Unit Five

identity

a coherent conception of the self made up of goals, values, and beliefs to which a person is solidly committed.

amygdala

a small, almond-shaped structure deep in the temporal lobe, which is heavily involved in emotional and instinctual reactions

hypothetical-deductive reasoning

ability to develop ideas, consider possible outcomes, design experiments, and test hypotheses.

identity vs. role confusion

adolescent seeks to develop a coherent sense of self, including the role he or she is to play in society.

argumentativeness

adolescents are constantly looking for opportunities to try out their reasoning abilities, often by arguing with their parents about such things as being able to stay out later

indecisiveness

adolescents can keep many alternatives in mind at the same time, but lack effective strategies for choosing among them.

idealism and criticalness

adolescents envision an ideal world, for which they hold adults responsible, but they realize that the real world falls short of ideals leading them to think they know better and to find fault with their parents and other adults

apparent hypocrisy

adolescents often do not realize the difference between expressing an ideal,such as conserving energy, and making the sacrifices necessary to live up to it, such as driving less often

sleep deprivation

among adolescents (who require more sleep than any other age group) is an epidemic, causing low motivation, irritability, and lack of concentration.

secondary sex characteristics

body characteristics that are not directly involved in reproduction but that indicate sexual maturity, such as a man's facial hair or a woman's breasts

early-maturing boys

boys experience a gain in self-esteem, are more poised, relaxed, good-natured, popular, less impulsive, and are more cognitively advanced, while others tend to be more anxious and aggressive. Late-maturing boys seem to feel more inadequate, self-conscious, rejected, and dominated.

body image in teens

concern with body image (not actual weight) leads teen girls, primarily, to obsessive efforts at weight control.

identity statuses

depends on the presence or absence of crisis (conscious decision making related to identity formation) or commitment (personal investment in an occupation or system of beliefs).

adolescence

developmental transition between childhood and adulthood (lasting from about age 11-20) entailing major physical, cognitive, and psychosocial changes, and takes varying forms in different social, cultural, and economic settings,

sexually transmitted diseases

diseases spread by sexual contact

gateway drugs

drugs- usually tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana- whose use increases the risk that a person will later use harder drugs, such as cocaine, heroine, or meth.

bulimia nervosa

eating disorder in which the person, usually female, engages repeatedly in episodes of binge eating, followed by purging through induced vomiting or use of laxatives

binge eating disorder

eating disorder involving frequent binging, but without subsequent fasting, vomiting, or exercising; it is the most prevalent eating disorder among American adults and is a factor in the rise in obesity

estrogen

female sex hormone; increases more in females at puberty

sexual orientation

gender focus of consistent sexual, romantic, and affectionate interest, which can be heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual

early-maturing girls

girls tend to become less sociable, less expressive, less poised, more introverted, shy, and more negative about menarche. they are also at an increased risk for anxiety, depression, eating disorders, disruptive behaviors, substance abuse, early pregnancy, and attempted suicide, when compared to late-maturing girls

identity moratorium

identity status in which a person is considering alternatives (in crisis) and seems headed toward commitment

foreclosure

identity status in which a person who has not spent time considering alternatives(that is, has not been in a crisis) is committed to other people's plans for his or her life

identity achievement

identity status that is characterized by commitment to choices made following a crisis, a period spent in exploring alternatives

androgens

male sex hormones; increases more in males at puberty

internalizing problems

manifested inward, when troubled individuals inflict harm on themselves. such as with eating disorders, self-mutilation, or drugs.

externalizing problems

manifested outward, when people "act out" by injuring others, destroying property, or defying authority.

gonadarche

occurs a few years after adrenarche; maturing of the sex organs, which triggers another burst in production of sex hormones

adrenarche

occurs around age 7-8; the maturing of the sex organs, which triggers another burst in production of sex hormones.

substance dependence

physical and/or psychological addiction to a harmful substance

hormones

produced in the hypothalamus, affect every aspect of growth and development, causing increased sexual interest and quicker mood shifts; both males and females have the same sex hormones, but rate of increase is sex-specific

emerging adulthood

proposed transitional period between adolescence and adulthood, usually extending from the late teens through the mid-20s.

sexuality

seeing oneself as a sexual being, recognizing one's sexual orientation, coming to terms with sexual thoughts, and forming romantic or sexual attachments are all parts of achieving sexual identity

anorexia nervosa

serious eating-disorder in which a person restricts eating to the point of possible starvation; most victims are high-achieving females in early puberty or early adulthood; has the highest death rate and highest suicide rate of any mental disorder.

teen calorie intake

the average teen girl needs about 2200 calories per day, while the average teen boy needs about 2800 calories per day.

spermarche

the first ejaculation (live sperm production) in males; occurs, on average, at age 13

menarche

the first menstrual period in females; occurs, on average, at age 12 1/2

substance abuse

the ingestion of alcohol or drugs to the extent that it impairs the user's biological or psychological well-being; can lead to dependence

growth spurt

the period of relatively sudden and rapid physical growth of every part of the body that preceedes sexual maturity

puberty

the process by which a person attains physical and sexual maturity and the ability to reproduce; results from heightened production of sex-related hormones which occur in two stages.