Chapter 9: Physical and Cognitive Development in Adolescence

Question 1

what is the age group we are talking about during adolescence?

Answer 1

10-18ish

Question 2

TRUE or FALSE: adolescence is a time of “stress and storm” for all

Answer 2

FALSE: it depends on the person
-note: this is something G. Stanley Hall failed to realize

Question 3

define puberty

Answer 3

a period of rapid physical maturation involving hormonal and bodily changes that takes place primarily in early adolescence and prepares the body for sexual reproduction

Question 4

what are hormones?

Answer 4

chemicals secreted by endocrine glands that affect development and functioning of body

Question 5

what are some physical changes that adolescents go through?

Answer 5

-puberty
-increase of hormones (estrogen and androgen)
-increase in estradiol and testosterone = responsible for most observable bodily changes of puberty

Question 6

what are the primary sex characteristics of puberty?

Answer 6

-production of sperm/eggs
-development of sex organs

Question 7

what are the secondary sex characteristics of puberty?

Answer 7

-hair growth
-rougher skin
-sweat glands increase production
-breast development

Question 8

define what a menarche is:

Answer 8

first menstruation cycle (period)

Question 9

TRUE or FALSE: growth spurts occur 2 years earlier in girls than in boys

Answer 9

TRUE

Question 10

what is the average age of menarche in the U.S.?

Answer 10

12.5 years old

Question 11

how much time occurs between the first pubertal event and full pubertal maturation?

Answer 11

as short as 1.5 years or as long as 6 years

Question 12

why are adolescent girls more likely to have negative body images throughout puberty?

Answer 12

linked to heavy social media usage

Question 13

what are some differences between early maturing boys and early maturing girls?

Answer 13

-boys: more favorable body images and high popularity
-girls: are more at risk for: depression, negative body image, substance use, delinquency, earlier dating and sexual experiences, conflict with parents and likely to have older friends

Question 14

what are some cognitive changes that happens during adolescence?

Answer 14

-overproduction of synaptic connections peak around 11/12 years old, followed by massive amount of synaptic pruning (use it or lose it)
-corpus callosum thickens
-limbic system=fully developed (including the Amygdala)
-increase in dopamine (reward-seeking)

Question 15

TRUE or FALSE: the prefrontal cortex is fully developed during adolescence

Answer 15

FALSE: it is not fully developed until mid 20s
(until then, you are capable of very strong emotions but sometimes lack self control and inhibition)

Question 16

TRUE or FALSE: adolescents vary greatly in their anxieties about sex, arousal levels, and sexual behaviors?

Answer 16

TRUE: not everyone is the same! (some might have lots of anxiety, some might not have low sexual arousal levels, some might not be sexually active at all…just depends on the person!

Question 17

what are some risk factors for adolescent sexual problems?

Answer 17

early substance use, antisocial behavior, deviant peers, low self-control and impulsiveness, lack of parental monitoring

Question 18

TRUE or FALSE: the U.S. has the lowest rate of teenage pregnancy among developing countries

Answer 18

FALSE: we have the highest rate

Question 19

which ethnic group has the highest teen birth rates?

Answer 19

Black and Latina adolescents

Question 20

TRUE or FALSE: many American adolescents who have sex use contraceptives consistently

Answer 20

FALSE: they don’t use them as much as they show be

Question 21

BONUS QUESTION: when you don’t use a condom, what are you more at risk for?

Answer 21

pregnancies or STIs
(so wrap it up lol)

Question 22

how can adolescent pregnancy affect the infant and the mother?

Answer 22

-infant: likely to be preterm, have low birth weight, may have neurological problems
-mothers: likely to drop out of school (lowers changes to go to college)

Question 23

what are ways that make sex-ed programs work?

Answer 23

-clear, specific info about sexual behaviors, contraceptive uses, pregnancy, risk behaviors
-teach and model how to deal with social pressure (how to say no)
-discussing what unhealthy and healthy relationships look like

Question 24

we know that rates of obesity are going up during adolescence. what are some positive outcomes to exercising?

Answer 24

lower BP, decrease incidence of type 2 diabetes, improved sleep, reduced depressive symptoms

Question 25

how many hours of sleep should adolescents get on a daily basis?

Answer 25

9ish hours!

Question 26

short sleep duration is associated with:

Answer 26

-increased risk of being overweight, depressed and suicidal ideation, less motivation, caffeine, problems concentrating, anxiety, difficulty understanding school lessons, increased use of electronic devices

Question 27

what are the leading causes of death in adolescence?

Answer 27

-firearm-related deaths (homicide, suicide, unintentional)
-motor vehicle crashes (risking driving habits, speeding, tailgating, DUI)

Question 28

TRUE or FALSE: there’s an increase rate of hard drugs (cocaine, LSD, ecstasy) and a decreased rate of alcohol, weed and e-cigarettes?

Answer 28

FALSE: its the opposite…decrease in hard drugs but increase in alcohol, weed and ecigs

Question 29

TRUE or FALSE: when friends use drugs, adolescents are more likely to use drugs?

Answer 29

TRUE: think about peer pressure and the influence it has on you

Question 30

understand the difference between the different eating disorders:

Answer 30

-ANOREXIA NERVOSA: a restriction in caloric intake leading to a significantly lower body weight
-BULIMIA NERVOSA: binge eating and purging (throwing up)

Question 31

according to Piaget’s Theory, what stage of cognitive development does adolescence fall into?

Answer 31

formal operational stage (begins at age 11)

Question 32

how does thinking differ in the Formal Operational stage of cognitive development?

Answer 32

-thinking is more abstract and metacognitive (thinking about thinking)
-full of idealism
-capable of hypothetical-deductive reasoning (scientific reasoning)

Question 33

what are 2 components of adolescent egocentrism/self-consciousness?

Answer 33

1. imaginary audience (idea that everyone is interested in your life, thinking that your life is a movie)
2. personal fable (sense of uniqueness and invincibility, ex: you might get pregnant but I wont…yall be safe)

Question 34

what are some changes that occur in information processing during adolescence?

Answer 34

-improvement in executive function (managing one’s thoughts to engage in goal-directed behavior and to exercise self-control)
-increase in cognitive control
-better at making decisions (can generate different options, multiple variables, examine situations from a variety of perspectives and anticipate consequences)

Question 35

TRUE or FALSE: the same adolescent who makes a wise decision when calm may make an unwise decision when emotionally aroused?

Answer 35

TRUE: information processing is emotionally intense (in the Amygdala) during adolescence. you tend to make not so smart decisions when you are emotional

Question 36

why is the transition from middle school to high school difficult for many?

Answer 36

this occurs simultaneously with other changes
(puberty, body image concerns, increase of responsibility, decrease dependency of parents, large more impersonal school, increase focus on achievements)