Adolescence & Emerging Adulthood: Lifespan Development

Practice vocabulary flashcards on the developmental period of adolescence, physical maturation through puberty, and adolescent brain development.

Adolescence

The developmental period spanning from approximately 10 years of age to the early 20s.

Puberty

A period of rapid physical maturation involving major hormonal and bodily changes that results in reproductive capabilities.

Primary sex characteristics

Body structures and organs that are directly involved in human reproduction that develop and mature during puberty.

Menarche

The first occurrence of menstruation in females, signifying reproductive development during puberty.

Spermarche

The first occurrence of ejaculation in males, marking the onset of reproductive capacity during puberty.

Secondary sex characteristics

Physical signs of sexual maturity that develop during puberty but are not directly involved in reproduction.

Prefrontal cortex

The brain region responsible for impulse control and planning, which continues to develop and does not become fully mature until the mid-20s.

Limbic system

The neural system associated with emotions, reward processing, and social information, which contributes to adolescent risk-taking behavior.