The Myth of Adolescent Culture

Abstract

LNthe current sociological literature, adolescence is often described as a unique period in development, distinct from childhood and adulthood. It is an age-grade period characterized by storm and stress and participation in a youth culture, both of which arouse the serious concern of parents. In this paper, we propose to examine this characterization of adolescence, to explore its relationship to certain empirical evidence, and to discuss the pattern of development discovered in an upper middleclass suburban setting.