Boys: Entering the Teen Years: Part of the Series : Teen Species: Understanding the Adolescent

Puberty: The Journey Beings (03:18)
At age 11, Andy is just beginning his journey through adolescence. Like most boys his age, he has been well briefed on what to expect as he grows up. He observes that girls are maturing faster than boys.

Hormones Drive Changes in Boys (03:11)
Early changes in female shapes are more obvious than changes in boys. Hormones drive the changes during puberty, and in boys the most important is testosterone. The earliest change in boys is growth of the testicles.

Growth Spurts in Teen Boys (03:23)
Adult height is controlled mostly by genes. At age 13, Mark has not yet begun to grow. When he does start growing, it will show in his feet. Adolescent’s hands and feet grow first, and next the arms and legs. Boys may look gangly and awkward.

Testosterone and Vocal Cords (02:50)
At age 12, Dominic has a special talent for singing in a choir. He has a pure, high voice, but it will not last. Testosterone will cause his vocal cords to lengthen and his voice to deepen.

Rapid Growth Periods for Boys (04:02)
Puberty starts earlier with each generation. In general, children today eat more than previous generations. Teens develop faster in the summer than in any other time of year. A choirboy works hard to maintain his singing range as he enters puberty.

Later Phases of Puberty (02:40)
Jesse, at age 14, has the voice of a man and a well-developed body. Testosterone causes his muscle fibers to grow thicker and longer. His lungs have more air sacs, and his red blood cells increase in volume

Trials and Tribulations of a Late Developer (02:26)
At age 13 and a half, Mark has not yet started growing. Being a late developer could leave lasting emotional scars, cause poor school performance, and leave him open to bullying. Nearly all teens have difficulty waking up in the morning.

Teen Sleep Needs (04:41)
The timing mechanism inside a teen's brain changes during puberty. In a sleep lab, observers watch teen brain waves and test for presence of melatonin, the sleep hormone. Growing teens need 10 hours of sleep per night, but seldom get it.

Teen Boys Challenge Adults (02:58)
As teenagers get older, they begin to question authority and have a harder time getting along with the adults in their lives, and tempers flare.

Puberty and Facial Changes (01:04)
Like the rest of the body, a boy's face goes through a growth spurt. The jaw grows wider to hold a full set of adult teeth. Testosterone goes to work on a boy's nose and jaw, which grow twice as fast as the rest of the face.

Puberty: Genital Development (01:42)
The whole point of puberty is to prepare teenagers to reproduce. By age 15, the genitals have finished developing, and the volume of the testicles has gone up by 400%. Inside are tiny tubes that manufacture millions of sperm--1000 per second.

Puberty: Penile Functions (02:29)
Once a boy's genitals have developed, the "penis gets a mind of its own." Increased blood flow into the penile tissues blocks the blood's exit. Pressure builds in the penis, and boys have "wet dreams" or masturbate to get release.

Boredom Among Teen Boys (02:47)
At 15, Jesse's natural inclinations are leading him towards the adult world, but will the adult world let him in? In the last 50 years, teens are given less to do, and crime rates are skyrocketing.

Teen Boys: Ready To Be Adults? (03:15)
One-fifth of teen males in the developed world have committed one or more crimes. Today, adolescence lasts longer and thus keeps boys from being productive members of society. Boredom breeds discontent. Testosterone makes them aggressive.

Boys Need Respect (02:29)
For boys, respect is crucial. A youth project helps boys get respect legally. As a result, crime is down 60%. Given something useful to do, boys are less likely to get into trouble. A 13-year-old has a bar mitzvah and will now be treated like an adult.

Two Years Into Puberty (04:14)
The boys featured in this film tell what it is like after two years of puberty. A choirboy becomes a rugby player; a Jewish boy focuses on his height; a boy is a DJ in a club; and a boy gives up his old friends and starts up a band that sings about equality.