Final answer:
Adolescence is marked by psychosocial changes involving the development of personal identity, the importance of peer influence, and experimentation with roles leading to either a strong sense of self or role confusion.
Step-by-step explanation:
Most developmental theorists agree that adolescence is a time of significant psychosocial changes. Adolescents undergo a period of profound mental, emotional, and social transformations. Notably, they develop a stronger sense of personal identity, formulate their own moral and ethical values, and experience changes in self-esteem and body image awareness. Peer influence becomes paramount, with teens displaying a strong desire to conform to their peer group.
Contrary to earlier beliefs by theorists like G. Stanley Hall, recent studies indicate that adolescence is not necessarily a period of extreme storm and stress. Conflicts between teens and parents are mostly over day-to-day issues and tend to subside as the adolescent matures. Moreover, the concept of adolescence being a time of heightened impulsivity and risk-taking has been challenged, with research showing no correlation between brain activity in the neural reward center and impulsivity or risk perception, even though it does relate to risk-taking behavior.
Erikson's psychological theory further highlights that adolescence is marked by the essential challenge of identity versus role confusion, asking crucial questions like "Who am I?" and "What do I want to be?" Success in this stage leads to a strong identity, while failure might result in confusion about one's role in life.