Chapter 9 - Adolescence: Body and Mind Flashcards
Puberty
Time between the first onrush of hormones and full adult physical development. Usually lasts 3-5 years, but many more years are required to achieve psychosocial maturity.
Menarche
Girl’s first menstrual period, around age 13.
Spermarche
Boy’s first ejaculation of sperm, around age 13
Hormone
Organic chemical substance produced by one body tissue and conveyed via the bloodstream to another to affect some physiological function.
Pituitary
Gland in the brain that responds to a signal from the hypothalamus by producing many hormones, including those that regulate growth and control other glands (sex, adrenal glands)
Adrenal Glands
2 glands above the kidneys that produce hormones, ex: stress hormones
HPA Axis
Sequence of hormone production that originates in the hypothalamus, moves to the pituitary, and then the adrenal glands.
HPG Axis
Sequence of hormone production that originates in the hypothalamus, moves to the pituitary, and then the gonads.
Estradiol
Sex hormone, considered the chief estrogen. Made more by females than males.
Testosterone
Sex hormone, the best known of the androgens (male hormones); secreted more by males than females
Circadian Rhythm
Day-night cycle of biological activity that occurs approximately every 24 hours.
HPA causes ________ ________, which makes adolescents tired in the morning but awake and hungry at night.
Phase delay
Precocious Puberty
Development before age 8
2/3 of the variation in puberty ages is due to…
genetics
Leptin
Hormone that affects appetite and is believed to affect the onset of puberty. Leptin levels increase during childhood and peak at age 12.
Early and late puberty has _____________ emotional effects.
Negative
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, growth and limbs usually precedes growth of the torso.
Primary Sex Characteristics
Parts of the body directly involved in reproduction (vagina, uterus, ovaries, testicles, penis)
Secondary Sex Characteristics
Physical traits not directly involved in reproduction but indicate sexual maturity (man’s beard, woman’s breasts)
Body Image
Person’s idea of how his or her body looks
Anorexia Nervosa
Eating disorder characterized by severe calorie restriction and the fear of being fat. Affected individuals undereat, or overeat and then overexercise or purge, depriving their vital organs of nutrition. Usually they have a BMI under 17. Can be fatal.
Bulimia Nervosa
Eating disorder characterized by binge eating and subsequent purging, usually by induced vomiting and/or use of laxatives
What matures before the prefrontal cortex?
The limbic system
The reward part of the brain is _____________ than the inhibitory part of the brain
Stronger
Adolescent Egocentrism
Characteristic of adolescent thinking that leads young people (ages 10-13) to focus on themselves to the exclusion of others.
Personal Fable
Aspect of adolescent egocentrism characterized by an adolescent’s belief that their thoughts, feelings, and experiences are unique, more wonderful or awful than anyone else’s.
