Learning Objectives Chapter 9 Lifespan
Puberty
1. What visible changes take place in puberty?
Puberty is the time between the first onrush of hormones and full adult physical development. Puberty usually lasts three to give years. Many more years are required to achieve psychosocial maturity. The forces of puberty are unleashed by a cascade of hormones that produce external growth and internal changes, including heightened emotions and sexual desires. For girls, the observable changes of puberty usually begin with nipple growth. Soon a few pubic hairs are visible, then peak growth spurt, widening of the hips, the first menstrual period, and breast maturation. For boys, the usual sequence is growth of the testes, initial pubic hair growth, growth of the penis, first ejaculation of seminal fluid, appearance of facial hair, peak growth spurt, deepening of the voice, and final pubic hair growth.
2. How do hormones affect the physical and psychological aspects of puberty?
Through adolescence, hormone levels correlate with physiological changes and self-reported development. Hormones are body chemicals that can regulate hunger, sleep, moods, stress, sexual desire, immunity, reproduction, and many other bodily reactions, including puberty. The pituitary produces hormones that stimulate the adrenal glands, located above the kidneys, which produce more hormones. Another hormonal sequence is called HPG axis.
3. Why might some high schools decide to adopt later start times?
Sleepy teenagers are more likely to have many problems. They doze in school, fall asleep while driving, develop eating and mood disorders and have poor relationships. High schools start before 8am, even though evidence suggests that a later start time improves adolescent learning.
4. What are the gender differences in the growth spurt?
About two-thirds of the variation in age of puberty is genetic, evident not only in families but also in ethnic groups.
5. What is the connection between body fat and onset of puberty in girls? In
1. What visible changes take place in puberty?
Puberty is the time between the first onrush of hormones and full adult physical development. Puberty usually lasts three to give years. Many more years are required to achieve psychosocial maturity. The forces of puberty are unleashed by a cascade of hormones that produce external growth and internal changes, including heightened emotions and sexual desires. For girls, the observable changes of puberty usually begin with nipple growth. Soon a few pubic hairs are visible, then peak growth spurt, widening of the hips, the first menstrual period, and breast maturation. For boys, the usual sequence is growth of the testes, initial pubic hair growth, growth of the penis, first ejaculation of seminal fluid, appearance of facial hair, peak growth spurt, deepening of the voice, and final pubic hair growth.
2. How do hormones affect the physical and psychological aspects of puberty?
Through adolescence, hormone levels correlate with physiological changes and self-reported development. Hormones are body chemicals that can regulate hunger, sleep, moods, stress, sexual desire, immunity, reproduction, and many other bodily reactions, including puberty. The pituitary produces hormones that stimulate the adrenal glands, located above the kidneys, which produce more hormones. Another hormonal sequence is called HPG axis.
3. Why might some high schools decide to adopt later start times?
Sleepy teenagers are more likely to have many problems. They doze in school, fall asleep while driving, develop eating and mood disorders and have poor relationships. High schools start before 8am, even though evidence suggests that a later start time improves adolescent learning.
4. What are the gender differences in the growth spurt?
About two-thirds of the variation in age of puberty is genetic, evident not only in families but also in ethnic groups.
5. What is the connection between body fat and onset of puberty in girls? In