ABSTRACT
The biological development of adolescence includes many physiological alterations, and the hormonal changes that trigger puberty are important in understanding adolescent development. Modern brain imaging technology has shown that brains take longer to develop than previously assumed, and the brain maturation process continues as young people move through adolescence. In adolescence, the biggest changes occur in the parts of the brain that process cognitive and emotional information: the frontal lobes. The process of forming an identity is a central endeavor during the teenage years and, for the adolescent, it involves gaining a sense of who he or she is as an individual and as a member of various social groups. Developing a sense of identity starts in adolescence but is a lifelong and dynamic process. The chapter looks at transactions between adolescents and their proximal contexts represented by the school, the family, and peers. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
