Adolescent Development & Theories of Adolescence

The book states that with the exception of infancy, adolescence is the major transitional period in the life span. I agree that infancy involves major growths and is superior to adolescence in respect to transitional stress, biologically. However, one cannot remember infancy and therefore any stress experienced leaves few scars on the individual unless the individual was abused or neglected in some way. In adolescence, however, one does retain information as memories. Do memories and perceptions play any role in stress? I believe they do. Therefore, adolescence may be a more important transitional period than infancy because of the added cognition. But, let’s not forget about the elder years. As the body grows older, people begin to prepare for death, if not cognitively, at least biologically. Could impending mortality be called transition or is the actual moment of dying the transition? Does either usurp adolescence or infancy of their claim as the major transitional period of the life span?
G. Stanley Hall and his Theory of Recapitulation agree with many people’s perceptions that youth is animalistic and therefore inferior because of its ties with nature and the earth. Adults demonstrate power over nature and are therefore superior because they are human and civilized. I do not agree. I see nature and animals surviving within the context of their environment without any abuse or destruction involved. In other words, it is symbiotic. Whereas, I see humanity as a parasitic growth in many instances. This theory belittles childhood and makes its only purpose that of which to become an adult. Many other theories of development do this as well; those of the weak interaction and moderate interaction, in which nature plays more of a role in a person’s life than does nurture or that the two are separate forces working independently of each other.
I am more comfortable with a strong interaction theory, in which nature and nurture work together and affect each other over the entire life time. This mentality doesn’t separate childhood into one camp and adulthood into another with adolescence being a bridge between. Adulthood isn’t the end all. Any person or society who believes otherwise, that adults are alone important to productivity, is shutting off entire years of human life. Children and adolescents have a purpose and place in society; they are not larvae to be left alone until germination. They can create and help our society through innumerable methods; laughter, volunteer work, friendship, even anarchy.
I do not discount that adolescence is a time of major growth and stress, but I do not see it starting or ending there.