PSYC 437 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Sex Organ, Secondary Sex Characteristic, Pubic Hair
Document Summary
Puberty has a sudden onset , beginning without warning. Puberty starts at one specific point in time. Puberty derives rom the latin word pubertas, which means adult. The term refers to the period during which an individual becomes capable of sexual reproduction. More broadly, however, puberty encompasses all the physical changes that occur in the growing girl or boy as the individual passes form childhood into adulthood. A rapid acceleration in growth, resulting in dramatic increases in both height and weight. The development of primary sex characteristics, including the further development of the gonads (sex glands, which results in hormonal changes that ultimately enable reproduction. The development of secondary sex characteristics including changes in the genitals and breasts, and the growth of pubic, facial, and body hair. *it"s important to know that puberty may appear to come on suddenly, judging form its external signs but in fact it is part of a gradual process that begins at conception.
