Emotional and Behavioural Changes
Class 7 Science · Chapter 6: Adolescence: A Stage of Growth and Change · NCERT Curiosity section 6.3
Learn
Neel has noticed something new: one day he feels full of energy, the next he is grumpy for no reason. He gets upset quickly when teased, but he also feels deeply for people in trouble. These are mood swings and strong emotions, very common in adolescence.
Emotions affect how we behave. Mood swings can be channelled into music, dance, art or sport. Strong feelings for others can lead to volunteering and helping the needy. Teenagers often grow curious about new subjects and want more independence, which is natural.
Why do all these changes happen? Mainly because of hormones: chemicals made in different parts of the body and released on signals from the brain. They control growth and development, including puberty and menstruation, and some also affect mood and behaviour. Understanding this helps us be patient with ourselves and with friends.
Explore: a helpful way to handle feelings.
- Sort each response.
Remember
- Mood swings and strong emotions are normal; hobbies, sport and helping others channel them well.
- Hormones, released on signals from the brain, drive many changes, including mood.
Quick check
Changes of adolescence are mainly controlled by …
- hormones
- the weather
- school marks
- friends
Answer
hormones. Hormones are chemical messengers released on signals from the brain.
Think about it
Why is it unfair to call a teenager "moody" and ignore them?
One answer
Mood swings are partly caused by hormones the teenager cannot control. Listening and helping them find healthy outlets works better than labelling.
Practice
Practise with fresh questions at three levels (easy, medium, hard), some answered hands-on, with hints and worked answers. Get 4 of your last 5 right to finish the topic.