Chapter 8
Girls tend to have their growth spurts about ______ earlier than boys.
2 years
What is the biggest influence on childhood obesity?
A combination of genes and the environment
Which capability achieves adult-like levels during adolescence?
Both cognitive-processing capacity and processing speed
Which body parts mature first?
Hands and feet for both sexes
How do adolescents reason about moral issues?
Kohlberg proposed that moral reasoning includes preconventional, conventional, and postconventional levels. Moral reasoning is first based on rewards and punishments and much later on personal moral codes.
Will an adolescent apply the same level of reasoning when judging information that supports her beliefs and information that contradicts them?
No, adolescents selectively apply stronger standards to contradictory information so that it does not threaten their beliefs
What physical changes during adolescence mark the transition to a mature young adult?
Puberty includes bodily changes in height and weight as well as sexual maturation. Girls typically begin the growth spurt earlier than boys, who acquire more muscle, less fat, and greater heart and lung capacity. The brain communicates more effectively, and the frontal cortex continues to mature. Sexual maturation, which includes primary and secondary sex characteristics, occurs in predictable sequences for boys and girls.
Sam, a very popular student in high school, has just witnessed a bunch of his friends cheating on an exam. According to Kohlberg's conventional level of moral reasoning, what is he likely to do?
Remain quiet because it is important to Sam to maintain his reputation as a good friend.
Pat's son and daughter both want to participate in sports. Pat asks you, as an expert in adolescent development, whether she should encourage her children or not. What would you recommend?
Yes, because with parental involvement and supervision, the benefits generally outweigh the possible risks.
Male and female adolescents are most likely to die from:
accidents
More teenagers die from ______ than from any other single cause.
accidents
When solving problems, adolescents are more likely than children to solve problems ______
analytically, using mathematics or logic
When does adolescent processing speed reach adultlike levels?
at the middle of adolescence
Individuals with ______ alternate between binge eating and purging.
bulimia nervosa
Which eating disorder is characterized primarily by bingeing and purging?
bulimia nervosa
An adolescent's diet should contain adequate calories, ______ and iron.
calcium
Fast-food diets can lead to a deficiency in ______
calcium
Although Kohlberg's theory emphasizes the role of justice in moral reasoning, research shows that ______ also influences moral reasoning.
caring for others
According to information-processing theorists, adolescence is a time of important changes in working memory, processing speed, ______ strategies, and metacognition.
content knowledge
If parents want to foster their children's moral development, they should ______ with them.
discuss moral issues
To enhance moral reasoning, research suggests that parents should ______
engage in discussions about moral issues with their children
During adolescent physical growth, boys have greater muscle growth than girls, acquire less ______ and have greater increases in heart and lung capacity.
fat
During puberty in girls, the ovaries secrete estrogen, which causes the breasts to enlarge, the genitals to mature, and ______
fat to accumulate
Information-processing theorists view adolescence as a time of ______
gradual cognitive change
Influence of the social environment on the onset of puberty is illustrated by the findings that menarche occurs earlier for girls who experience chronic stress or ______ or who are depressed.
harsh punishment
When evidence is inconsistent with their beliefs, adolescents often ______
ignore or dismiss the evidence
When people reason about moral issues with others whose reasoning is at a higher level, the usual result is that individuals reasoning at lower levels ______
improve
During adolescence, the most important risk factor for anorexia and bulimia is ______
internalizing the "thin ideal" and being overly concerned about one's body
The onset of menstruation ______
is called menarche
Early maturation tends to be harmful to girls because ______
it leads them to associate with older adolescents which means they may become involved in activities for which they are ill prepared, such as drinking and sex
Jonathan is a good student. He uses study skills such as outlining and highlighting information in textbooks, making lists of materials to study more, and creating a master study plan. These techniques have been found to help adolescents:
learn more effectively and remember more accurately
Inadequate iron intake often leads to ______
listlessness
In adolescents' moral reasoning, they often balance fairness with ______
loyalty to their group
Gilligan argues that Kohlberg's theory applies more to, ______ than _______
men; women
Regular physical activity helps to promote ______ and physical health.
mental health
Supporting Kohlberg's theory are findings that people progress through the stages in the predicted sequence, and that ______
more advanced moral reasoning is associated with moral action
Primary sex characteristics are organs directly related to reproduction, whereas secondary sex characteristics are ______
physical signs of maturity that are not linked directly to reproductive organs, such as the appearance of body hair
The key gland involved in maturation during puberty is the ______
pituitary
Kohlberg's theory includes the preconventional, conventional, and ______ levels.
