9. Adolescent Development

Question 1

what marks the start of adolescence?

Answer 1

varied over different cultures, but often defined with the start of puberty

Question 2

what is the mark for the start of puberty?

Answer 2

development of secondary sexual characteristics.

Question 3

when does puberty begin for girls and boys?

Answer 3

girls: onset 8 to 13
boys: onset 9 to 14

Question 4

what are Tanner stages?

Answer 4

5 stages of puberty. assesses pubic hair, breast and genital development

Question 5

sequence of development for girls?

Answer 5

breast dev
hair in pubic area and armpits, acne
menstruation usually last

Question 6

sequence of development for boys?

Answer 6

testicles/penis get bigger
hair in pubic area and armpits
muscles grow, voice deepens, acne/facial hair

Question 7

how much sleep do teenagers need? what happens to their circadian rhythm?

Answer 7

9-9.5 hrs

Circ shifts forward (later to bed, later to wake up)

Question 8

what happens in the brain just before adolescence?

Answer 8

second wave of dendritic proliferation just before adolescence. adds a new layer of grey matter in the prefrontal cortex

Question 9

what is the process of pruning?

Answer 9

around age 11, brain begins to get rid of extra connections, making order of a tangle of wires. becomes more efficient/organized. Use it or Lose it stage

Question 10

ongoing neural development continues until what age?

Answer 10

25

Question 11

Prefrontal cortex: follows what pattern of dev?

Answer 11

linear from childhood intl 20s

Question 12

Ventral Striatum and LImbuc system: what pattern of dev?

Answer 12

maturation peaks around 13-17 yrs

Question 13

why are the different dev patterns for Prefrontal cortex and Ventral Striatum/Limbic a problem?

Answer 13

Ventral Striatum/Limbic are sensitive to reward, like risk taking. Peaks before PFC is fully mature and able to make good judgement, strategic decisions. MISMATCH.

Question 14

in adolescence, what processes emotional information?

Answer 14

the amygdala, not the PFC as in adults

Question 15

how will testosterone affect mood in boys?

Answer 15

stimulates the amygdala 5-7 times daily (where they process emotional information)

Question 16

how do estrogen and progesterone affect mood in girls?

Answer 16

receptors for these found on serotonin, NE, DA cells. hormonal fluctuations affect mood through these pathways

Question 17

why might girls have an advantage with memory tasks?

Answer 17

estrogen affects hippocampus and hippocampus is involved in consolidation of information/memory,

Question 18

What is Piaget’s Concrete Operational stage? what kind of logic is used during this stage?

Answer 18

stage just before Formal Operations stage. ages 7-11 yrs. Use Inductive logic during this stage (can draw inferences from observations in order to generalize).

Question 19

What is Piaget’s Formal Operations stage? what kind of logic is used during this stage?

Answer 19

11-adulthood, development of abstract reasoning. capable of hypothetical and deductive reasoning (draw from a generalized principle in order to understand a specific event).
understand love, nuance, problem solving, growth in social perspective

Question 20

Erickson’s Developmental Stages: ages 5-11? ages 12-19?

Answer 20

5-11: Industry v. Inferiority

12-19: Ego Identity v. Role Confusion

Question 21

How do Erickson’s Developmental Stages work?

Answer 21

at each stage, there is a central confilct which mush be resolved before you can progress to the next stage. mastering each stage gives a sense of ego strength.

Question 22

Ego Identity v. Role Confusion: what occurs during this stage?

Answer 22

sense of self. may be some experimentation before settling on the personality that fits.

• define oneself
• define ones sexual identity
• differentiate oneself from parents

Question 23

evolution of personal appearance?

Answer 23

early stage: may be neglect, indifference
middle stage: focus on stereotyped appearance
lat stage: more comfortable with self-image, see resolution

Question 24

in adolescence, what is the function of the peer group?

Answer 24

functions as a transitional object
surrogate family
acceptance requires conformity, which then declines around age 14

Question 25

how does autonomy progress through adolescence?

Answer 25

early: incr conflict with parents, testing rules and limits
middle: conflict with family, incr reliance on friends
late: incr independence and self reliance

Question 26

what results from unsuccessful resolution of dev tasks?

Answer 26

identity confusion, psych dependence, isolation, impulsivity and aggression, depression

Question 27

what results from successful resolution of dev tasks?

Answer 27

sense of self, goals for future, self confidence