Chapter 11: Adolescence: Physical & Cognitive Development

Adolescence: Except for infancy, more changes occur during adolescence than at any other time of life Contemporary theorists see adolescence as a time when biological, cognitive, social/emotional functioning are reorganized. (and adolescents have to adapt to these changes!)

What is Puberty? A stage of development characterized by reaching sexual maturity and the ability to reproduce Physical changes which mark the transition from childhood to young adulthood The onset of adolescent coincides with the advent of puberty Meaning, when puberty starts, no matter how young, you are now an “adolescent”

Know: Puberty occurs 2-3 years earlier in girls compared to boys

Primary & Secondary Sex Characteristics Their development is triggered by sex hormones: 1. Primary sex characteristics: (make reproduction possible) ovaries, vagina, uterus, & fallopian tubes in women; and penis, testes, prostate gland, and seminal vesicles in men. 2. Secondary sex characteristics: (indicate sexual maturation but are not involved in reproduction) Breast development, deepening voice, body odor, and the appearance of facial, pubic and underarm hair.

What Happens During the Adolescent Growth Spurt? The stable growth patterns of middle childhood end abruptly during adolescence First height increases for approximately 2 years, then declines A spurt in weight happens 1 ½ years after height, also for approximately 2 years; then declines

Adolescent Growth Spurt, cont. Height: Boys: 14 ½ inches Girls: 13 inches Adolescents tend to look thin because of the lag in weight gain compared to height Adolescents eat an enormous amount of food to fuel this growth

Why do Adolescents Often Look Awkward and Gawky? Because different parts of the body grow at different rates, called Asynchronous Growth: → Hands and feet develop before the arms and the legs → Legs grow before the shoulders and chest.

Why Do Adolescents seem to be Getting Taller & Maturing Earlier? Because they are! This is called the Secular Trend, and is present in nearly all European countries and in the United States. What two factors appear to play a role in this trend? A. Better nutrition B. Healthcare

Pubertal Changes in Boys: About 11-12: Growth of testes (which speeds the development of testosterone) 1 year later: Growth of penis Soon thereafter: Pubic hair By 15: Underarm/Facial hair 14-15: Voice deepens Testosterone also causes Acne

Pubertal Changes in Boys, cont. By 13-14: Frequent, and often unwanted erections 14-15: First Noctural Emission (also called Spermarche) which shows the beginning production of semen 20-21: Adolescent growth comes to a close

Pubertal Changes in Girls: 9-10: Estrogen stimulates the growth of breast tissue (called “breast buds”) and they reach full size within 3 years Estrogen triggers growth of fatty tissue in the hips/buttocks, and hips widen Beginning at 11: Underarm and pubic hair Breast buds developing

Pubertal Changes in Girls, cont. Estrogen causes growth of the labia, vagina and uterus Androgens cause the development of the clitoris Menarche (first menstruation) usually occurs between 11-14, + or – 2 years Menarche occurs much earlier in girls for the past 150 years

What Accounts for the Earlier Age of Menarche? Girls must reach a certain body weight to trigger pubertal changes such as menarche, called Critical Fat Hypothesis Menarche comes later to girls who have a low percentage of body fat (those with eating disorders/athletes) Average body weight which triggers menarche depends on the girl’s height

Question: Do girls ovulate when they start their first period? No. They ovulate mo after menarche

Body Image: Adolescents are concerned about their physical appearance More satisfied toward the end of adolescence Females: Body weight/slimness Males: Gain weight/build muscles

What are the Cognitive Changes During Adolescence? They have reached Piaget’s formal operational stage Remember, this is his highest stage (age and beyond) Adolescents have reached “cognitive maturity” according to Piaget

During the Formal Operational Stage the Adolescent Can: Classify objects or ideas Engage in logical thought Hypothesize in their investigations (like scientists) Group and classify symbols, statements, and even theories Follow and formulate arguments from their premises, to their conclusions, and back (even if they do not believe in them)

Know!: Formal operational thinking is flexible and reversible

Formal Operational Thinking is Characterized by 3 Cognitive Processes: ⇒ Hypothetical Thinking ⇒ Sophisticated use of Symbols ⇒ Deductive Reasoning

1. Hypothetical Reasoning: Adolescents develop concept of “what might be” rather than “what is” Adolescents try on different clothing as well as different attitudes Realize that situations can have different outcomes

2. Sophisticated Use of Symbols: Understand X-the unknown (as used in algebra and geometry) Can perform mental operations with symbols (ex. PEMDAS, and math/physics/ algebra, and skills for engineering, architecture) Can understand, appreciate, and sometimes produce metaphors

3. Deductive Reasoning: Judge right and wrong in specific situations by reasoning deductively from moral principals Decentration allows the adolescent to focus on many aspects of a situation at once to arrive at a moral judgment or to solve a moral dilemma

Question: What are some of the gender differences in cognitive abilities?