Final answer:
In early adolescence, cliques tend to be sex segregated, with boys and girls forming their own separate groups. This transition allows adolescents to explore identities and engage in activities among peers of the same gender before expanding into more mixed-sex socialization as they mature.
Step-by-step explanation:
In early adolescence, cliques tend to be sex segregated. This means that during the teenage years, boys and girls typically form their own separate peer groups. As children grow and develop through their early years, their social circles begin to change, moving from solitary play and same-gender groups to more structured and mixed-gender assemblies. However, when hitting adolescence, the tendency is to revert briefly to peer groups that are divided by gender. These cliques often provide a space for teenagers to navigate social dynamics, form identities, and engage in activities in a way that feels comfortable and secure for them during this period of rapid change. Additionally, adolescence is a key time where individuals start to cultivate a higher degree of independence from family and begin to prioritize socialization with peers as they explore their own identities. While these gender-segregated cliques might not focus explicitly on dating or mixed-sex interaction, these often naturally evolve over time as adolescents grow older, and the influence of parental guidance and wider social networks continues to shape their social development.