Anatomical and physiological features.
Intense increase in length and body weight (after 12 years, girls have reduced growth rates, and from 14 years - the rate of weight gain). The growth of girls and boys is mainly due to the lengthening of the limbs. Chest growth lags behind weight gain. At the same time, individual differences are quite significant: adolescents often look awkward; usually ashamed of their own appearance. Ossification of the skeleton continues. Inconsistency, uneven development of the cardiovascular system. Increased activity of the endocrine organs leads to some circulatory disorders: increased blood pressure, heart rate and, consequently, to headaches, weakness, fatigue, temporary disorders of the central nervous system.
The traditional focus on adolescents has been acceleration (E. Koch, 1935) as an accelerated growth and physical development of children compared to previous generations. This problem stood out in the XIX century. (Roberts, 1876) and for many scholars seemed to be the starting point in Explaining the Psychology of the Growing Personality. Comparative anthropometric studies conducted in the 1930s and early 20th centuries proved that the process of acceleration covered the population of all economically developed countries. However, as the following events have shown, the study of this phenomenon has contributed little to the identification of priorities, the solution of which would help to understand the patterns of age development of adolescents. In addition to accelerated maturation processes, aging processes are reduced, especially in the field of intellectual activity, which expands the age range of maturity, the potential for efficiency. Since the 80s of XX century. there is a slowdown in acceleration phenomena, which indicates a relative stabilization of the rate of development of children born in the late XIX - early XX centuries.
Adolescence is:
- the transition period from childhood to adulthood, the essence of which is the loss of child status and the desire to achieve adult status;
- intensive time of sexual development, which determines the characteristics of personal growth;
- the period of formation of moral concepts, principles, ideas, beliefs, which the individual begins to use in his own life.
Central biological neoplasm - puberty:
1) negative phase:
- stretching of the body and possible disproportion in the size of its parts;
- violation of coordination of movements;
- speech and reactions to stimuli are inhibited;
- high level of fatigue and low level of efficiency;
- increased excitability of the nervous system (motor restlessness);
- somatic changes (eg orthostatic dizziness); g) anemia as bleeding of the brain;
- high possibility of curvature of the spine (scoliosis), etc .;
2) positive phase:
- a balance is established between the nerve centers and the gonads;
- developing secondary sexual characteristics;
- sexual desire and assessment of one's own appearance is formed;
- girls are 2-4 years ahead of boys in development;
- inadequate reactions to critical remarks are noted (for example, anorexia (from the Greek an- denial of orexis- appetite) as a refusal to eat, especially in girls, etc.).
Features of the manifestation of puberty:
- accelerators (early ripening);
- children with optimal development (correspond to the average age of physical growth);
- retardants (late ripening), which, as a rule, in 2-3 years after the crisis of 13 years catch up with peers.
Puberty begins and ends earlier than the general organic development of the adolescent ends, and before the end of their own socio-cultural development. Mismatch of mental and biological development, increased excitability of the central nervous system can cause affective states, painful reactions to remarks, flaunting flaws, increased unmotivated behavior, the possibility of antisocial behavior, attraction and ability to heroic actions, ie puberty causes problems.
Accelerators seem more mature to the environment, they do not have to fight for the desired status in the group. They enjoy the respect of their peers and the trust of adults, who give them freedom of action, ie they have the opportunity to solve their own problems faster and more efficiently. At the same time, they are more comfortable than retardants, who are perceived as "smaller" (physically and mentally) and therefore show significant social activity to attract attention.
Basic views on the essence of puberty:
- the concept of biological content: to cope with the peculiarities of puberty is almost impossible;
- the concept of social content: the difficulties associated with puberty are also explained by the relationship of children with adults.
