Exam 1 Flashcards
What are physical changes that accompany sexual maturation? (rapid growth, development of primary and secondary sex characteristics)?
Puberty
does pubety have heterogeneity (variability) in the age of onset and rate of change?
yes
What system is responsible for jumpstarting puberty & associated biological changes?
the endocrine system
What does the endocrine system specifically do?
produces, circulates, and regulates hormone levels in the body
T/F
All hormones that influence puberty are already present in the body. AKA there are no new hormones activated at puberty
Truuuuuuuuu
What do endocrine glands secrete?
hormones
what does the hormonal feedback look (HPG axis) do?
acts like a thermostat to regulate hormone secretion
(increases or decrease hormones based on set point).
what does the HPG axis stand for?
hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis
when hormones get to a high enough level the __________ will tell it to stop
hypothalamus
at puberty…. which part of the HPG axis becomes less sensitive?
the hypothalamus
the hypothalamus inhibits the ________ unless sex hormone levels fall below a set point
pituitary gland
what hormones is the hypothalamus specifically monitoring
androgrens and estrogens
when signaled by the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland signals the _____ to release more sex hormones
(this maintains the correct set point)
gonads
when signaled by the pituatiry gland the ___________ (testes in males and ovaries in females) release sex hormones
gonads
the increase of what brain chemical stimulates the onset of pubety?
Kisspeptin
Hershey’s kisses.
puberty is stimulated by _______ and supressed by ________
stimulated by LEPTIN and supressed by MELATONIN
How does Leptin stimulate puberty?
- leptin stimulates kisspeptin…
- it lets your brain know how much fat is present in body. (more fat = earlier puberty)
- rising levels of leptin signals hypothalamus to stop inhibiting puberty.
What is the theory on light? (melatonin and kisspeptin)
melatonin supresses kisspeptin. melatonin is lower when its light. it has been theorized that the amount of light that children are exposed to may influence the onset of puberty.
= kids closer to the equator go through puberty faster
= blue light from computers make kids go through puberty earlier.
what is adrenarche?
the maturation of adrenal glands.
–> leads to physical somatic changes
why is puberty an increased time of stress?
the adrenal gland regulates the stress hormone cortisol, so puberty manages our sensitivity to stress.
it makes adolescence more responsive to stress
this is why it’s a period of increased vulnerability to mental health onset.
more cortisol = more vulnerability
study that tried to measure sensitivity to stress increases during puberty
longitudinal study… made people in childhood and adolescents do a public speaking task.
found that cortisol levels differed both WITHIN and BETWEEN individuals.
(meaning that individuals were more stressed, and as a group they were more stressed, than childhood)
What are some contexts that affect the timing of puberty?
- regions of the world
- socioeconomic status
- historical era (secular trend of onset puberty)
- ethnic group
(an example of this is the age of onset for menarche) - differs around the world.
New Guinea = 15
US & Canada = 12
the age of menarche has _______ significantly over the past 150 years, in a __________ trend
DECLINED, SECULAR TREND
what are some reasons why the age of menarche has declined?
synthetic chemicals, better nutrition, better sanitation
T/F higher BMI is linked to earlier age of menarchy?
true
What does somatic development during puberty look like?
- adolescent growth spurt
- “peak height velocity” - can grow at the same rate as a toddler.
- Asynchronicity in growth = that is why bodies look out of proportion (arms / legs frow first, then torso, then shoulders)
- sex differences in ratio of muscle and fat
(body fat increases more for girls / muscle for boys).
Do girls or boys reach the peak of their growth spurt first?
