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Puberty
Puberty
is the period of physiological and anatomical development when the
organs of sexual reproduction mature and become functional. This is not
to be confused with adolescence, which is a socially defined period of
psychological development that is sociocultural. Puberty may or may not
coincide with adolescence and in some cultures adolescence does not
exist. In females, the onset of menstruation
and the development of the breasts
mark this maturation. In males, the biological markers of puberty are
the enlargement of the external genitalia and the production of semen.
In both sexes, the development of these primary sexual characteristics
is accompanied by the onset of a variety of secondary sexual
characteristics. In males, these include the appearance of facial and
other body hair, including in the pubic area and in the armpits, as well
as the deepening of the voice tone. In females, hair develops in the
pubic area and in the armpits, and the hips begin to broaden. For both
sexes this is also a period of rapid development of the sweat glands.
Generally, these changes prepare the body for sexual reproduction, but
they also have important social and emotional aspects.
Among boys, puberty tends
to begin at about age 13, but may not start until 16 years of age.
Puberty tends to begin earlier in females, often two years earlier than
boys. However, the commencement of puberty varies among girls no less
than among boys, and may not begin until age 14 or 15. Heredity can
influence the onset of puberty, as can psychological and physical
health. Some studies have shown that earlier-maturing individuals
achieve better social adjustment to puberty than do later-maturing
individuals. This may be due to anxiety about being different from one's
peers and accompanying social pressure for conformity common during the
adolescent years. Conversely, some youths undergo a peculiarly early
pubescent transition, a condition called pubertus praecox. The
functioning of the anterior pituitary, adrenals, or the gonads causes
this condition.
The beginning of puberty
is controlled by the release of growth hormone by the pituitary gland.
This biochemical substance produces rapid growth, which is
characteristic of puberty. Girls most commonly begin a rapid growth
period between the ages of 12-14 years, but some start this growth spurt
as early as age nine. By the time they are 14, most girls have reached
their adult height. Menstruation generally begins about three-fourths of
the way through this rapid growth period. Breast changes and the growth
of body hair precede the beginning of menstruation by about one year.
The pattern for boys is somewhat different. The period of rapid
adolescent growth for boys begins after age 12 and continues for about
four years. The onset of the various features of puberty for boys occurs
throughout this period. Boys commonly do not reach their adult height
until several years after girls and may continue to grow and to develop
secondary sex characteristics, such as chest hair, well into the late
teen years. Other hormones
also shape pubescence. In boys, androgen and in girls, estrogen sparks
the development of secondary sex characteristics.
Puberty is a time of
physical, emotional, and social exploration and self-discovery.
Associated with the physical changes that characterize puberty is a
growth in sexual interest. For most youths, this involves increased
attentiveness to the opposite sex or heterosexual attraction; for others
it involves an enhanced same-sex interest or
homosexual
attraction. Because of social disapproval, young people who find
themselves sexually attracted to members of their own sex may undergo
considerable emotional distress, isolation, and sexual guilt. However,
the onset of bodily changes (at different times and at different rates
among different youths), the beginnings of sexual interest and incipient
romantic attractions, and the lack of a clear social role can contribute
to uncertainty and confusion among both heterosexual and homosexual
youths. Feelings of sexual attraction are part of the search for
self-understanding and part of the normal developmental process called
puberty.
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Sex
