on them. The earlier they mature, the
earlier are the restraints on them.
In addition, as it is girls mature before boys do. Thus, in a group of boys and girls of the
same age, the early maturing girl looks ‘too grown up’ and may be made fun of on this
account. This affects her socially as well as emotionally. The late maturing girl do not face
these problems, while the late maturing boys may miss out on the prestige that is gained
through superior physique. The late maturers, however, may tend to feel anxious about their
late maturity. They may start thinking that there is something wrong with them, and, as a
result, may become restless, tense and attention seeking.
Intext Questions 20.2
1. State whether the following statements are true or false.
(i) Girls and boys mature at the same age.
(ii) Hormones are responsible for bringing about changes in the body during adolescence.
(iii) Early maturing boys tend to be more popular among their peers.
(iv) Many emotional problems that adolescents experience are due to ignorance.
Development During Adolescence :: 57
(v) Parents should not tell their children approaching adolescence about the bodily
changes that would take place, in advance.
(vi) Late maturing adolescents become anxious about their growth.
20.6 Language And Cognitive Development
You have already studied about language and cognitive development till the middle childhood years. Now let us find out the further developments that take place during adolescence.
Language Development
During adolescence, the vocabulary expands further. It becomes so vast that it is not really
possible to count the words an adolescence knows. The sentences are now longer and
more complex and the ability to express self is much better than what is used to be during
the childhood years.
Cognitive Development
An adolescent’s way of thinking differs significantly from the way a child thinks and reasons.
During adolescence, the advanced stage of thinking is reached. As a result of cognitive
development during this period, many of the limitations faced by a child in reasoning and
problem solving now cease to exist.
The adolescence is no longer limited to actual, conerete experiences for thought. Instead,
now she is capable of imagining make-believe situations and events that are simply hypothetical possibilities, and reasoning logically, about them.
Since the adolescence can reason about the abstract. She is able to solve problems even if
they are presented verbally. For example, on being told that A is bigger than B, and B is
bigger then C.A 15 year old can draw the conclusion that A is bigger than C A 10 years old,
on the other hand, would have to see the objects A, B and C before she can make this
inference.
The adolescence can propose and work with even contrary-to-fact ideas. For example,
suppose the adolescent is asked to imagine that the room in which she is sitting has started
flying, and she is asked to describe what she sees out of the window. The adolescent can
easily do it. The important point is that this mental gymnastics involves an imaginary event
that is opposite to the reality at that moment. Thus, the adolescents are capable of contraryto-fact reasoning.
This ability influences the individual in the social sphere too. The adolescent starts questioning the existing values and develops her own set of ideals. Ideals are contrary-to-fact representations. The adolescent tries to bring about a change in the existing state of affairs, and
often becomes impatient with the inability to modify reality to conform with newfound ideals.
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As a result of the cognitive development, the adolescent also becomes capable of reviewing
all the possible solutions to a problem and choose the best possible answer. For if the
adolescent has to choose one road out of four for going somewhere, then she would consider the factors like distance, condition of the road, the mode of transport that she would
be using, etc., and then decide on the road that she should take. This ability to consider the
pros and cons of all possible alternatives comes only by adolescence.
Thus, during adolescence, as a result of the cognitive development that takes place, the
individual’s thinking becomes much more systematic and efficient. He can now understand,
grasp, and find solutions to problems much more easily and quickly than at younger ages.
Problems that were simply too difficult to solve earlier are found to be easy at this stage. The
adolescent can even deal with the abstract. He can consider not only actual situations, but
even reason about hypothetical ones.
Intext Questions 20.3
1. Correct the following statements:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
(v)
The sentences of a 14 years old are shorter and more complex than those of a 9
year old.
During adolescence, the vocabulary of the young person gradually decreases.
Adolescence generally cannot solve problems if they are presented to them verbally.
Adolescence can reason only about hypothetical situations and not about actual
ones.
Adolescents are capable of only according-to-fact reasoning.
(vi) During adolescence, the person loses the ability to review all possible solutions to
a problem.
20.7 Social Development
1. Role of Peers
During adolescence, peers are often the most important socializing agents though the influence of parents continues to exist.
Peers play a crucial role in the psychological and social development of adolescents. Interactions with peers serve many of the same functions during adolescence that they do at
younger ages. They offer opportunities to learn how to behave with others, to develop agerelevant skills and interests, and to share similar problems and feelings. Adolescence also
see a mirror image of themselves in their peers as most of them are facing the same kinds of
problems. Discussing common problems brings them closer together.
