PSYC 3390 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Incest Taboo, Reinforcement, Voice Change
Document Summary
Biologically speaking, everyone experiences puberty in similar ways. Cultures define the meaning and significance of puberty. Puberty: rapid physical maturation w/ hormonal and bodily changes in early adolescence. Hormones: chemicals secreted by glands; affect development & function of body. Endocrine system: hormonal release in the bloodstream; communicates w/ glands. Begins in hypothalamus ( master of pituitary gland ); increases production of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (gnrh) Fat cells produce leptin; when body fat threshold is reached, puberty begins. Hypothalamus causes pituitary gland to release gnrh increase in gnrh causes follicle development, sperm production, estrogen secretion, ovum development, testosterone production. Hypothalamus monitors androgens and estrogens (gnrh) pituitary gland responds to reduction of gnrh and reduces (lh,fsh) gonads respond to low levels of fsh and lh, reduces amt of sex hormones. Set point: when sex hormones reach optimal levels. Ovaries & testes increase production of estrogen and androgens (both genders have both) Adrenal gland release stress hormones (fight/flight), epinephrine, norepinephrine, cortisol.