GIRLS.
girls = age 12
boys = 14ish
is there a relationship between the age at which puberty begins and the rate of pubertal development?
no, it varies alot
during puberty, body dissatisfaction for girls is most often because . . .
of the rapid increase in body fat they experience
girls are most susceptible to feelings of body dissatisfaction when
1) they mature early
2) they begin dating early
what is drive for muscularity?
body image issues that boys face, where they feel they need to be muscular.
associated with muscle dysphoria. leads to over eating, relying of supplements, over exercising, misusing supplements.
positive when they feel more muscular than their same age peers.
what is the gender intensification hypothesis?
youth feel more pressure to act in more gendered ways (hyper-fem / hyper-masc) How youth endorce these norms impacts their self image.
what are masculine gender norms assoicated with?
the drive for muscularity
Study by Nagata et al foundt hat there was an assoication between ‘gender normativity’ and weight control attempts’
there are gendered differences in attempts to lose or gain weight.
Gender norms DO NOT relate to weight loss attempts for girls who dont endorse feminine norms.
but for girls who endorse feminine norms, the likelihood of weight loss attempts and behaviour increases
also a study by nagata et. al.
same things for dudes, but gaining weight & drive for muscularity
In what ways is body appreciation protective?
- associated with taking care of body
- decreased diet behaviour
- decreased alchohol and cigarette consumption
- increased physical activity
what does percieved body acceptance by others predict?
increased intuitive eating and body appreciation
(this shows that it matters who you surround yourself with)
what youth group is the most vulnerable to psychosocial maladjustment during puberty?
transgender and gender diverse youth
Research by Turban et al., demonstrated that transgender youth who receive pubertal suppression treatment are less likely to . . .
have suicidal ideation
Gender affirming care does not just mean medical intervention, it also requires _________
supportive social contexts (family and peer support)
physical changes of puberty affect _______, _______, and ______________
self image, mood, and relationships with parents
T/F
moodiness is at its strongest around ages 16, 17, 18
Falseeee
moodiness is most salient during early adolescence.
Give some examples for adolescents thinking about possibilities (like what they can do now)
-think what might be
-think “counterfactually” (what is + might have been)
-think about future, what could have been
-can more easily think about alternative explanations + possibilities
-better reasoners/arguers
-hypothetical “if-then” thinking
What are adolescents now capable of when in comes to thinking about abstract concepts?
-comprehend higher-order abstract logic (puns, metaphors)
-improvements in social cognition, directly related to improvements in the ability to think abstractly
How is adolescent moodiness related more related to fluctuations throughout the day?
-environmental factors like shifts in activities or problems with family / friends
- more related to novelty of experiences
- not solely due to hormones
(its more like how quickly the hormones change compared to adults)
What is metacognition?
“Thinking about thinking”
What did a study by Larson et al., find regarding adolescent moodiness?
- varies between wider extremes
- changes quickly
- less predictable than adults.
e.g., really really hated going to church, and really liked playing basketball and joking with sister
What can adolescence do once they are able to participate in metacognition?
-monitor one’s own cognitive activity while thinking
-increased introspection (thinking about emotions)
-ability to gauge own performance (proxy of metacognitive ability)
-increase self consciousness (thinking about others thinking about us)
What is adolescent egocentrism?
Extreme self absorption that comes with the ability of introspection
Is an individuals perception of OR the reality of being an early (or late) maturer more important in affecting their feelings
how they perceive being early or late is more important.
What are two distinct problems in thinking that help to explain some of the odd beliefs and behaviours of teenagers?
Imaginary audience
Personal fable
What are the benefits / downsides of boys who mature early?
benefits:
- more popularity
- higher self-esteem
-look more mature
-more aligned with gender norms of masculinity.
downside:
-involvement in problem behaviours
-the risk of psychopathology.
- substance use
- bullying
what are some benefits and downsides to boys who mature late?
benefits:
- intellectual curiosity
- exploratory behaviour
- social initiative
Downside:
- low popularity
- more vulnerable to mental health difficulties.
