FRHD 1010 Chapter 8: Chapter 8 – Human Development.docx

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Family Relations and Human Development
• Course: FRHD 1010
• Professor: Susan Chuang

Document Summary

Pubertal changes begin once a threshold of body fat is reached. Once threshold is reaches, a series of chemical events is triggered beginning in the hypothalamus. Estrogens: sex hormones that have especially high levels in females from puberty onward and are mostly responsible for female primary and secondary sex characteristics. Androgens: sex hormones that have especially high levels in males from puberty onward and are mostly responsible for male primary and secondary sex characteristics. Estradiol: the estrogen most important in pubertal development among girls. Testosterone: the androgen most important in pubertal development among boys. Estradiol production is about 8 times as high in females as it was before puberty, but only twice as high for males. Testosterone production in males is about 20 times as high by the midteens as it was before puberty, but only about 4 times as high in females. Primary sex characteristics: production of eggs (ova) and sperm and the development of sex organs.