exam 1 Flashcards
puberty
period which an individual becomes capable of sexual reproduction
hormones*
specialized substances secreted by endocrine glands
glands*
organs that stimulate particular parts of the body to respond in specific ways
gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons*
neurons in the brain that play important roles at puberty - control release of reproductive hormones from the pituitary
HPG axis
hypothalamus - pituitary gland - gonads
set point*
somewhat like a thermostat in the hormonal feedback loop, this is where the correct levels of sex hormones are maintained
Adrenarche*
maturation of the adrenal gland that takes place during adolescence
cortisol*
a hormone that is produced when a person is exposed to stress
what triggers puberty?
something in middle childhood reawakens HPG axis and signals that the body is ready for puberty
- presence of mature sexual partners
- sufficient nutritional resources
- physically healthy enough to begin reproducing
What is the onset of puberty stimulated by?
brain chemicals
kisspeptin*
a brain chemical believed to trigger the onset of puberty
leptin*
a brain chemical produced by the fat cells that may play a role in the onset of puberty through stimulating kisspeptin
melatonin*
a hormone secreted by the brain that contributes to sleepiness and that triggers the onset of puberty through its impact on kisspeptin
what other factors may influece the onset of puberty?
genes predispose onset at a certain age
more fat cells and more exposure to light may also trigger puberty earlier
Organizing role
prenatal hormones “program” the brain to develop in certain ways and according to a certain timetable (like setting an alarm clock).
patterns in behavior due to this organization may not appear until adolescence (ie. sex differences in aggression)
activating role
increase in certain hormones at puberty activates physical changes (ie. secondary sex characteristics)
adolescent growth spurt*
the dramatic increase in height and weight that occurs during puberty
peak heigh velocity*
the point at when the adolescent is growing most rapidly
epiphysis*
the closing of the ends of the bones, which terminates growth after the adolescent growth spurt has been completed
secondary sexual characteristics*
the manifestations of sexual maturity at puberty, including the development of breasts, the growth of facial and body hair, and changes in the voice
tanner stages*
a widely used system that describes 5 stages of pubertal development
Key environmental influences on puberty
nutrition and health
puberty occurs earlier among those who are better nourished
chronic illness and excessive exercise are linked to delayed puberty
social influences in terms of early maturation
home environment may heavily effect maturation
specifically stress in the household, father absent, having a stepfather, etc
pheromones*
a class of chemicals secreted by animals that stimulate certain behaviors in other members of the species
secular trend*
the tendency, over the past two centuries, for individuals to be larger in stature and to reach puberty earlier, primarily because of improvements in health and nutrition
Cross-sectional study*
a study that compares two or more groups or individuals at one point in time
longitudinal study*
a study that follows the same group of individuals over time
Plasticity*
the capacity of the brain to change in response to experience
delayed phase preference
a pattern of sleep characterized by later sleep and wake times, which usually emerges during puberty
timing of secretion of melatonin shifts later - causing teens to sleep later
distancing effect
puberty increases conflict and distance between parents and children, regardless of whether adolescent is early or late maturer
psuedomature
a behavior in which the adolecent really feels like they are an adult and what comes with an adult/older teen
pros of early maturation
popularity
better self-esteem
cons of early maturation
more drug+alcohol use, delinquency, and precocious sexual activity
possible elevates rates of depression - more intense temper tantrums + greater impact of being victimized
basal metabolism rate*
the minimal amount of energy used by the body when resting
it drops about 15% during adolescence, causing an increase in weight.
body mass index*
a measure of an individuals body fat, the ratio of weight to height, used to gauge overweight and obesity
disordered eating*
mild, moderate, or severe disturbance in eating habits and attitudes
anorexia nervosa*
an eating disorder found chiefly among young women, characterized by dramatic and severe self-induced weight loss
bulimia*
an eating disorder found primarily among young women, characterized by a pattern of binge eating and extreme weight loss measures, including self-induced vomiting
binge eating disorder*
an eating disorder characterized by a pattern of binge eating that is not accompanied by drastic attempts to lose weight
“if-then” thinking
ability to plan ahead
to see future consequences of an action
provide alternative explanations
ultimately think more abstractly and think from multiple viewpoints
metacognition*
the process of thinking about thinking
adolescent egocentrism
extreme self-absorption coined by david elkind
imaginary audience*
the belief, often brought on by the heightened self-consciousness of early adolescence, that everyone is watching and evaluating ones behavior
personal fable*
adolescents belief that they are unique and therefore not subject to the rules that govern other peoples behavior
multiple dimensions
the ability to understand and enjoy sarcasm
adolescent relativism
more likely to now begin questioning things and are less likely to accept them as fact or absolute truths ex. teachers and parents
cognitive-developmental view*
a perspective based on the work of piaget that takes a qualitative stage theory approach
sensorimotor period*
the first stage of cognitive development, spanning the period between birth and age 2
preoperational period*
the second stage of cognitive development, spanning roughly ages 2-5
concrete operations*
the third stage, spanning the period roughly between age 6 and early adolescence
formal operations*
the fourth stage, spanning the period from early adolescence through childhood
information-processing perspective*
derives from the study of AI - attempts to explain cognitive development in terms of specific components of the thinking process
4 ares of IPP
attention
memory
processing speed
organization
selective attention*
the process by which we focus on one thing while tuning out another
divided attention*
the process of paying attention to two or more different things at a time (multi-tasking)
