Adolescence

Whereas the term puberty refers to the period of physical maturation, the term adolescence typically refers to the socially defined period during which a person adjusts to the physical, emotional, and social changes associated with the transition from childhood to adulthood. Adolescence, which occurs from about the age of 12 to the age of 17 or older, is a period marked by increased sexual behavior. By the end of adolescence, two-thirds of young women and almost all young men have masturbated to orgasm. …