Adolescence: Physical & Cognitive Development

Adolescence Adolescence: transitional time between childhood and adulthood Tremendous physical and cognitive growth Time of risk-taking and opportunity Period of tremendous physical and cognitive growth Able to devise new, complex plans A time of risk and opportunity Some risks have long-lasting consequences

Physical Changes Other Body Systems: Growth Spurts First growth spurt Second growth spurt Muscle fibers Heart and lung Body fat levels Gender differences Cephalocaudal/ proximodistal patterns Joint development Gender differences Kurt Fisher and Samuel Rose believe that a qualitatively different neural network emerges during the brain growth spurt that occurs between 13 and 15. First Brain Growth Spurt Between 13 and 15 Cerebral cortex thickens Neuronal pathways more efficient More energy consumed during growth spurt Takes place in spatial perception and motor areas Enables abstract thought and reflection on cognitive processes Second Brain Growth Spurt Begins approximately age 17 Frontal lobes of brain Associated with logic and planning

Physical Changes: The Brain Two major growth spurts in teenage years: 13-15 years: Largely related to parts of brain that control spatial perceptions and motor functions 15+ years: Changes in prefrontal cortex responsible for executive processing  Kurt Fisher and Samuel Rose believe that a qualitatively different neural network emerges during the brain growth spurt that occurs between 13 and 15. First Brain Growth Spurt Between 13 and 15 Cerebral cortex thickens Neuronal pathways more efficient More energy consumed during growth spurt Takes place in spatial perception and motor areas Enables abstract thought and reflection on cognitive processes Second Brain Growth Spurt Begins approximately age 17 Frontal lobes of brain Associated with logic and planning

Puberty Most important marker of the beginning of adolescence Puberty refers to the period of rapid physical maturation involving hormonal and bodily changes. It is a time in the life cycle when sexual and reproductive maturation occur. Puberty is not a single event or a set of events, but a crucial phase in a long and complex process of maturation that begins prenatally.

Endocrine System Hormones: chemical substances secreted by the endocrine glands and carried through the body by the bloodstream Endocrine system involves the interaction of the sex glands. Hypothalamus: structure in the higher portion of the brain that monitors eating, drinking and sex Pituitary gland: an endocrine gland that controls growth and regulates other glands Gonads: the sex glands; testes in males, ovaries in females

Hormonal Changes During Puberty At puberty the pituitary gland triggers a series of hormonal changes which lead to increases in the production of growth hormones and gonadotrophic hormones (which, stimulate the testes and ovaries). Testosterone Estradiol The hormone-behaviour link is complex. The biological changes in puberty are accompanied by cognitive and social changes. Ethological theory suggests the controversial notion that the large number of inner-city young women who in their early teens become mothers may be a pattern in human evolution that individuals who grow up under stressful circumstances bear children early and often.

Growth Spurt Studies of the adolescent growth spurt show that it typically occurs two years earlier in girls than in boys. There is asynchrony in the growth rates of different parts of the body, however, which can result in an unbalanced appearance and an exaggerated sense of self-consciousness and awkwardness.

Maturation in Females When puberty begins for girls, usually around the age of 9 or 10 years, the breasts increase, as does the amount of fatty and supportive tissue in the buttock and hip region, and the pelvis undergoes enlargement in addition to noticeable pubic hair. Menarche—the first menstrual period—occurs relatively late in puberty, usually following the peak of the growth spurt. - Over the past 100 years the average age of menarche in industrialized nations has shown a steady downward trend, caused primarily by nutritional improvement. Most noticeable aspects of female pubertal change are: pubic hair and breast development

Maturation in Males The first sign of puberty in boys usually appears at about 11 to 11.5 years of age with an acceleration in the growth of the testes and scrotum. Between 13 and 16 years, the voice begins to change and boys typically have their first "wet dreams.” Underarm and facial hair generally make their first appearance about two years after the beginning of pubic hair growth. Boys acquire additional weight in the form of muscle mass and enlargement in the shoulders and rib cage. The most noticeable areas of maturation in males are penis elongation, testes development, and growth of facial hair

Maturation Rates How can early maturation affect well-being in males and females? How can late maturation affect well-being in males and females?

Impacts of Early/Late Maturation Children show enormous variation in growth and sexual maturation, and some adolescents appear to have an advantage in the "ideals" associated with height, strength, physical attractiveness, and athletic prowess. Males: Late maturing boys often experience feelings of inadequacy, negative self-concept, and feelings of rejection, whereas early maturing boys tend to be more self-confident and have a more positive self-concept. Females: Research on the impact of early or late maturation in girls has produced diverse and contradictory results - In general, females are less happy with their bodies and have more negative body images or become more dissatisfied throughout puberty

Self-Image & Appearance Adolescents' self-image is particularly susceptible to peer influences. Many teenagers are preoccupied with their physical acceptability and adequacy. Puberty brings with it an intensification of gender-related expectations and concerns. A large proportion of adolescents want to change their weight because they feel that they are either "too thin" or "too heavy."

Teen perceptions on Maturity Study by: Galambos, N. et al., 2001. Adultoids or pseudomatures: expressed an older age as their desired age and described aspects of being grown-up in terms of pop-culture activities such as listening to music, fashion, etc. These teens engage in more problem behaviours and focus on privileges, power, and status. They often assume or are burdened with an inappropriate amount of responsibility. Attracted to “living for the moment” (YOLO) They score low in psychological maturity and high in problem behaviour. Can you think of any friends who behave in this way? How about adolescents in the media?

Teen perceptions on Maturity Cont’d Immatures: demonstrate behaviour associated with younger children and report feeling younger than they are. They score low in psychological maturity and in problem behaviour. Matures: these teens are self-reliant, responsible, and concerned about the wellbeing of others as well as oneself. They feel slightly older than they are and exercise appropriate decision-making skills. They balance work and play activities and get along easily with others. They prefer others who are similarly focused.

Consider the Following…. Consider the following question and come prepared to discuss on Tuesday: Do your parents decide or influence which friends you should hang out with? Should a parent control whom their child is a friend with? Why or why not?