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Time of
life from onset of puberty to full adulthood. The exact
period of adolescence, which varies from person to
person, falls approximately between the ages 12 and 20
and encompasses both physiological and psychological
changes.
Physiological changes lead to sexual maturity and
usually occur during the first several years of the
period. This process of physical changes is known as
puberty, and it generally takes place in girls between
the ages of 8 and 14, and boys between the ages of 9 and
16.
 In
puberty, the pituitary gland increases its production of
gonadotropins, which in turn stimulate the production of
predominantly estrogen in girls, and predominantly
testosterone in boys. Estrogen and testosterone are
responsible for breast development, hair growth on the
face and body, and deepening voice. These physical
changes signal a range of psychological changes, which
manifest themselves throughout adolescence, varying
significantly from person to person and from one culture
to another.
Psychological
changes generally include questioning of identity and
achievement of an appropriate sex role; movement toward
personal independence; and social changes in which, for
a time, the most important factor is peer group
relations. Adolescence in Western societies tends to be
a period of rebellion against adult authority figures,
often parents or school officials, in the search for
personal identity. Many psychologists regard adolescence
as a byproduct of social pressures specific to given
societies, not as a unique period of biological turmoil.
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