PSY 0010 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Secondary Sex Characteristic, Erik Erikson, Parietal Lobe
Document Summary
Adolescence: the period of development that begins with the onset of sexual maturity (about 11-14 years of age) and lasts until the beginning of adulthood (about 18-21 years of age) Puberty: the bodily changes associated with sexual maturity. Primary sex characteristics: bodily structures that are directly involved in reproduction. Secondary sex characteristics: bodily structures that change dramatically with sexual maturity but that are not directly involved in reproduction. The brain also changes (connections between the temporal and parietal lobe, and proliferation and pruning in the prefrontal cortex). There exists considerable variation in the onset of puberty (between genders, cultures, time periods/eras). Chemicals (especially those that mimic estrogen in females) The age of puberty has decreased but the age of adulthood responsibility has increased. Effects of early maturation (puberty) are different for boys and girls. Tends to be more positive for boys and negative for girls.
