Citation

Reuter EB. Am. J. Sociol. 1937; 43(3): 414-427.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1937, University of Chicago Press)

DOI

10.1086/217712

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The belief is general that the adolescent period is one of great internal turmoil and external disorder resulting, immediately and inevitably, from physiological development. The prevalence of adolescent disorder seems to be exaggerated, and a biological explanation of such disorder as exists seems to be untenable. The behavior phenomena of the adolescent years seem to be culturally determined, but the period has not been studied on the sociological level and the adolescent area of social experience is very imperfectly understood. An approach to the sociological study of the adolescent world may be made by way of the literary behavior of the members. These data are abundant, easily accessible, and highly enlightening.