PSYC 312 EXAM 1 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE 2025-2026
puberty - Answers maturational process governed by biological forces; universal process
4 chief physical manifestations - Answers 1. rapid acceleration in growth
2. development of primary sex characteristics
3. development of secondary sex characteristics
4. changes in the brain's anatomy
endocrine system - Answers produces, circulates, and regulates levels of hormones
hormones - Answers highly specialized substances secreted by endocrine glands
glands - Answers organs that stimulate particular parts of the body to respond in specific ways
GnRH neurons - Answers gonadotropin-releasing hormone; plays important role in puberty when
activating brain cells
set point - Answers the level at which secretion of hormones stops; if hormonal level is above or below
this, production increases
feedback loop/HPG axis - Answers cycle through which 2 or more bodily functions respond to and
regulate each other
what forms the feedback loop/HPG axis? - Answers hypothalamus, pituitary gland, gonads
hypothalamus - Answers controls pituitary glands and concentration of GnRH neurons
pituitary gland - Answers controls general hormone levels
gonads - Answers sex hormones; male testes and female ovaries
How does puberty begin? - Answers several different signals (genetic & environmental) instruct the
brain to change the setpoint
adrenarche - Answers maturation of adrenal glands during adolescence
adrenal gland is the brain system that controls our response to __________ - Answers stress
cortisol - Answers hormone produced by exposure to stress
kisspeptin - Answers brain chemical believed to trigger onset of puberty
What predisposes you to puberty around a particular age? - Answers genes
Puberty starts earlier among: - Answers overweight children and children close to the equator
, Exposure to ________________ suppresses melatonin lev3els and hastens puberty - Answers artificial
light
Until about 8 weeks after conception, the human brain is "feminine" unless exposed to: - Answers
masculinizing hormones
The sex difference in brain organization predetermines: - Answers certain patterns of behavior, many of
which do not appear until later.
There is growing evidence that puberty affects the brain is several different ways: - Answers adolescent's
emotional arousal, desire for highly rewarding/exciting activities
adolescent growth spurt - Answers dramatic increase in height and weight during puberty
epiphysis - Answers closing the ends of the bones which terminates growth after the adolescent growth
spurt has been completed
Boys finish adolescence with muscle/fat ratio of: - Answers 3 to 1
Girls finish adolescence with muscle/fat ratio of: - Answers 5 to 4
Adolescence is the period of great risk for the development of eating disorders such as: - Answers
anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder
There is strong pressure on girls to be thin in parts of the world such as: - Answers North/South America,
Europe and Asia
____________________ seem less vulnerable to feelings of body dissatisfaction than other girls -
Answers black adolescents
secondary sex characteristics - Answers development of breasts, facial/pubic hair and change in voice
Tanner stages - Answers 5 stages of pubertal development
menarche - Answers first time of menstruation during female puberty
Full reproductive function does not occur until _______________ after menarche - Answers several
years
regular ovulation follows menarche by about: - Answers 2 years
The two most important influences on pubertal maturation are: - Answers nutrition and health
Social factors in home environment influence the onset of maturation, with puberty occurring
somewhat earlier in girls: - Answers who grew up in father absent families, in less cohesive or more
conflict ridden households, with a stepfather and girls who have been sexually abused during early
childhood
puberty - Answers maturational process governed by biological forces; universal process
4 chief physical manifestations - Answers 1. rapid acceleration in growth
2. development of primary sex characteristics
3. development of secondary sex characteristics
4. changes in the brain's anatomy
endocrine system - Answers produces, circulates, and regulates levels of hormones
hormones - Answers highly specialized substances secreted by endocrine glands
glands - Answers organs that stimulate particular parts of the body to respond in specific ways
GnRH neurons - Answers gonadotropin-releasing hormone; plays important role in puberty when
activating brain cells
set point - Answers the level at which secretion of hormones stops; if hormonal level is above or below
this, production increases
feedback loop/HPG axis - Answers cycle through which 2 or more bodily functions respond to and
regulate each other
what forms the feedback loop/HPG axis? - Answers hypothalamus, pituitary gland, gonads
hypothalamus - Answers controls pituitary glands and concentration of GnRH neurons
pituitary gland - Answers controls general hormone levels
gonads - Answers sex hormones; male testes and female ovaries
How does puberty begin? - Answers several different signals (genetic & environmental) instruct the
brain to change the setpoint
adrenarche - Answers maturation of adrenal glands during adolescence
adrenal gland is the brain system that controls our response to __________ - Answers stress
cortisol - Answers hormone produced by exposure to stress
kisspeptin - Answers brain chemical believed to trigger onset of puberty
What predisposes you to puberty around a particular age? - Answers genes
Puberty starts earlier among: - Answers overweight children and children close to the equator
, Exposure to ________________ suppresses melatonin lev3els and hastens puberty - Answers artificial
light
Until about 8 weeks after conception, the human brain is "feminine" unless exposed to: - Answers
masculinizing hormones
The sex difference in brain organization predetermines: - Answers certain patterns of behavior, many of
which do not appear until later.
There is growing evidence that puberty affects the brain is several different ways: - Answers adolescent's
emotional arousal, desire for highly rewarding/exciting activities
adolescent growth spurt - Answers dramatic increase in height and weight during puberty
epiphysis - Answers closing the ends of the bones which terminates growth after the adolescent growth
spurt has been completed
Boys finish adolescence with muscle/fat ratio of: - Answers 3 to 1
Girls finish adolescence with muscle/fat ratio of: - Answers 5 to 4
Adolescence is the period of great risk for the development of eating disorders such as: - Answers
anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder
There is strong pressure on girls to be thin in parts of the world such as: - Answers North/South America,
Europe and Asia
____________________ seem less vulnerable to feelings of body dissatisfaction than other girls -
Answers black adolescents
secondary sex characteristics - Answers development of breasts, facial/pubic hair and change in voice
Tanner stages - Answers 5 stages of pubertal development
menarche - Answers first time of menstruation during female puberty
Full reproductive function does not occur until _______________ after menarche - Answers several
years
regular ovulation follows menarche by about: - Answers 2 years
The two most important influences on pubertal maturation are: - Answers nutrition and health
Social factors in home environment influence the onset of maturation, with puberty occurring
somewhat earlier in girls: - Answers who grew up in father absent families, in less cohesive or more
conflict ridden households, with a stepfather and girls who have been sexually abused during early
childhood
