18 Unit 1 Your Development and Relationships
The next month, they may be too tight or too short. You could easily grow several
inches in one year.
Many physical changes affect the shape of your body during puberty.
Puberty is the time when the body begins to mature sexually. You begin
to have an adult fi gure or physique. Hormones, or chemicals produced
in the body, infl uence the way you grow and develop. For instance,
hormones cause young men’s necks to get thicker and their shoulders to
broaden. Males also get facial hair and soon have to shave. Their voices
become deeper, too. Hormones cause young women’s hips to widen and
their breasts to enlarge. They begin having menstrual cycles. Their fi gures
become shapelier. Changes that occur inside the body eventually enable a
person to become a parent.
Girls usually mature about two years earlier than boys do. The average
age when girls stop growing is about age 15. Boys reach this stage at about
age 17. Some people continue to grow until 20 years of age.
Everyone grows and develops at an individual rate. Some teens become
mature at an earlier age than others. There is no time schedule for these
changes. You cannot speed up or slow down the process. What you choose
to eat and drink, however, can affect your health, weight, and appearance.
Because your body is changing so rapidly, taking good care of yourself
is important. The way you care for your body will affect your physical
development. Eat healthful foods and get enough sleep to function your
best. Be physically active to improve your strength and coordination. Avoid
substances such as tobacco, alcohol, and illegal drugs that can have harmful
effects on your physical development.
Intellectual Changes
During adolescence, your intelligence increases. The rate of growth,
however, decreases. By the age of eight, 80 percent of adult intellect is
already developed.
The ability to reason and solve problems generally develops between
the ages of 13 and 15. During this time, you are able to think beyond
concrete facts. Thinking through problems becomes easier. You think about
options and consequences when solving problems. You are more likely to
listen to both sides of an argument. You often gather facts before making
decisions. With these new abilities, you can express your thoughts more
clearly to others. You are able to see others’ viewpoints as well. These skills
can help you to better communicate with your friends and the adults in
your life, 1-11.
Another developmental task of adolescence is to select and prepare for
a career or profession. Your emerging reasoning skills help you achieve this
task. You will be making choices about what activities and potential careers
interest you. Using your mental abilities will help you study and enjoy
school subjects that prepare you to be a responsible adult.
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