What are some benefits / downsides of girls who mature early?
benefits:
- popularity
Downside:
- peer victimization
- involvement in problem behaviours
- risk of psychopathology
what are the benefits / downsides of girls who mature late?
benefits:
- fewer psychological problems
downside:
- poor self esteem
Who has more difficulties, early maturing girls or boys?
gurls.
what is maturational deviance hypothesis?
youth who stand far apart from their peers (e.g., physical appearance) may expereience more psychological distress than adolescence who belnd in more easily
What is Developmental readiness hypothesis?
younger adolescents may be less ready to cope with the challange of puberty than older adolesence.
–> not necessarily true because early maturing boys have a better time than early maturing girls due to social priveledges
How do cultural and contextual factors explain gender differences in difficulties with maturation?
for boys…
their pubetal outcomes can be associated with contexts like: deviant peer groups, poor school experience, harsh parenting, neighbourhood disorganization.
i dont actually know if this answers the qudstion tho.
What is delayed sleep preference?
teenagers will stay up until 1 and sleep in until 10, because their melatonin secretion is shifted later at puberty.
- starts 2 hours later.
- more sleepy in the morning than before puberty
on average, sleep is ______ over time
declining
- generational differeence
- reccomended sleep time is 9 hours
What are some psychosocial problems associated with inadequate sleep?
- risk of internalizing problems
- poor academic performane
- obesity.. lol ok
what is the minimal amount of energy used when resting called?
Basal metabolism rate
(drops about 15% in adolescence)
What did Niermann et al., find health related behaviours were connected to?
- family health environment influences adolescents physical activity & healthy dietary behaviours
- BUT depends on adolescents’ intrinsic motivation
Youth who experience peer victimization exprerience poor ________ and ________
physical health symptoms and poor physical self-concepts..
concurrently + over time
Does peer difficulties contribute to the dysregulation of the body’s stress system?
yes
Hager & Leadbeater found that . . .
- Inability to cope (e.g., avoidance, denial, and rumination)
- overreaince on substance use and other high risk behaviours
- low afinity for maintaing a healthy lifestyle
…. are all associated with whhhhat
peer difficulties.
Difficulties coping with stressors may manifest as what emotions?
- irritability
- defiance
- anger
Does chronic, persistent problems (like oppositional defiant symptoms ODS) during adolesence have an enduring effect in young adulthood.
you betta believe it
The relational conflicts associated with ODS may exacerbate ________ and __________
stress and lonliness
Is ODS related to more negative physical health symptoms
ya.
What are the benefits of physical activity?
- decreased depressive symptoms
- decreased percieved stress
- self rated health
physical and health literacy is a precursor to activity and injury prevention
nice
T/F the Canadian physical activity guideline reccomends youth do 1 hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day.
truuuuue
but only 17% of BC students meet these reccomendations
the minimal amount of energy one uses when resting which decrease in adolescence
basal metabolism rate
the hormonally induced increase in the rate of growth in height and weight
growth spurt
Psychologist Jeffery Arnett used this term to describe the period of development between adolescence and adulthood which is characterized by:
3x
(exploration, possibilities and independent)
Compared to 100 years ago, the adolescent period has been _____ and the transition into adulthood _____
(lengthened) and (prolonged / delayed).
PE classes that intergrade this athletic skill to improve coordination rather than focus strictly on strength or endurance
physical literacy
according to social inventionists, the social redefinition of adolescence across societies varies by two of these dimensions
clarity and continuity
the findings from smith, chien, and steinburg which used a gambling task, demonstrated this amount of adolescent risk taking and peer contexts
adolescents are more likely to take risks around peers compared to when they are alone.
study that examine the timing of onset of puberty show that early maturing girls tend to exhibit ____ than early maturing boys
(more psychological problems)
- have to explain WHY
according to Erikson, adolescents corresponds to this psychosocial stage of development
identity vs. role confusion
Dave who is 14 knows that kids who drink and derive get into accidents, doesn’t believe it will happen to him.. example of a belief of
personal fable.
the physical transition from child to adult
puberty
as development occurs, the ability to do this, allows adolescent to describe a more nuanced conception of themselves.. A 4-year-old might not be able to do it
thinking in multiple dimensions