PSY 3105 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Pubic Hair, Menarche, Puberty

• School: University of Ottawa
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSY 3105
• Professor: Philip Wall

Document Summary

Endocrine glands produce hormones that control growth. Has sensors to turn off or on certain systems. Gonads are ovaries (females) and testes (males) Body has a set point of hormones. When the levels are too high, they get back to the hypothalamus and bind to certain receptors, the hypothalamus tells the pituitary to slow down. If too low, the hypothalamus signals the gonads to release more. When levels too low, hypothalamus signals pituitary. Pituitary signals gonads; produce more hormones rises. The set point gets higher because the receptors which the hormones bind to to read levels. During puberty they become less sensitive so the levels keeps going up. Girls start growth spurt at 10 (girls, 12 (boys) Spurt ends at 16 (girls), 18 boys. Asynchronicity - body part develop at different rates. Height, weight, muscles, fat, body proportions change. Ovaries (girls) produce egg cells or ova.