Chapter 9

Question 1

Puberty

Answer 1

The time at the end of childhood between the first onrush of growth hormones and full adult size. Puberty usually last three to five years. Many more years are required to achieve psychosocial maturity

Question 2

Menarche

Answer 2

A girl’s first menstrual period, signaling that she has begun ovulation. Pregnancy is biologically possible, but ovulation and menstruation are often irregular for years after menarche.

Question 3

Spermarche

Answer 3

A boy’s first ejaculation of sperm. Erection can occur as early as infancy, but ejaculation signals sperm production. Spermarche may occur during sleep (in a wet dream) or via direct stimulation.

Question 4

Pituitary

Answer 4

A gland in the brain that produces many hormones, including those that regulate growth and that signal the adrenal and sex glands to produce additional hormones.

Question 5

Adrenal glands

Answer 5

Two glands, located above the kidneys, that produce hormones in response to signals from the pituitary.

Question 6

Gonads

Answer 6

The sex gland (ovaries in females, testicles in males). The gonads produce hormones and gametes.

Question 7

Estradiol

Answer 7

A sex hormone, considered to be the chief estrogen (female hormone). Females produce much more estradiol than males do.

Question 8

Testosterone

Answer 8

A sex hormone, the best known of the androgens (male hormones); secreted in far greater amounts by males than by females

Question 9

Circadian rhythm

Answer 9

A day-night cycle of biological activity that occurs approximately every 24 hours (circadian means “about a day”)

Question 10

Secular trend

Answer 10

Advances in growth and maturation that result from modern nutrition. For example, improved nutrition and medical care over the past 200 years has led to earlier puberty and taller average height.

Question 11

Growth spurt

Answer 11

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.

Question 12

Primary sex characteristics

Answer 12

The parts of the body that are directly involved in reproduction, including the vagina, uterus, ovaries, testicles, and penis.

Question 13

Secondary sex characteristics

Answer 13

Physical traits that are not directly involved in reproduction but that indicate sexual maturity, such as a man’s beard and a woman’s breast.

Question 14

Body image

Answer 14

A person’s idea of how his or her body looks, especially related to size and shape.

Question 15

Anorexia nervosa

Answer 15

An eating disorder characterized by self-starvation and obsession with weight. Affected individuals become pathologically thin, depriving their vital organs of nutrition.

Question 16

Bulimia nervosa

Answer 16

An eating disorder characterized by binge eating and subsequent purging, usually by induced vomiting and/or use of laxatives.

Question 17

Formal operational thought

Answer 17

In Piaget’s theory, the fourth and final stage of cognitive development, characterized by systematic logical thinking and by understanding abstractions.

Question 18

Adolescent egocentrism

Answer 18

A characteristic of adolescent thinking that leads young people to believe in their own uniqueness, and to imagine that other people are also focused on them.

Question 19

Personal fable

Answer 19

The belief that one’s own emotions, experiences, and destiny are unique, more wonderful or awful than anyone else’s

Question 20

Invincibility fable

Answer 20

The fantasy that a person cannot be harmed by anything that defeat a normal mortal, such as unprotected sex, drug abuse, or high-speed driving.

Question 21

Imaginary audience

Answer 21

The other people who, in an adolescent’s egocentric belief, watch his or her appearance, ideas, and behavior.

Question 22

Hypothetical thought

Answer 22

Reasoning that includes propositions and possibilities that do not reflect reality.

Question 23

Deductive reasoning

Answer 23

Reasoning from a general statement, premise, or principle, through logical steps, to figure out (deduce) specifics. (Also called top-down reasoning.)

Question 24

Inductive reasoning

Answer 24

Reasoning from specific experiences or facts to reach (induce) a general conclusion. (Also called bottom-up reasoning.)

Question 25

Dual-process model

Answer 25

The idea that two modes of thinking exist within the human brain, one for intuitive emotional responses and one for analytical reasoning.

Question 26

Intuitive thought

Answer 26

Thought that arises from an emotion or a hunch, a “gut feeling” influenced by past experiences and cultural assumptions.

Question 27

Analytic thought

Answer 27

Thought that results from analysis, such as a systematic exploration of pros and cons, risks and consequences, possibilities and facts. Analytic thought depends on logic and rationality.

Question 28

Cyberbullying

Answer 28

Bullying that occurs when one person attacks and harms another via technology (e.g., e-mails, text messages, or cell phones)

Question 29

Secondary education

Answer 29

Education that follows primary education (elementary or grade school) and precedes tertiary education (college). It usually occurs from about age 11 to age 18, although there is some variation by school and by nation

Question 30

Middle school

Answer 30

A school for children after elementary school and before high school, usually grades 6 through 8.

Question 31

Entity theory of intelligence

Answer 31

The idea that intellectual ability is innate, a fixed quantity present at birth. Those who hold this view underrate the role of effort on achievement.

Question 32

Incremental theory of intelligence

Answer 32

The idea that intelligence can be increased by effort, with attention and practice, as in class participation and homework.

Question 33

High-stakes test

Answer 33

An evaluation that determines something very important. For example, if a single test determines promotion or graduation, it is a high-stakes tests

Question 34

PISA (Programme for International Students Assessment)

Answer 34

An international test taken by 15-year olds in 50 nations to measure problem solving and cognition in daily life.