Physical and Cognitive Development in Adolescence

Flashcards covering key concepts from the lecture on physical and cognitive development in adolescence.

Puberty

The period of maturation during which the sexual organs mature.

Menarche

A girl’s first menstrual period, signaling that she has begun ovulation.

Spermarche

A boy’s first ejaculation of sperm, indicating the start of sperm production.

Gonads

The paired sex glands in males and females.

HPA Axis

Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis, involved in stress response.

HPG Axis

Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Gonad Axis, responsible for regulating puberty.

Secular Trend

The phenomenon where each generation experiences puberty earlier and grows taller than the previous generation.

Body Image

An individual's perception of their physical appearance.

Anorexia Nervosa

An eating disorder characterized by an intense fear of gaining weight and a distorted body image.

Bulimia

An eating disorder characterized by binge eating followed by purging.

Formal Operational Stage

Piaget’s stage of cognitive development where individuals can think logically about abstract concepts.

Propositional Thinking

The ability to evaluate the truth of statements based on logical reasoning.

Hypothetico-deductive reasoning

The ability to form a hypothesis and deduce its consequences.

Adolescent Egocentrism

An adolescent’s belief that others are highly preoccupied with their appearance and behavior.

Imaginary Audience

The belief that one is the centre of others' attention and concern.

Personal Fable

The belief that one's experiences are unique and that they are invulnerable to harm.

Vygotsky's Theory

Focuses on the social context of learning and the importance of cultural tools in cognitive development.

Deductive Reasoning

Reasoning from general premises to specific conclusions.

Inductive Reasoning

Reasoning from specific observations to broader generalizations.

Prospect Theory

A theory that describes how people make decisions based on perceived gains or losses.