336 Lecture Slides

puberty is marked by 3 major changes

1. rapid growth
2. primary sex characteristics develop
3. secondary sex characteristics develop

hormonal feedback loop (HPG axis)

1. hypothalamus monitors levels of androgen and estrogen in blood
2. when levels of A & E fall below set point, the hypothalamus tells the pituitary gland to signal gonads to produce more

kisspeptin

1. kisspeptin stimulates the HPG axis
2. leptin stimulates kisspeptin
3. leptin's role is to tell body how much fat cells there are
4. the more fat cells the earlier you are likely to start puberty
5. the rising levels of leptin stimulate the kisspeptin which signals the hypothalamus to stop inhibiting puberty and start the HPG axis

adrenarche

1. maturation of adrenal glands leads to physical changes
2. adrenal gland regulates cortisol (the stress hormone)
3. maturation increases sensitivity of adrenal gland which makes adolescents' more vulnerable to stress

maturational deviance hypothesis

adolescents who develop either earlier or later relative to pees experience psychological distress and manifest behaviour problems

developmental readiness hypothesis

early maturing adolescents are at highest risk for psychological and behavioural problems because they are not emotionally or cognitively ready for the major physiological, social, and emotional changes comprising puberty

maturational disparity

mismatch between physical, emotional, or cognitive development

compared to children, adolescents are more sophisticated in their ability to

1. think about possibilities
2. think about abstract concepts
3. think about thinking
4. think in multiple dimensions

deductive reasoning

a type of logical reasoning in which you draw logically necessary conclusions from a set of premises, or givens

2 important changes in brain function involving the prefrontal cortex

1. patterns of activation within PFC generally become more focused
2. activity in the PFC becomes increasingly coordinated with activity in other parts of the brain

changes in the limbic system may make individuals more vulnerable to the following

1. more emotional
2. more responsive to stress
3. more likely to engage in reward-seeking and sensation-seeking behaviour
4. more vulnerable to substance abuse, depression, and other mental health problems

research on social cognition falls into 4 categories

1. theory of mind (mentalizing)
2. thinking about social relationships
3. understanding social conventions
4. conceptions of laws, civil liberties, and rights

identity in adolescence

attainment of adult status causes adolescents to feel more mature and to think more seriously about future work and family roles

autonomy in adolescence

adult status leads to shifts in responsibility, independence, and freedom

intimacy, dating, and marriage in adolescence

need for new decisions about sexual activity

achievement in adolescence

becoming a full-time employee; leave school for their own volition

elongation of adolescence

puberty starts earlier and individuals are entering into adult roles of work and family later

emerging adulthood

Jeffrey Arnett's term for ages 18-25, caught between adolescence and adulthood, characterized by:
1. exploration of possible identities before making enduring choices
2. instability in work, romantic relationships, and living arrangements
3. focus on oneself and independent functioning
4. feeling of being caught between adolescence and adulthood
sense that life holds many possibilities

two-sided altercation in status change during adolescence

1. increasing privileges
2. increasing responsibility