Rites of Passage

Chapter 8

Pubertal Changes

What is puberty?

• Signs of puberty– Body changes

• Physical growth– Girls age 11(more body fat in girls)– Boys age 13

– Sexual maturation• Primary sex characteristics

– Organs involved in reproduction

• Secondary sex characteristics– Breasts, widening of pelvis, facial hairs

The chemical mechanisms of puberty:The hypothalamus signals the pituitary gland to reduce growth hormones – estrogen (girls) testosterone (boys)

Puberty is partially influenced by genetics and the environment impacts genetic influences (nutrition, health care)Example is decrease in age of menarche

Psychological Impacts

• Body Image• Moodiness• Rate of Maturation

– Early maturing girls – Late maturing boys

Health

• Nutrition– 2200 calories (girls)– 2700 calories (boys)– The majority are taking in fatty

calories though.• What about Adolescent Obesity?• Epidemic proportions• Negative body images and low self-

esteems

– Anorexia • distorted body image• At approximately 80% of body weight• 15% of adolescents die

– Bulimia • Binge and purge• Normal body weight

• Physical fitness– Regular exercise = reduced chance

of obesity, cancer, heart disease, psychological disorders

– Most popular sport for boys = football

– Most popular sport for girls = basketball

Well Being in Adolescents

• Car accidents• Firearms• More emphasis on social

consequences than physical consequences – always want to impress!

Info Processing in Adolescence

What kind of learning did you do when you were 14, 15, & 16?

• In limbo between childhood and mature cognitive processing.

• Working memory is at same capacity as adults and processing speed is that of young adults

Moral ReasoningIn Europe, a woman was near death from

cancer. One drug might save her, a form of radium that a druggist in the same town has recently discovered. The druggist was charging $2000, ten times what the drug costs him to make. The sick woman’s husband, Heinz, went to everyone he knew to borrow the money, but he could only get together about half of what it cost. He told the druggist that his wife was dying and asked him to sell it cheaper or let him pay later. But the druggist said, “No.” The husband got desperate and broke into the man’s store to steal the drug for his wife. (p. 379).

• Kohlberg looked at reactions to this dilemma and other’s like it. – This is how he determined levels of moral

reasoning• Preconventional• Conventional• Postconventional

• Other theorists: – Gilligan – argued that Kohlberg only

looked at men– Eisenberg – argued that we pursue only

our own pleasure and what is good for our self.