Adolescent development encompasses significant changes across physical, cognitive, psychosocial, moral, and social domains as teens evolve towards adulthood.
Adolescence is a time of significant growth and change in various areas of a teenager's life. Here are five key areas in which development commonly occurs:
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- Physical Development: This includes the adolescent growth spurt and changes in body composition, leading to adult sexual dimorphism. Example: Boys develop broader shoulders and girls develop wider hips.
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- Cognitive Development: Teenagers develop new thinking abilities, such as abstract reasoning and problem-solving skills. Example: Adolescents can understand and debate concepts like justice and freedom.
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- Psychosocial Development: Adolescents work on their sense of self, grappling with identity versus role confusion according to Erikson's stages of psychosocial development. Example: A teen might adopt or reject parental expectations to align with peer groups.
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- Moral Development: Teens start to develop their own system of moral and ethical values. Example: A teenager may start to question societal norms and establish personal beliefs about right and wrong.
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- Social Development: As independence grows, teens may test limits with parents and seek acceptance from peers. Example: A teenager may choose friends over family activities to reinforce peer relationships.
So, adolescence is a period of growth where individuals undergo significant physical, cognitive, moral, and social development, preparing them for adulthood.