Rites of Passage: Physical and Cognitive Development in Adolescence

Puberty

A collection of physical changes that mark the onset of adolescence, including a growth spurt and the growth of breasts and testes.

Physical Growth

During the peak of the adolescent growth spurt, a girl may gain as much as 14- 15 pounds in a year and boy 16 to 17 pounds

11

Girls typically start the growth spurt at about age

12

girls reach their peak rate of growth at about

15

Girls achieve their mature stature at about

13

Boys start the growth spurt at age

14

Boys reacy their, hit peak growth at

17

Boys reach mature at

Head, hands, and feet

Usually begin to grow first

Arms and legs

Head, hands, and feet usually begin to grow first, followed by growth in the

Trunk and shoulders

are the last to grow

Myelination and synaptic pruning

Two features of brain development that begin early in life are nearly complete in adolescence:

Brain Growth

The brain is nearly full size, about 95% of the size and weight of an adult’s brain

Primary sex characteristics and secondary sex characteristics

2 characteristics of sexual maturation

Primary sex characteristics

which refer to organs that are directly involved in reproduction such as the ovaries, uterus, and vagina in girls and the scrotum, testes, and penis in boys

Secondary sex characteristics

which are physical signs of maturity not directly linked to the reproductive organs which includes the growth of breasts and widening of the pelvis in girls, the appearance of facial hair and the broadening of shoulders in boys, and the appearance of body hair and changes in voice and skin in both boys and girls

Myelination

is the acquisition of fatty insulation that makes neurons transmit information faster.

Synaptic pruning

is the weeding out of unnecessary connections between neuron

Pituitary gland

is the key player. It helps to regulate physical development by releasing growth hormone.

Estrogen

is often described as a “female hormone”

Androgen

is often described as a “male hormone”

Menarche

is usually a private occasion for adolescents living in industrialized countries, but in traditional cultures, it is often celebrated.

Gaddis & Brooks- Gunn, 1985

In contrast to menarche, much less is known boys’ reactions to spermarche. Most boys know about spontaneous ejaculations beforehand, and they get their information by reading, not by asking parents

Moodiness

Adolescents are often thought to be extraordinarily moody, moving from joy to sadness to irritation to anger over the course of a morning or an afternoon

Early

maturing boys are at risk for psychological disorders such as depression; they are also more prone to substance abuse and to sexual activity.

Hemoglobin

Need calcium for bone growth and iron to make extra

Body mass index

An adjusted ratio of weight to height that is used to define overweight

Basal metabolic rate

The speed at which the body consumes calories

Morality

is a system of beliefs about what is right and good compared to what is wrong or bad.

Moral development

refers to changes in moral beliefs as a person grows older and gains matu

Moral beliefs

are related to, but not identical with, moral behavior: it is possible to know the right thing to do, but not actually do i