Adolescence: Body and Mind – Chapter Nine Vocabulary

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering puberty, physical growth, cognition, and education during adolescence.

Puberty

The transitional period between the first surge of hormones and full adult physical development.

Menarche

A girl’s first menstrual period; U.S. average age is about 12 years, 4 months.

Spermarche

A boy’s first ejaculation of seminal fluid; U.S. average age is about 13 years, 8 months.

Psychosocial maturity

Achievement of adult‐like emotional and social functioning, reached years after physical puberty.

HPA axis

Hormonal pathway linking hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal glands that contributes to pubertal changes.

Gonads

Sex glands—ovaries in females and testes in males—activated during puberty.

Estrogen

Primary female sex hormone produced mainly by the ovaries.

Testosterone

Primary male sex hormone produced mainly by the testes.

Circadian rhythm

The 24-hour biological cycle regulating sleep and other bodily functions.

Eveningness

Adolescent tendency toward later bedtimes and wake times due to circadian shifts.

Limbic system

Brain region for emotions and rewards; grows rapidly and is hormone-sensitive in adolescence.

Prefrontal cortex

Brain area for planning and impulse control; matures gradually into the mid-20s.

Genes and gender (puberty onset)

Inherited factors and sex-specific hormones explain about two-thirds of age variation in puberty.

Body fat (puberty trigger)

Minimum fat percentage signals the brain to start or advance pubertal development.

Height spurt

Rapid increase in stature that typically precedes weight and muscle gains during puberty.

Weight spurt

Sudden increase in body mass that follows the height spurt in puberty.

Muscle spurt

Sharp rise in muscle growth, especially pronounced in males during adolescence.

Body Mass Index (BMI)

Ratio of weight to height used to assess healthy body composition; changes rapidly in puberty.

Body image

An individual’s perception of their physical appearance, often distorted in teens.

Eating disorders

Maladaptive patterns of eating or exercise that endanger health and self-image.

Anorexia nervosa

Eating disorder marked by self-starvation, extreme weight loss, and body-image distortion.

Bulimia nervosa

Eating disorder involving binge eating followed by purging or other compensatory behaviors.

Binge-eating disorder

Condition characterized by recurrent episodes of uncontrolled overeating without purging.

Steroids (adolescent use)

Performance-enhancing hormones often misused by boys to increase muscle mass.

Primary sex characteristics

Body parts directly involved in reproduction (uterus, ovaries, testes, penis).

Secondary sex characteristics

Visible signs of sexual maturity not directly related to reproduction (breasts, voice change, facial hair).

Sexuality (adolescence)

Multidimensional experiences of sexual thoughts, behaviors, and emotions shaped by culture.

Sexual abuse

Any sexual activity between an adult and a minor; linked to numerous later problems.

Adolescent egocentrism

Teens’ tendency to focus intensely on themselves and believe others do the same.

Rumination

Obsessive self-focused thought patterns that can lead to depression.

Imaginary audience

Belief that others are constantly observing and judging one’s appearance and actions.

Personal fable

Conviction that one’s experiences are unique and more intense than others’.

Invincibility fable

Belief that one cannot be harmed by dangers that affect others (e.g., unprotected sex).

Formal operational thought

Piaget’s stage where individuals think abstractly, systematically, and hypothetically.

Secondary education

Schooling between primary school and college, typically ages 12–18.

Middle school

School level between elementary and high school, often grades 5/6–8.

Cyberbullying

Use of electronic media to harass or threaten peers, common in middle school.

High school

Secondary education stage where academic rigor and abstract thinking increase.

AP (Advanced Placement)

College-level high school courses with externally scored exams for potential credit.