PSYC 2351 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Gonadotropin, Amenorrhoea, Earlobe

• School: University of Houston
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 2351
• Professor: Abigail Candelari

Document Summary

Heredity: the timing for the emergence of puberty is programmed into our genes, puberty takes place between about ages 9-16 for most individuals. Hormones: hormones: chemical substances secreted by the endocrine glands and carried throughout the body by the bloodstream, androgens: main class of male hormones, testosterone: secreted from testes in boys. If levels are too high, stimulation is reduced. If levels are too low, stimulation is increased. Leptin and kisspeptins: puberty is metabolically gated to prevent fertility when energy conditions are very low, leptin is secreted by fat cells. Weight at birth and in infancy: low-birth-weight girls experience menarche approx. Growth spurt: puberty brings forth the most rapid increases in growth since infancy, the growth spurt occurs approx. Sexual maturation: male pubertal characteristics develop in the following order: Body image: preoccupation with one"s body is strong throughout adolescence, adolescents are more dissatisfied with their bodies during puberty than in late adolescence.