Chapter 2 study guide Adolescents pych

In what brain region do the hormonal changes of puberty get initiated, through increasing production of GnRH? 

Hypothalamus

What is leptin and what does it do during puberty? 

when the fat threshold is reached it releases leptin which provides the signal to the hypothalamus to release the GnRH.

how do levels of estradiol and testosterone change for male and female bodies during puberty?

During childhood is the levels are the same but during puberty in females estradiol is 8 times as while in Males is twice as high. During puberty in males testosterone the level is 20 times as high but for females its only 4 times as high.

Explain the idea of the set point in regards to the feedback loop. 

The feedback loop monitors and adjust the hormones levels and when each hormone meets the optical point which is the set point the hypothalamus reduces the amount of hormones being produced.

Which gender hits their growth spurt on average 2 years earlier than the opposite gender?  

females hit it earlier

What is asynchronicity? How does it occur during puberty (regarding extremities)?

the hands and feet grow at a faster rate then everything else

Which sex tends to gain more fat at puberty and has greater hip widening? Which sex tends to gain more muscle and has greater shoulder widening?

females grow more fat and males more muscles

Why do males produce so much sperm? 

Because they don’t produce sperm until puberty

Do the majority of a female’s menstrual cycles in the first 2 years after menarche include ovulation or not? 

no they dont

What are some examples of secondary sex characteristics?

hair growth,sweat,acne, voice changes, and breast development

In developed countries, what is the earliest age first pubertal events might occur in the female body? male body? 

females 8 and males 10

How did Tanner conduct his studies of the order of pubertal events? Who were the participants? Why does this anger Dr. Christian (lecture)? And can we generalize the results to ethnic and cultural groups outside of Tanner’s study? 

He only focused on white males usually from a orphanage and did minimal studies on females due to weird stigmas. It angered Dr. Christian because they did not have permission or consent from the children first.

Does the heart grow larger on average among male or female bodies?

male bodies

Define vital capacity… does it increase more rapidly for male or female bodies at puberty?

the amount of air that can be exhaled after a deep breath, increases rapidly for both boys and girls during puberty but increases more for boys than for girls

How does the strength and athletic ability of male and female bodies change after puberty?

males have high athletic abilities than females and that stays the same throughout adulthood

What gender differences exist in cultural expectations for physical activity in many cultures?

A lot of females are expected to not do physical activity as it being seen as not “feminine” but males are expected to do physical activities at a young age.

Do most adolescents meet the World Health Organizations recommendation of at least 60 minutes daily of exercise?  

no boys get more exercise than girls

Worldwide there has been an increase in the number of adolescents who are overweight or obese. What reasons are given in the textbook for this? Describe them all.  (Note– don’t worry about the section on the interaction of genes and environment in overweight and obesity). 

early puberty, fast food , cars, tv, and genetics

What are characteristics of successful programs to combat obesity? What are barriers?

nutrition education, dietary assessment, modifications of meals offered in the school, and efforts to increase physical activity

In what ways is emerging adulthood a biologically healthy time? What lifestyle factors make emerging adulthood less healthy? List all described in the text.

its a healthy time because its the peak physical time ,maximal oxygen intake, reaction time and least susceptibility to illness. Due to the lifestyles of a lot of adults it can make them unhealthy such as poor nutrition, lack of sleep, the high stress of trying to juggle school and work or multiple jobs, car accidents, stds, , drugs and homicide.

In general, in what cultures does puberty happen earlier? (What things predict earlier puberty)?

puberty begins earlier in cultures where good nutrition and medical care are widely available. they use historical references to predict menarche

What is the secular trend in the age of menarche?

a secular trend downward in the age of menarche has occurred in every Western country for which records exist.

What is the current average age of menarche in the U.S.?

11.9

Why do African girls reach menarche a few years later than African American girls? 

nutrition may be limited and medical care is often rare or nonexistent

Will the secular trend continue? Why or why not? (define reaction range)

no, because genes establish a range of possible times when menarche may begin, and environment determines the actual timing of menarche within that range.

For many traditional cultures, what do puberty rituals center around for females? Are cultures ambivalent or certain about in attitudes about menstruation?

they can be restricted in food preparation and consumption, social activities, religious practices, bathing, school attendance, and sexual activities. Often, menstrual blood is viewed as having positive powers as well. For example, it is sometimes seen as promoting fertility and is used in fertility rituals.

What puberty rituals exist for males? (Just know the basics— don’t need details on each)

Puberty rituals for boys do not focus on a particular biological event comparable to menarche for girls. they typically require the young man to display courage, strength, and endurance. For and example hunting and fishing.

Has globalization lead to an increase or decrease in the practice of puberty rituals?

a decrease because some of them can be looked at as shameful or immoral

On what continent do many countries still practice female genital mutilation (female circumcision)? How is it viewed by members of those cultures? Why are others against it?

Djibouti, Egypt , Mali, and Somalia .it remains viewed in many African cultures as necessary in order for a young woman to be an acceptable marriage partner

How do parent-child relationships change at puberty?

Parents and adolescents seem to be less comfortable in each other’s presence when puberty is reached, especially in their physical closeness.

What did the study at the shopping mall find?

That the older the child is they are less likely to have physical contact with their mother

Why isn’t the incest taboo a reasonable explanation for the distancing?

If increased distance in adolescence were as a result of the incest taboo, one would expect adolescent sons to be closer to fathers, not mothers.

Which has been researched more often and why– menarche or semenarche?

Menarche because its easier to measure and they don’t tend to measure semenarche because it closer relates to masturbation

In the study of 600 girls, what were the positives given about menarche?

Many girls also indicated that they welcomed menarche because it allowed them to catch up to peers who had already begun menstruating and signified their capacity to bear children. Studies that follow girls over time find that menarche is followed by increases in social maturity, prestige with peers, and self-esteem

In developing countries, are most females given a great deal of knowledge about menarche and menstruation or no? How does this impact their reaction?

adolescent girls across developing countries concluded that most girls had limited knowledge about menstruation, and that many girls only learned about it when they experienced menarche. Girls often reported negative emotions such as fear, shame, and bewilderment.

In developing countries, why does menstruation lead to not being able to attend school for those with female bodies? 

Poor menstrual hygiene management has been shown to result in a sense of shame, anxiety, and embarrassment that contributes to absenteeism and poor performance at school.

Describe males' reaction to semenarche (based upon a few studies). Do U.S. boys tend to tell others about it? What about boys in Nigeria? What reason does the text give for why boys in Nigeria might be more open about it? 

It may occur through “wet dreams” or masturbation, and there is a long history of shame and censure associated with masturbation in the u.s In contrast, a study of boys in Nigeria found that boys tended to tell their friends about semenarche soon after it took place

What are the risks of early maturation for females? Explain.

early-maturing girls are at risk for numerous problems, including depressed mood, negative body image, eating disorders, substance use, delinquency, aggressive behavior, school problems, and conflict with parents

What are the effects of early (and late) maturation for males?

Early-maturing boys tend to have more favorable body images and to be more popular than other boys. There is evidence that late-maturing boys have elevated levels of substance use and deviant behavior well into emerging adulthood