During adolescence, several psychological, cognitive, identity and social developments occur. One of the major changes that occurs during this transformation from childhood to adulthood is the expression of sexual characteristics. Sexual characteristics begin to appear when the adolescent begins to experience puberty. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get the original essayPuberty is defined as sexual maturation in late childhood linked to a wide range of emotional, behavioral, and social changes (Broderick and Blewitt, 2010). ). Puberty occurs when pulsatile secretion of golladotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is initiated and the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis is activated. These hormones stimulate other endocrine glands to increase their hormone production, including the gonad-testes in men and the ovaries in women, which now increase the production of masculinizing hormones and feminizing hormones. These hormones are produced in both men and women, but in different proportions. Puberty often begins in women between the ages of eight and thirteen and in boys between the ages of nine and fourteen. However, African American girls have also been shown to reach puberty earlier than any other girl, with puberty beginning as early as age six (Carel & Leger, 2008). Puberty is the adolescent growth spurt, which is a rapid increase in height accompanied by changes in body shape and proportions. Over a period of approximately four years, different parts of the body will develop. Facial features, like the ears and nose, will develop before the skull. The hands, arms and feet will grow before the torso. There may even be growth asymmetries between the two sides of the body, with one breast or testicle growing before the other (Broderick & Blewitt, 2010). During puberty, girls will gain on average around thirty-eighty pounds. The growth spurt will start and end about two years earlier than in boys. Girls will experience breast growth and greater pelvic spread. Boys will gain on average about forty-two pounds. Their hearts and lungs will increase more than in girls, as will their bone mass and muscle tissue. Both men and women will gain approximately ten inches in height. A popular topic to discuss when it comes to puberty is behavioral changes (low moods in adolescents). G. Stanley Hall called all of the difficult behaviors the storm and stress of adolescence. The storm and stress of adolescence includes characteristics such as increased conflict, mood swings, negative emotions, and risky behaviors. Mood swings and negative emotions, including depressed moods, are increased by hormones, but only if combined with other negative life events. Girls are more prone to depressed moods than boys. This is apparently due to differences in stress and the methods used to cope with it. Girls are also more likely than boys to manage stress using a ruminative coping style, which increases the risk of depression (Broderick & Blewitt, 2010). Early and late puberty can affect psychological well-being in adolescence. The reasons largely depend on factors other than hormones. Girls begin puberty before boys, and girls mature early., 2012).