Chapter 14 Flashcards
puberty
the time between the first onrush of hormones and full adult physical development. puberty usually lasts 3-5 years, many more tears are required to reach psychosocial maturity
menarche
a girls first menstrual period, signaling that she has begun ovulation, pregnancy is biologically possible, but ovulation and menstruation are often irregular for tears after menarche
spermarche
a boys first ejaculation of sperm. erections can occur as early as infancy, but ejaculation signals sperm production. spermarche may occur during sleep (wet dream) or via direct stimulation
pituitary
a gland in the brain that responds to a signal from the hypothalamus by producing many hormones, including those to regulate growth and sexual maturation
adrenal glands
two glands, located above the kidneys, that respond to the pituitary, producing hormones
HPA (hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal) axis
a sequence of hormone production originating in the hypothalamus and moving to the pituitary and then to the adrenal glands
gonads
the paired sex glands (ovaries in females, testicles in males). the gonads produce hormones and mature gametes
HPG (hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad) axis
a sequence of hormone production originating in the hypothalamus and moving to the pituitary and then to the gonads
estadiol
a sex hormone, considered the chief estrogen. females produce much more estradiol than males do
testosterone
a sex hormone, the best known of the androgens (male hormones); secreted in far greater amounts by males than by females
circadian rhythm
a day-night cycle of biological activity that occurs approximately every 24 hours
secular trend
the long-term upward or downward direction of a certain set of statistical measurements, as opposed to a smaller, shorter cyclical variation. as an example, over the past two centuries, because of improved nutrition and medical care, children have tended to reach their adult height earlier and their adult height has increased
growth spurt
the relatively sudden and rapid physical growth that occurs during puberty. each body part increases in size on a schedule: weight usually precedes height, and growth of the limbs precedes growth of the torso
body image
a person’s idea of how his or her body looks
anorexia nervose
an eating disorder characterized by distorted body image, severe calorie restriction, and intense fear of weight gain. affected individuals voluntarily undereat or binge and purge, depriving their vital organs of nutrition which can be fatal
bulimia nervosa
an eating disorder characterized by binge eating and subsequent purging, usually by induced vomiting and/or use of laxatives
binge eating disorder
an eating disorder common in adolescence, which involves compulsive overeating
primary sex characteristics
the parts of the body that are directly involved in reproduction, including the vagina, ovaries, uterus, penis, and testicles
secondary sex characteristics
physical traits that are not directly involved in reproduction but that indicate sexual maturity, such as a beard or breasts
child sexual abuse
any erotic activity that arouses an adult and excites, shames, or confuses a child, whether or not the victim protest and whether or not genital contact is involved
sexually transmitted infection
a disease spread by sexual contact, including syphilis, gonorrhea, genital herpes, chlamydia, and HIV
