Chapter 1 Flashcards
I. PUBERTY: AN OVERVIEW II. SOMATIC DEVELOPMENT III. TIMING AND TEMPO OF PUBERTY IV. THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIAL IMPACT OF PUBERTY V. EATING DISORDERS VI. PHYSICAL HEALTH AND HEALTH CARE IN ADOLESCENCE (39 cards)
What is adolescence?
a period of transitions: biological, psychological, social, economic.
What are the five major changes in puberty?
rapid acceleration in growth, the further development of the gonads, the development of secondary sex characteristics, changes in body composition, and changes in the respiratory and circulatory systems.
How do the Cultural variations in pubertal maturation also vary considerably between societies?
The timing of physical and sexual maturation influences both the self-image of the adolescent (e.g., self-definition) as well as the adolescent’s integration into the world of adults (e.g., through its social stimulus value).
What factors influence the transformation to adulthood?
a host of environmental factors including geography, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and historical context.
What does puberty (pubertal) mean?
“adult”
what is puberty?
puberty refers to the period in which an individual becomes capable of sexual reproduction.
Puberty has 3 major factors:
- A rapid acceleration in growth, resulting in dra- matic increases in both height and weight.
- The development of primary sex characteristics, including the further development of the gonads (sex glands), which results in hormonal changes that ultimately enable reproduction.
- The development of secondary sex characteristics, including changes in the genitals and breasts, and the growth of pubic, facial, and body hair.
What is the endocrine system?
produces, circulates, and regu- lates levels of hormones in the body.
what are hormones?
Highly specialized substances secreted by one or more endocrine glands.
What are the two roles in which hormones Influence Adolescent Development?
Hormones perform both an organizational role (i.e., change the way the brain will respond to stimuli) and an activational role (i.e., have a direct impact on physical development or behavior).
Explain the hormonal feedback loop in terms of the endocrine system
During infancy, a feedback loop known as the HPG axis develops involving the pituitary gland (which controls hormone levels), the hypothalamus (the part of the brain that controls the pituitary gland), and the gonads (in males, the testes; in females, the ovaries). In this system, the hypothalamus monitors the level of gonadotropic hormones (androgens and estrogens) in the blood. When hormone levels drop below its “set point,” the hypothalamus stimulates the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland, in turn, stimulates the gonads, which produce more androgens and estrogens. When levels of androgens and estrogens in the bloodstream rise to a high enough level, the hypothalamus stops stimulating the pituitary gland, and the chain of events stops. At puberty, the hypothalamus becomes less sensitive, so that higher levels of androgens and estrogens must be circulating in the bloodstream before the hypothalamus stops hormone production.
What does the Production of androgens and estrogens (feelings of sexual attraction may be stimulated by adrenarche–the stimulation of the adrenal glands). do and describe it.
Both sexes produce androgens and estrogens (the sex hormones released by the gonads); however, the average male typically produces more androgens than estrogens while the average female produces more estrogens than androgens. In addition, recent research indicates early feelings of sexual attraction may be stimulated by adrenarche (the stimulation of the adrenal glands).
what triggers puberty?
Although the HPG axis is active before birth, something happens during middle childhood that reawakens the HPG axis and signals the body that it’s ready for puberty. There is some evidence that a protein produced by fat calls called leptin may be the most important signal (at least in females). Although leptin has a number of functions, one of leptin’s main roles is to let your brain know how fat you are. As such, it may serve as a metabolic gate for puberty to progress. Does your body have enough fat to carry a pregnancy to term – if yes, leptin is released signaling the body it is ready.
Explain the changes in stature and the Dimensions of the Body
Increases in hormone levels lead to the adolescent growth spurt, which occurs about 2 years earlier in girls than in boys. During peak height velocity, an adolescent is growing at approximately the same rate as a toddler (about 4 inches per year for boys and 3.5 inches per year for girls).
The asynchronicity in growth of body parts results in a ____
clumsy or gawky appearance
Explain the asynchronicity in growth of body parts during early adolescence:
Much of the height gain during puberty results from an increase in torso length rather than leg length. One marker that indicates the termination in growth in height is epiphysis (closing of the ends of the long bones in the body). In addition to sheer changes in height and weight, there are changes in the relative proportion of body muscle and body fat, and changes in the circulatory and respiratory systems. These differences exaggerate physical differences between males and females. For example, body fat in boys tends to decrease whereas in girls it tends to increase. Many girls react to the increase in body fat at puberty by dieting unnecessarily.
What is sexual maturation?
Another important aspect of somatic development at puberty is the emergence of reproductive capability and the development of secondary sex characteristics (changes related to physical appearance). The sequence of pubertal changes is described in the Tanner stages and is more orderly for males than for females.
Explain sexual maturation in boys:
In boys, the changes in physical development occur in the following order: rapid growth of testes and scrotum and appearance of pubic hair; the beginning of the growth spurt, enlargement of the penis and thickening of pubic hair; growth of facial and body hair and lowering of the voice. The first ejaculation usually occurs about a year after the beginning of the accelerated growth of the penis.
Explain sexual maturation in girls:
Girls’ development is in a less regular sequence, but usually begins with either the development of the breast buds or growth of pubic hair. Later, breasts develop and the nipples and areola enlarge, and pubic hair thickens. Menarche, the first menstrual period, occurs later in puberty, and ovulation and the ability to carry a baby to full term usually follow menarche by several years.
explain the variations in the timing and tempo of puberty:
There are tremendous variations among individuals in the timing (i.e., age at onset) and tempo (i.e., rate of change) of puberty. Some individuals will have completed pubertal maturation before their same-age peers will have even begun puberty.
explain genetic and environment influences on pubertal timing:
Pubertal timing and tempo appear to be strongly (although not exclusively) influenced by genetic factors. The environment (proper nutrition, health, etc.) influences whether an individual’s genetic predisposition toward a particular timetable for maturation can be realized.
explain individual differences in pubertal maturation
Although the most important influence on the timing of maturation is genetic, adolescents who have been well-nourished and healthy during childhood go through puberty earlier than their less fortunate peers. the tim- ing and rate of pubertal maturation are the product of an interaction between nature and nurture, between one’s genetic makeup and the environmental condi- tions under which one has developed.
Explain Familial Influences on Pubertal Timing:
Recent studies suggest that social factors may also influence the onset of maturation. For example, puberty has been found to occur earlier among girls who have grown up in father-absent families or in families with more conflict. In addition, the presence of a step-father may also accelerate pubertal maturation by exposing the adolescent girl to pheromones.
what are pheromones?
A class of chemicals secreted by animals that stimulate certain behaviors in other members of the species.