postconventional
Some teenage athletes use anabolic steroids to increase muscular strength and to ______
promote more rapid recovery from injury
For children and adolescents in the preconventional level, moral reasoning is strongly influenced by ______
reward or punishment
Because they place a greater enphasis on the ______ actions, adolescents make what adults think are risky decisions.
rewards associated with their
According to the text, the best way for adolescents to approach obesity is to ______
set goals for eating and exercise
Puberty refers to changes in height and weight, to changes in the body's fat and muscle content, and to ______
sexual maturation
Although it might make sense to think that adolescent moodiness is due to hormonal changes associated with puberty, studies have found that ______ affect(s) mood more?
social settings
Kohlberg was mainly interested in _______
the reasoning behind choices made about moral dilemmas
Adolescents are moodier than children and adults primarily because ______
they change activities and social settings frequently, and their moods track these changes
What are common obstacles to healthy growth in adolescence?
• Accidents involving automobiles or firearms are the most common cause of death in American teenagers. Many of these deaths could be prevented if, for example, adolescents did not drive recklessly (e.g., too fast and without wearing seat belts). Adolescents often see themselves as invulnerable to risk and often place greater value on the rewards associated with risky behavior.
What changes in problem-solving and reasoning take place in adolescence?
• Adolescents often solve problems analytically, using mathematics or logic. They also acquire skill in detecting weaknesses in scientific evidence and in logical arguments. But they don't consistently use these skills, sometimes resorting to simpler heuristics and sometimes allowing beliefs interfere with reasoning.
What other factors influence moral reasoning?
• As predicted by Kohlberg's theory, people progress through the stages in sequence and morally advanced reasoning is associated with more frequent moral behavior. However, Kohlberg's theory ignores the impact of caring, which often influences moral reasoning. And adolescents often balance fairness with group loyalty.
How do increases in content knowledge, strategies, and metacognitive skill influence adolescent cognition?
• Content knowledge increases to expertlike levels in some domains, and strategies and metacognitive skills become more sophisticated.
What are the elements of a healthy diet for adolescents? Why do some adolescents suffer from eating disorders?
• For proper growth, teenagers need to consume adequate calories, calcium, and iron. Unfortunately, many teenagers do not eat properly and do not receive adequate nutrition. - Anorexia and bulimia, eating disorders that typically affect adolescent girls, are characterized by an irrational fear of being overweight. Adolescents are at greatest risk for eating disorders when they're overly concerned with their bodies and have internalized the thin-body ideal. Treatment and prevention programs emphasize changing adolescents' views toward thinness and their eating-related behaviors.
Do adolescents get enough exercise? What are the pros and cons of participating in sports in high school?
• Individuals who work out at least three times weekly often have improved physical and mental health. Unfortunately, many high school students do not get enough exercise. • Millions of American boys and girls participate in sports. The benefits of participating in sports include improved physical fitness, enhanced self-esteem, and an understanding about teamwork. The potential costs include injury and abuse of performance-enhancing drugs.
What factors help promote more sophisticated reasoning about moral issues?
• Many factors can promote more sophisticated moral reasoning, including (1) observing others reasoning at more advanced levels; (2) discussing moral issues with peers, teachers, and parents; and (3) being involved in a religious community that connects adolescents to a network of caring peers and adults.
How do physical changes affect adolescents' psychological development?
• Pubertal changes affect adolescents' psychological functioning. Teens, particularly girls, become concerned about their appearance. When forewarned, adolescents respond positively to menarche and spermarche. Adolescents are moodier than children or adults primarily because their moods shift in response to frequent changes in activities and social setting. Early maturation tends to be harmful, especially for girls.
What factors cause the physical changes associated with puberty?
• Pubertal changes take place when the pituitary gland signals the adrenal gland, ovaries, and testes to secrete hormones that initiate physical changes. The timing of puberty is influenced strongly by health and nutrition. Its timing is also influenced by the social environment; for example, puberty occurs earlier for girls who experience stress, harsh punishment, or depression.
How do working memory and processing speed change in adolescence?
• Working memory increases in capacity, and processing speed becomes faster. Both achieve adultlike levels during adolescence.