terns, maturity, and interests. They are interested in each other, but girls seek out boys more.
Girls worry about their weight and how they look. The right clothes and the right friends
are important. Boys are always hungry. They may horse around and look for ways to make
money. Both boys and girls are less critical of their parents. Both might have tried drugs, cig-
arettes, or alcohol. Both have a greater sense of humor with a new use of sarcasm and double
meanings. Twelve-year-olds are enthusiastic. Emotions are not always under control. A moral
sense is developing. Adolescents look for heroes, especially in comics and on TV. Whom do
I want to become? Special abilities and talents in areas like music, athletics, and math are
becoming apparent.
Age Thirteen
Age thirteen, the beginning of the teen years, is another age of withdrawal and worry. Hor-
monal changes make this a moody age. Many girls have already reached puberty. There is
less difference between the sexes during ages thirteen to fifteen than there was earlier. Kids
may gravitate toward extremes in an attempt to reject the status quo and try the new and
different, although some remain conservative and identify with established views. Thirteen-
year-olds are collecting their thoughts about many issues. Most brains can now think in
abstractions and ponder their own thoughts. Thirteen-year-olds have a sophisticated knowl-
edge of world issues and a good sense of ethics. They want to think for themselves. They
tend to be idealists who question what others believe and support. They are more apt to
accept blame for their actions. They still need love, acceptance, and success. They are search-
ing for identity.
Many thirteen-year-olds think they are fully mature. Both boys and girls are trying for
independence; beginning to dislike authority; and often distancing themselves from parents,
teachers, and other authority figures. Many have tried alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, and sex. They
enjoy privacy and their own rooms, but their rooms may be a mess. They’re very particular
about their own grooming and the clothes they wear. Manners improve. Money is spent
quickly, and kids are usually broke. Adolescents pay more attention to what their peers think
than what their parents think. Boys hang in groups. Girl groups often consist of three, with
two frequently close and the third temporarily hanging onto the edge. Thirteen-year-olds
seek support from a group that they can identify with, and they spend a great deal of time
with peers, far more than any previous age group. Typical groups of teens are very different
in what they do, what they think, and what they admire. Both girls and boys are easily embar-
rassed by their parents. Parents nag, and the teen mumbles, “Okay.” Different relationships
may be developing with the mother and with the father. Father is more likely to help with
homework. Arguments are more likely to occur with Mom. Girls might practice their flirt-
ing with Dad.
Adolescents tend to process information extremely quickly, and they seem to need more
information, ever faster, in order to remain entertained and interested. Humor is more sar-
donic, and thirteen-year-olds love to mock teachers, parents, and siblings. They are ready for
irony, sarcasm, and innuendo, but they still appreciate slapstick as well. They tend to like
entertainment that features other adolescents and young adults and the relationships and
issues that they’re facing. Action/adventure stories and comedies, particularly sitcoms, are
popular. Adolescents prefer characters with more depth, but they’ll still watch some of the
Human Development 53