Developmental psychology/Chapter 9/Puberty
Puberty
[edit | edit source]- Puberty - Growth and sexual development, from a kid to an adult (starts from 8yrs-14yrs). Major rush of estrogen for girls and testosterone for boys. 2x chance for boys to develop schizophrenia, 2x chance for girls to develop depression.
- Sexual thoughts can be the source of "physiological and neurological processes".
- Process
- Hypothalamus signals the pituitary gland to release hormones to the adrenal glands to expand the gonads. This process produces sex hormones.
- Girls - Nipples grow, pubic hair grows, breast/hip fat increases. First period (menarche - first menstrual period, height spurt takes place before; pregnancy could take place, but body's unstable).
- Boys - Testes grow, pubic hair grows, penis grows, first ejaculation (spermarche- ejaculation = sperm production, height spurt takes place after). Facial hair, growth spurt, deepened voice and final pubic hairs (remember young boy having sexual fantasies about tall girls).
Both processes end by age 20!
Puberty produces:
- Romantic attractions
- Psycho behaviors
- Extreme emotions (rage, sadness)
- When?
- Depends on the XX/XY chromosomes
- Depends on families/ethnic groups
- Body fat (fatter girls reach menarche earlier than thinner girls)
Brain development
[edit | edit source]- Limbic system grows before prefrontal cortex.
- Pubertal hormones target the amygdala, invoking massive desires to be attached to powerful actions (speeding and taking bad risks). Massive mylineation of the limbic system vs. the prefrontal cortex (not fully until age 25) causes emotional thoughts to be reacted to faster vs. logical thoughts. Makes loud emotions, such as listening to loud music blasted on the "aux", sensational.
- Puberty may disrupt our circadian, aka biological clock. We may want to stay up at nighttime. This may be aided by puberty, our addiction to technology late at night and school (high schoolers should not be forced to go to school before 8am as it aids sleep deprivation).
Added Hormones
[edit | edit source]- Precocious puberty - puberty <8
- Delayed puberty - puberty >14
- Steriod-infested beef and other unnecessary additives
- Leptin - Hormone that increases puberty and peaks at 12. Essential for appetite, energy and puberty.
- Abuse backgrounds, specifically sexual abuse, causes puberty to take place a lot earlier than normal.