working memory*
information is held for a short time while a problem is being solved
long-term memory*
ability to recall something from long ago
autobiographical memory*
recall of personally meaningful events
reminiscence bump*
experiences from adolescence are generally recalled more than experiences from other stages of life
processing speed
adolescents gain the ability to process the information needed to solve problems faster
organization
improved ability to use organizational strategies when approaching problems
functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)*
a technique used to produce images of the brain, often while the subject is performing some sort of mental task
diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)*
a technique used to produce images of the brain that shows connections among different regions
brain structure*
the physical form and organization of the brain
brain function*
patterns of brain activity
electroencephalography EEG*
a technique for measuring electrical activity at different locations on the scalp
event-related potentials ERPs*
changes in electrical activity in areas of the brain in response to specific stimuli or events
neurons*
nerve cells - each contains a cell body, an axon, and thousands of dendrites
synapse*
the gap in space between neurons, across which neurotransmitters carry electrical impulses
neurotransmitters*
specialized chemicals that carry electrical impulses between neurons
synaptic pruning*
the process by which unnecessary connections between neurons are eliminated, improving the efficiency of information processing
myelination*
the process through which the brain circuits are insulated with myelin (improves efficiency of information processing)
developmental plasticity*
extensive remodeling of the brains circuitry in response to experiences during childhood and adolescence, when the brain is still maturing
adult plasticity*
relatively minor changes in the brain circuits as a result of experiences during adulthood, after the brain has matured
prefrontal cortex*
the region of the brain most important for sophisticated thinking abilities such as planning, thinking ahead, weighing risks and rewards, and controlling impulses
limbic system*
an area of the brain that plays an important role in the processing of emotional experience, social information, and reward and punishment
response inhibition*
the suppression of behavior that is inappropriate or no longer required
executive function*
more advanced thinking abilities, enabled chiefly by the maturation of the prefrontal cortex, especially in early adolescence
functional connectivity*
the extent to which multiple brain regions function at the same time, which improves during adolescence
dopamine*
a neurotransmitter especially important in the brain circuits that regulate the experience of reward
serotonin*
a neurotransmitter that is especially important for the experience of different moods
maturity gap
different developmental trajectories of cognitive ability and psychosocial maturity
IQ
intelligence quotient
zone of proximal development*
in vyotsky theory, the level of challenge that is still within the individuals reach, but that forces an individual to develop more adanced skills
scaffolding*
structuring a learning situation so that it is just within the reach of the student
social cognition*
the aspect of cognition that concerns thinking about other people, interpersonal relationships,, and social institutions
Research on social cognition in adolescence falls into 4 categories:
theory of mind
thinking about social relationships
understanding social conventions
conceptions of laws, civil liberties, and rights
mentalizing*
the ability to understand someone elses mental state
theory of mind*
the ability to understand that others have beliefs, intentions, and knowledge that may be different from ones own
social conventions*
the norms that govern everyday behavior in social situations - these begin to seem arbitrary
conceptions of laws, civil liberties, and rights
adolescents come to believe there are some rights that should not be restricted
behavioral decision theory*
an approach to understanding adolescent risk-taking, in which behaviors are seen as the outcome of systematic decision-making process
adolescent risk-taking examples
substance abuse, reckless driving, unprotected sex
sensation seeking*
the pursuit of experiences that are novel or exciting
social redefinition*
the process through which an individuals position or status is redefined by society
adult status leads to shifts in…
responsibility, independence, freedom
age of majority*
designated age at which an individual is recognized as an adult
statutory rape*
sex between individuals, even when it is consensual, when at least one of the persons is below the legal age of consent
experts define adolescence as beginning in ______ and ending in ______
biology, culture
inventionists*
theorists that argue that the period of adolescence is mainly a social invention
impact of industrialization
reduced work force - brought competition between adolescent and parents - made adolescents go to school longer - work conditions were also poor - this increased the outlook and importance of education
teenager*
a term popularized about 50 years ago to refer to young people; it connotated a more frivolous and lighthearted image than did adolescent
youth*
today, a term used to refer to individuals age 18-22, it once referred to individuals ages 12-24
initiation ceremony*
the formal induction of a young person into adulthood
status offense*
a violation of the law that pertains to minors but no adults
juvenile justice system*
a separate system of courts and related institutions developed to handle juvenile crime and delinquency
criminal justice system*
the system of courts and related institutions developed to handle adult crime
Bar (Bas) Mitzvah
in judaism, the religious “coming of age” ceremony marking the young persons transition to adulthood
child protectionists*
individuals who argued, early in the 20th century, that adolescents needed to be kept out of the labor force to protect them from the hazards of the workplace
scarification*
the intentional creation of scars on some parts of the body, often done as part of the initiation ceremony
clarity*
explicitness of transition
continuity*
smoothness of transition
baby boom*
the period following WWII, during which the number of infants born was extremely large
continuous transitions*
passages into adulthood in which adult roles and statuses are entered into gradually
discontinuous transitions*
passages into adulthood in which adult roles and statuses are entered into abruptly
