Chapter Nine Flashcards
(30 cards)
Puberty
A brain-neuroendocrine process that provides stimulation for rapid physical changes that occur in early adolescence
Menarche
A girls first period (12 on average)
Spermarche
A boys first ejaculation
Hormones
Chemicals secreted by the endocrine glands into the bloodstream
HPA Axis
Hypothalamus-pituitary gland: a route in the brain that many puberty-related hormones follow
Gonads
“Sex glands”
1. Ovaries
2. Testes
GnRH
Gonadotrophin releasing hormone: causes glands to enlarge and increase production of sex hormones
Piagets Formal Operational Thought
Formal Operational thought brings abstract thinking online at around age 11
Dual Processing Model
- Intuitive (emotional)
- Analytical (logical)
Egocentrism
Adolescents all think that everyone is thinking and talking about them all the time
Imaginary Audience
The self conscious belief that everyone is watching and judging you
Personal Fable
The idea that we alone are destined to have a legendary life
Invincibility Fable
The idea that death and other bad things cannot/ will not effect or get us
Some effects of puberty
- Flood of hormones (endocrine system)
- Heightened emotions
- Sexual urges
- Menarche and spermarche
One difference between sperm and eggs
Women are born with all of their eggs and men are constantly producing and then discarding sperm
Sex hormones
- Estradiol
- Testosterone
Why do psychological disorders tend to show up during puberty?
The hpa axis is associated with both puberty and stress
Predicting puberty
Gender, body fat, stress levels, and genes
Gender and puberty
Girls tend to hit their growth spurts before sexual maturity and boys hit it after
Body fat and puberty
In girls, body fat often indicates when she is ready for sexual maturity (around the 100 lb marker).
Often, the higher body fat equals earlier mensturation
Stress and puberty
Increased stress can hasten the hormonal onset of puberty, as cortisol triggers the hpa axis
Early onset puberty
Psychologically, it is unhealthy, due to the societal standards of reproducing much later in life. There is a disconnect between the body and societal expectation. Adolescents do not care as long as they are going through puberty at the same time as their friends.
Early onset puberty in boys
- Boys who mature first have a positive self image and high social standing
- More at risk to use alcohol, become a delinquent (aggressive behavior) , and have premature sexual relations
Early onset puberty in girls
- Girls who mature first have greater satisfaction upfront, and tend to get more male attention
- More at risk to use alcohol and drugs, and develop eating disorders and depression
- They are at risk of attracting older boys, resulting in being taken advantage of and ending up in abusive or controlling relationships
