Puberty Rites as Clues to the Nature of Human Adolescence

Abstract

Puberty rites are widespread in traditional cultures and hence probably offer some general adaptive advantages. Elucidating the general features and functions of puberty rites may shed light on the basic nature of human adolescence itself. It is suggested that puberty rites function generally to provide intensive instruction in adult sex roles, instill cultural loyalty, regulate and publicize the attainment of adult status, and enhance the mate value of the initiate. These functional explanations are consistent with evolu tionary theory and with data on pubertal changes and their func tions, and with cross-cultural and cross-species behavioral data. That is, puberty rites may conspire with the evolved bodily and behavioral changes of adolescence to prepare the individual for adulthood. Moreover, although puberty rites vary widely around the world, they may possess certain common features to accomplish these functions. Preliminary functional explanations of these modal features are proposed and evaluated.