Dr van Widenfelt PSYC 307 100 Fall 2015 Agenda for unit on Adolescence Covers chapters 14 16 Puberty Physical changes Brain Development Cognitive Development Piaget Formal Op Identity Development Social emotional Development Eating disorders depression substance abuse behavior problems Brain maturation The Brain Adolescents brains undergo significant changes The corpus callosum thickens further information processing facilitated by improved connection of the brain s left and right hemispheres The limibic system and amygdala Emotions matures further The prefrontal cortex make judgements planning emotional control doesn t finish maturing until the emerging adult years approximately 18 to 25 years of age Instinctual and emotional areas develop before the reflective ones do A major research area examining which comes first biological changes or experiences that stimulate these changes and the interaction https www youtube com watch v 6zVS8HIPUng Sara Jayne Blakemore TED 14 minutes 2012 Adolescence Changes that occur are DRAMATIC Rate of growth second to fetal development Most significant change is onset of puberty Puberty Begins Age of Puberty Age 11 or 12 considered normal in those as young as age 8 or as old as age 14 Precocious puberty sexual development before age 8 occurs rarely about 1 in 5 000 children for unknown reasons Timing Most of variation in age of onset is genetic Each generation has experienced puberty a few weeks earlier and has grown a centimeter or so taller than did the preceding one Rate of development boys onset of puberty 18 24 months after girls and is slower takes longer For boys can last till 19 or so Puberty Begins Hormones Leptin A hormone that stimulates appetite is believed to be involved in the onset of puberty Increases during childhood and peak at around age 12 body fat influences onset of puberty Body fat Girls gain about 20 kilos boys 30 kilos Most girls must weigh at least 100 pounds before experiencing first period Note Children who have a relatively large proportion of body fat experience puberty sooner Malnutrition can play a role in a delay of onset of puberty Additional factors Stress hastens hormonal onset of puberty The Transformations of Puberty The Transformations of Puberty The Transformations of Puberty Body Growth and Change Patterns of Growth GIRLS Puberty Sexual Maturation Female pubertal characteristics develop Breast enlarge and then pubic hair appears Hair appears in the armpits A growth in height and hips become wider than her shoulders First menstruation menarche occurs Occurs between the ages of 9 and 15 Body Growth and Change Patterns of Growth BOYS Puberty Sexual Maturation Male pubertal characteristics develop Increase in penis and testicle size Appearance of straight pubic hair Minor voice change First ejaculation Appearance of pubic hair Onset of maximum body growth Growth of hair in armpits More detectable voice changes Growth of facial hair Sexual maturation Primary sex characteristics Parts of the body that are directly involved in reproduction including the vagina uterus ovaries testicles and penis Secondary sex characteristics Physical traits that are not directly involved in reproduction but indicate sexual maturity man s beard woman s breasts Boys Outsiders can t see initial changes Penis size testicles See only when see outward signs voice changes hair growth acne Getting taller occurs much later than initial changes Very different for girls Girls First see weight gain See changes in form hips thighs breast budding and development Get taller Early on see growth spurt usually age 12 in girls later for Boys usually age 14 Puberty Begins earlier for girls than boys Menarche Much later stage in puberty maturation Girl s first menstrual period signaling that she has begun ovulation Pregnancy is biologically possible but ovulation and menstruation are often irregular for years after menarche Estrogen role in growth After that not much more physical growth for girls unlike boys due to estrogen closes the bone growth Boys have less estrogen and bones keep growing Boys Spermarche Boy s first ejaculation of sperm Erections can occur as early as infancy but ejaculation signals sperm production Psychosocial consequences for early For Girls maturing poorer body image than later maturing girls Lower self esteem Are at increased risk Sometimes have older boyfriends and enter into abusive relationships more often than other girls Too Early Too Late For Boys How they mature is important socially for them if slower tend to feel anxious and depressed about it Early maturing boys are more at risk For being aggressive participating in law breaking and alcohol abuse than are later maturing boys Both boys and girls put at risk for body image issues due to media images