PSYCH 250 Midterm: Exam 3 Review
Document Summary
Introduction to adolescence: a period of contradiction in health, low rates of serious medical disorders, high rates of mental disorders and risky behavior. Adolescent brain development: amygdala is fully developed fear, emotions. Feel all emotions much more strongly: striatum is fully developed rewards. High reward for risk taking and thrills: frontal lobe still developing inhibition, planning, regulating emotion and behavior. Does not rationalize behavior: gray matter decreases through synaptic pruning. Age of puberty at onset has been declining over the past century due to better nutrition. Before secular trend over 17 for age of menarche. Now under 13: hormonal programmers/triggers. Growth of hair, skin changes, sexual desire. Begins early in puberty and releases over a long period of time. Hypothalamic hormone causes pituitary gland to secrete hormones. Triggers gonads to secrete hormones: testes testosterone, ovaries estrogen, testosterone and estrogen both sexes. Social factors that influence puberty onset: links between stress and puberty, paternal investment theory.