Adolescence look towards their peers for approval with respect to almost everything-way
of dressing, speaking, behaving and so on. Approval of peers with respect to everything
they do means a lot to the adolescents.
Development During Adolescence :: 59
Thus, peers help in
learning how to behave with others
developing age-relevant skills and interests
sharing feelings
discussing common problems
1. Role of Parents
This is an age when the opinions of parents does not seem to matter as much.
Do you remember the arguments that you had with your parents during adolescence? How
you disagreed on various issues? You must have expected to be treated as a ‘grown up’, to
be allowed to take your own decisions, to be given more freedom, and so on-and your
parents may have refused. You must have resented the restraints imposed by them. You
must have not liked your parent’s objections to the things that you wanted to do. You may
have felt at that time that your parents do not understand you; that they do not love you, and
this may have made you feel irritated and miserable.
So, what would you suggest to the parents of adolescents? Yes, first of all, as has been
mentioned earlier, they should educate their children about the rapid changes during adolescence; they should appreciate the adolescent’s troubled emotional state due to the physical
changes and be more tolerant; they should stop treating the adolescent as if she is still a
child; they should be understanding, and should be both a friend and a guide to the adolescent.
Discipline at home
Lack of control by parents is also harmful. If parents do not impose any constraints on the
adolescents, then they have a tendency to go astray and choose the wrong path, and later
become difficult to discipline. Such adolescents feel let down and think that nobody cares
for them. Hence some discipline from parents is necessary.
The kind of disciplinary techniques that parents use has a great impact on the adolescent. If
parents are very strict and do not give the adolescents a chance to speak on any matter, then
the adolescents may go against their wishes. On the other hand, if they would reason out
and give the adolescents a chance to express their opinion, adolescents would also listen to
and respect their parents.
Development of sense of identity
An integral component of the adolescent period is the search for identity-‘Who am I?’
‘Where do I fit in?’ And important for this sense of identity is the establishment of a clear
path towards vocation. If the adolescent comes through this period with a clearly selected
role and knowledge that his family members, peers and society approves of it, he will feel
confident about who he is and what purpose he fulfills. If not, he may feel confused and
troubled. Helping the adolescent in his achieving a sense of identity is one of the aims of
socialization during adolescence.
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Intext Questions 20.4
1. Fill in the blanks with the most appropriate words chosen from the brackets:
(i)
Peers exert.......................... influences on the individual during adolescence. (no,
some, a lot of, negligible)
(ii) There are generally a lot of disagreements between............................. (adolescents and parents, adolescents and peers, parents and society, adolescents and
society)
(iii) Parents..........................allow the adolescents to express their opinion. (should
not, should at times, should rarely, should)
(iv) Adolescents look towards their.....................................for approval with respect
to almost everything. (siblings, peers, parents, neighbours)
(v) Parents should impose....................................constraints on adolescents. (no,
some, a lot of, all the)
20.8 What You Have Learnt
In order to make it easy for you to remember, here are the main points of the lesson.
Adolescence - The period between childhood and adulthood
voice changes
Physical Development
rapid height and weight
body hair
reproductive maturity
contrary-to-fact
thinking
Cognitive Development
systematic, efficient
thinking
expansion of vocalsulary
Language Development
longer, complex
sentences.
Socio emotional Development is
influenced by
peers (discuss & share)
Parents (guide)
Development During Adolescence :: 61
20.9 Terminal Exercise
1. Describe the term ‘Adolescence’
2. Describe the physical development that takes place in boys and girls during adolescence.
3. What is the meaning of ‘early maturity’ and ‘late maturity’?
4. What are the social implications of early and late maturity?
5. Outline the role of peers in the social development of an adolescent.
6. Give one example to show how the thinking of an adolescent differs from that of a child.
7. How can parents and family members help the adolescent in becoming a useful member f society?
20.10 Answers To Intext Questions
20.1 1. (i)
(b),
(ii) (b), (iii) (a), (iv) (c)
20.2 (i)
False
20.3 (i)
.............. are longer and more complex ........................
(ii)
(ii) True(iii) True
(iv) True
(v) False
.................. gradually increase.
(iii) Adolescents can solve problems even if ...........................
(iv) .................. can reason out both actual and hypathetical situations.
(v)
.................... contrary-to-fact reasoning too.
(vi) ..................... person becomes capable of reviewing.....................
20.4 (i) a lot of
(iv) peers
(ii) adolescents and parents (iii) should
(v) some.
(vi) True