1. Describe adolescence

2. Adolescence is historically a new concept and it may be culturally specific to some extent.
Adolescence in traditional societies like this varies considerably, but there are features that tend to be found:
A period of instruction
A trial, rite of passage or period of separation from the society
A sign of adult status, such as scars or tattoos
Describe adolescence

3. In the Western world, adolescence is defined as the period of development between puberty (the time where individuals become capable of sexual reproduction) and adulthood.
Describe adolescence

4. The concept of adolescence is controversial because:
not everyone agrees that it is a unique life period across all cultures
there are enormous individual and cultural differences in the adolescent experience
most research on adolescence has been conducted in the West.