Adolescence

             Do males and females experience adolescence the same? Adolescence can be defined as the period between the normal onset of puberty and the beginning of adulthood. Using the five characteristics of adolescence I created five interview questions which each question refers to a specific characteristic of adolescence. I interview a total of 50 people, 25 males and 25 females.
             There are five characteristics of adolescence. The first one id Biological Growth and Development. It deals with puberty and how a teenagers body changes. the question that asked is: How old were you when you hit puberty and How did is change your life? For the males it was between the age of 11 and 14 and the main ways it change their life id their voice got deeper or squeaker and they grow hair everywhere. For the females it was between the age of 10 and 13 and the main way it change their life is they became more mature. The second characteristic is Undefined Status and it means how some adults treat adolescents like children and others treat them like adults. I asked: Do your parents treat you like an adult or child? Of course for the males they said like an adult and for the females it was both. The third characteristic is Increased Decision Making. When we were young most of our decisions were made for us by adults. But when we reach adolescence, we must make many of our own decisions. It that still true? Well, I ask them: What is the biggest decision you has to face? The males said college and work and the females said the same thing. But when I also asked : Do your parents help you make these decisions? Most of the males said No and mostly all the females said yes. The fourth characteristic is Increased Pressure. Adolescents are faced with pressure from many sources. I asked: Who puts the most pressure on you? The males and females said from friends, to parents and school. The final characteristic is The Search for Self.