Summary Of Chapter Two Flashcards
Describe the functions of the whore moans in the feedback loop of the endocrine system and how they initiate puberty
During puberty, a set of remarkable transformations takes place in young people’s
bodies. Hormonal changes lead to changes in physical functioning and to the
development of primary and secondary sex characteristics. The hormonal changes of
puberty begin in the hypothalamus, initiated when a threshold level of leptin is reached.
The chain of events in the endocrine system runs from the hypothalamus to the pituitary
gland to the gonads and adrenal glands to the hypothalamus again, in a feedback loop
that monitors the levels of the sex hormones (androgens and estrogens). The set points
for the sex hormones rise in the course of puberty.
Explain how the growth spurt differs for girls and boys and identify the order in which body part experience rapid growth
After proceeding at an even pace since early childhood, growth suddenly surges when
puberty arrives. One of the earliest signs of puberty for both girls and boys is the
adolescent growth spurt. At peak height velocity, girls grow at about 3.5 inches per year,
and boys grow at about 4.1 inches per year. The extremities-_feet, hands, and head-
are the first to hit the growth spurt, followed by the arms and legs.
Explain the difference between primary and secondary sex characteristics
Primary sex characteristics are related directly to reproduction. Females are born wit
all their eggs already in their ovaries, but males produce sperm only once they reach
puberty. Secondary sex characteristics develop at puberty but are not directly related
reproduction.
Provide the typical order of development of secondary sex characteristics in boys and girls
Girls show the first development of secondary sex characteristics about 2 years earlier
than boys. Pubic hair and (in girls) breast development usually occur first, and
underarm hair and skin oil/sweat occur last. The order of pubertal events is quite
predictable, but adolescents vary greatly in the ages the events begin and how long it
takes to complete them
Chart the typical order of pubertal events, and explain the basis for variations in their order, timing, and total duration.
Puberty is composed of many events and processes, typically stretching out over
several years. Among young people in developed countries, the first pubertal events
may occur as early as age 8 in girls and age 9 or 10 in boys, or as late as age 13. The
duration between the initiation of the first pubertal event and full pubertal maturation
can be as short as a year and a half or as long as 6 years. More consistency can be
seen in the order of pubertal events than in the ages they begin or the amount of time it
takes to complete them.
Describe how the physical functioning changes during puberty, and contrast physical functioning in adolescence and emerging adult hood.
Physical growth during puberty includes the growth spurt as well as increases in muscle
mass (especially in boys) and body fat (especially in girls). The heart and lungs also
grow dramatically, especially in boys. In many respects, emerging adulthood is a time of
peak physical functioning for most people, when athletic performance peaks and
susceptibility to illness and disease is at its nadir. However, emerging adults are at
higher risk than people of other ages for certain problems due to lifestyle and behavior,
including automobile fatalities, homicide, and sexually transmitted infections.
Explain how culture influences the timing of puberty.
Cultures influence the timing of puberty through cultural technologies in nutrition and
medical care. The initiation of puberty is earlier when nutrition and medical care are
good; consequently, the age of beginning puberty decreased steadily in developed
countries during the 20th century and is now decreasing in developing countries.
Identify the rates of prevalence of puberty rituals across cultures, and explain the function of these rituals.
cultures, and explain the function of these rituals.
Many traditional cultures have rituals that give meaning to pubertal changes, usually
focused on menarche for girls and on tests of courage, strength, and endurance for
boys.
Compare and contrast cultures and how puberty influences family relations
In the American majority culture, reaching puberty is often accompanied by
“distancing,” meaning that adolescents become more emotionally distant from their parents.
However, in many other cultures this is not true, and adolescents may become even
closer to their parents from working together.
Describe personal responses to menarche and semenarche among adolescents and how these responses are shaped by cultures.
Cultures influence adolescents’ experiences of puberty by providing or failing to provide
young people with information about what is happening to their bodies. Menarche can
be traumatic when girls are unprepared for it, but girls today typically know about it long
before it arrives.
Summarize the gender differences in how boys and girls respond to reaching puberty relatively early or late
In developed countries, the cultural practice of age-graded schooling means that the
timing of puberty has important consequences for adolescents who begin puberty
relatively early or relatively late. Early maturation is especially problematic for girls.
Compare and contrast passive, evocative, and active genotype ->environment effects.
Passive genotype > environment effects occur in biological families because parents
provide both genes and environment for their children. Evocative genotype > environment effects occur when a person’s inherited characteristics evoke responses
from others in their environment. Active genotype > environment effects occur when people seek out environments that correspond to their genotypic characteristics.
Explain why genotype › environment effects change over time.
According to the theory of genotype > environment effects, the influences of genetics
and the environment are difficult to separate because in some ways genes shape the
kind of environment we experience. During adolescence and emerging adulthood
passive genotype > environment effects decrease and active genotype > environment effects increase as young people become more capable of seeking out
environments that correspond to their genotype.
