Teenager

A teenager, or teen, is someone who is 13 to 19 years old.  They can also be called "adolescents".  The laws on what teenagers may do vary between countries.  

The term “teenager” became widely used for people who are old enough to have their own money to spend, but are not yet adults (legally, not biologically), after the scientist Mark Abrams wrote a research paper called “The Teenage Consumer” in 1959. The paper defined this group to be people 13–25 years old (despite ages 20–25 not being within the teens anymore).

A person becomes a teenager when they become 13 years old. It ends when they become 20 years old. Teenagers who are between 13 and 17 years old are usually considered legally children and teenagers. Teenagers who are 18 and 19 years old may be considered both teenagers and legally adults. However, recent research has shown that brain development continues well into the 20s (into the mid-20s), meaning that even young people in their early 20s are still developing. As a result, researchers have pushed adolescence from 10-19 to 10-24 to capture the biological development well past the teenage years. Additionally, Arnett defines emerging adulthood as 18-29, as a stage between adolescence and young adulthood. 

The way the word is used varies. Some societies have rites of passage to mark the change from childhood to adulthood. These ceremonies may be very complicated.Huet M. & Savary C. 1995. Africa dances. London: Thames & Hudson. ISBN 0-500-54195-7 During puberty, rapid mental and physical development can occur. Adolescence is the name for this transition period from childhood to adulthood.

"Teenager" is an English word, as many foreign languages do not include a suffix "teen" in their translations of the numbers 13 to 19. In non-English speaking countries, people between these ages may be called adolescents, youths, young adults, depending on the culture.

The law of each country may set an age of majority when teenagers can do things. Younger people on licenced premises (such as bars) need to carry identity cards (ID cards) to verify their age. Teenagers, however, gradually obtain various rights depending on the states or countries and their laws, rights like getting a driver licence and start driving or consenting to sexual activity. 

The life of a teenager can change every day. Constantly exposed to new ideas, social situations and people, teenagers work to develop their personalities and interests. Before their teenage years, they focused on school, play, and gaining approval from their parents. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines a teenager as someone between the ages of 12 and 19.

 References  

Category:Human life stages