1. Review the Brief Chapter Summary.
2. Answer and submit the Learning Objectives. Write the question and then the answer.
3. Complete and submit the Learning Activity. Write the question and then the answer.
BRIEF CHAPTER SUMMARY
Adolescence is a time of dramatic physical change leading to an adult-sized body and sexual maturity. Although early
biologically based theories viewed puberty as a period of emotional turmoil, recent research shows that serious
psychological disturbance is not common during the teenage years. A balanced point of view identifies adolescent
development and adjustment as products of a combination of biological, psychological, and social forces.
The dramatic physical changes of puberty are regulated by genetically influenced hormonal processes. On
average, girls reach puberty two years earlier than boys, but wide individual differences exist. The first outward sign
of puberty is the growth spurt, accompanied by changes in physical features related to sexual functioning. Heredity
contributes substantially to the timing of pubertal changes, and variations also exist between world regions and
between SES and ethnic groups. A secular trend toward earlier maturation has occurred in industrialized nations, with
rising rates of overweight and obesity possibly playing a role.
Most adolescents greet the beginning of menstruation and the first ejaculation of seminal fluid with mixed
feelings, depending on prior knowledge and support from family members. Puberty is related to increased moodiness
and a mild rise in conflict between parents and children. The effects of maturational timing involve a complex blend
of biological, social, and cultural factors.
The arrival of puberty brings new health concerns. For some teenagers, the cultural ideal of thinness combines
with family and psychological problems, as well as cultural admiration of thinness, to produce two serious eating
disorders: anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. The rate of unintentional injuries rises in adolescence as a result of
risk taking, with automobile accidents as the leading killer of American teenagers. In the United States, firearms
cause the majority of other fatal injuries. Sports-related injuries are also common.
Sexual attitudes in North America are relatively restrictive, despite prevailing images of sexually free
adolescents. Most adolescents learn about sex from friends and from the media, which tend to glorify sexual
excitement and experimentation, in contrast to the more restrictive views of adults. Rates of extramarital sex among
American and Canadian young people rose for several decades but have declined in recent years. Early, frequent
teenage sexual activity is linked to personal, family, peer, and educational characteristics. Adolescent contraceptive
use has risen in recent years, but many teenagers fail to take precautions, putting them at risk for unintended
pregnancy. Sexual orientation is affected strongly by heredity, as well as by a variety of prenatal biological influences.
Adolescents have the highest rate of sexually transmitted diseases of all age groups. Although AIDS education has
provided teenagers with basic information about AIDS, many hold false beliefs that put them at risk. Adolescent
sexual activity is accompanied by high rates of pregnancy and parenthood, which is especially challenging and
stressful for teenagers, who have not yet established a clear direction in their own lives. Although most teenagers
engage in some experimentation with alcohol and drugs, a worrisome minority make the transition from use to abuse.
After reading this chapter, you should be able to:
14.1 Discuss changing conceptions of adolescence over the twentieth century, and identify the three phases of
adolescence recognized in modern industrialized nations. (pp. 530Ð531)
14.2 Describe physical changes associated with puberty, including hormonal changes, body growth, and sexual
maturation. (pp. 531Ð536)
14.3 Cite factors that influence the timing of puberty. (pp. 536Ð537)
14.4 Describe brain development and changes in the organization of sleep and wakefulness during adolescence.
(pp. 537Ð538)
14.5 Cite factors that influence adolescentsÕ reactions to the physical changes of puberty. (p. 539)
14.6 Discuss the impact of maturational timing on adolescent adjustment, noting sex differences, as well as
immediate and long-term consequences. (pp. 540Ð543)
14.7 Summarize the nutritional needs of adolescents. (pp. 543Ð544)
14.8 Describe the symptoms of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, and cite personal and environmental
factors that contribute to these disorders. (pp. 544Ð546)
14.9 Cite common unintentional injuries in adolescence. (p. 546)
14.10 Discuss social and cultural influences on adolescent sexual attitudes and behavior. (p. 547)
14.11 Discuss biological and environmental contributions to homosexuality. (pp. 551Ð552)
14.12 Discuss factors related to sexually transmitted diseases in adolescence, particularly AIDS, and cite strategies
for STD prevention. (pp. 552Ð555)
14.13 Summarize factors related to adolescent pregnancy, consequences of early childbearing for adolescent
parents and their children, and strategies for preventing adolescent pregnancy. (pp. 555Ð559)
14.14 Distinguish between substance use and abuse, including personal and social factors related to each, discuss
the consequences of substance abuse, and cite strategies for prevention and treatment. (pp. 559Ð561)
LEARNING ACTIVITY 14.2: Interviewing Parents and Grandparents about Secular Trends in Physical Growth (p. 537)
Interview parents and grandparents about their height and weight and the approximate age at which
they reached adult stature. Girls might also ask their mothers and grandmothers to report how old they were when
menarche occurred. To help interpret your findings, you should ask about diet and health during the childhood
years and any other factors that parents and grandparents think might have influenced secular change. Report your findings and include your reaction to the information.