-1Psych 218

Lecture notes
10-22-09

Be able to label diagram of M/F genitalia.

Late childhood can be defined as a time of rapid transition from childhood to

adolescence. The term puberty refers to a stage of biological maturation where a boy
or girl becomes capable of reproduction. Although some children will begin to change
before age 9, most will begin the process of rapid growth and physical change
between ages 9 and 12. For some children noticeable changes do not begin to occur
until age 13, or in rare cases, until age 14 or later. On average girls will begin puberty
around 10 or 11, in boys: 11 or 12.
There are a # of noticeable changes (physical signs) that a boy or girl has
entered puberty. Overall, physical growth will accelerate, with some boys and girls
growing several inches taller per year. With girls, changes include: breast
development, appearance of hair in the genital and underarm areas, sweat glands in
the genital and underarm areas become active, this is also the time when most girls
will begin menstruating. A girl’s reproductive organs which are the ovaries, uterus
and vagina grow rapidly during puberty. The external genitalia which is the clitoris,
and the labia will also increase in size. The avg. age of first menstruation is in north
America is about 12.5 but it is quite normal if she has her first one several years
before she reaches the age of 12. A girl who has begun puberty will experience
vaginal lubrication which accompanies sexual arousal. This change in puberty is
similar in boys. They will begin to grow hair in the underarm and genital areas, the
penis and scrotum begin to grow larger. Many boys will begin to grow facial hair that
becomes coarser and darker over time. Boys who have begun puberty will soon or
later experience ejaculation, which may occur while he is asleep (commonly referred
to as a wet dream). A boy going through puberty will experience erections more
frequently than he did in the past. Puberty is also the time when the nature and
frequency of masturbation in both boys and girls changes compared to childhood.
The focus of masturbation becomes geared towards pleasure and orgasm. Many
boys and girls who did not masturbate early in their lives will do so during puberty.
While nearly all adolescents will experiment with some form of masturbation, some
will masturbate regularly and some will do so infrequently or not at all, unless an
adolescent is masturbating so frequently that it interferes with basic aspects of
his/her life for example: school, family and social life it does not cause physical or
psychological harm. It is important for parents to make sure that children are fully
aware of what changes to expect for puberty well before the changes begin to
happen. After a period of gradual and predictable growth, during puberty a young
person’s body will begin growing very quickly and in very different ways than it did
before. These changes can be confusing and frightening, especially if they don’t
know what’s going on.
The first major step for the parent to take in assisting a child thru puberty is to
make them fully aware of changes that will occur. If the parent fails to inform them
the girl/boy will find out thru peers, television, etc. could be inaccurate info.
The biological aspects of puberty which are certainly profound only tell part of
the story. Emotional/psychological aspects of puberty: Males have an increase in
testosterone and androgen (more aggression) but girls also become more aggressive
(estrogen*, progesterone, small amt. of testosterone). Women who have higher
testosterone levels tend to have more body hair and deeper voices. There’s been a
link in the amt. of testosterone and gender identity in males (lower levels) and
females (higher levels).
Preoccupied with appearance (sebaceous glands) skin becomes more oily
creating acne. Boys have a higher rate of acne than girls do. There is premature
initiation of adults that lack (?) that is a concern for adolescents. There is difficulty
adjusting to homosexual or bisexual orientation. They have difficulty with body image
(how they look) and they also have difficulty with social skills. This is Erikson’s 4th
stage, industry v. inferiority. Encouragement increases industry and discourage
develops inferiority.
Anxiety over physical appearance can lead to feelings of inadequacy.
Relationships with peers are also likely to change. In the years before puberty, there
was tendency for children to interact mostly with same-sex peers. As the they
approach the teen years they increase social interaction with the opposite sex. It is
during that period that feelings of attraction may take over overtly sexual
components. The crushes that younger children often have well before the beginning
of puberty, fall into more adult-like attractions that may include feelings of sexual
attraction.
Most youth in the 9-12 age group will not have experienced sexual
intercourse. At the present time the median age for 1st intercourse for males and
females is about the age of 15. 5% of boys and 1% of girls will have had sexual
intercourse by their 12th birthday. By the age of 14 years old 30% of males and 20%
of females will have had sexual intercourse at least once.
The developmental outcomes are the physical changes associated with
puberty. The psychological and social changes and the full understanding of rights
and responsibilities related to sexuality and relationships. Common behaviors are
dating (goes with physical intimacy) kissing, petting, masturbation. Preoccupation
with sexuality (examples frequent references to sexuality).

6 Functions of Friendship
1. Companionship
2. Stimulation
3. Physical support
4. Ego support
5. Social comparison
6. Intimacy and affection (self-disclosure)

Menarche: 1st period, spermarche: 1st ejaculation (around age 13) sperm has
been produced for about 1 year prior to 1st ejaculation.
Boys who mature early: better at athletics, more popular, they also appear to
have a positive self-esteem. On the other side of the coin, boys who do not mature
early: they are smaller, they’re often seen as less attractive, they also have a
disadvantage at sports, they probably are going to have difficulty dating because
they are going to be referred to as a runt, so to speak.
Early maturity for females: it is a difficult time for a girl who matures early.
They tend to get made fun of due to enlargement of the breasts, the hips are more
curvy, and boys are starting to pay attention to them, (the negative attention is
probably coming from other girls: jealousy). More popular among the boys. For girls
who mature late, there life is just a little more complicated. They are usually
overlooked and have low social status.

Obesity
Avg. calorie intake for a girl: 2200, Avg. calorie intake for boy: 2800. Estimates
are that 1 in 5 adolescents are overweight, and 1 in 25 are classified as obese.(20%
above the recommended weight). Body image is a key focus at this age. There are a
lot of kids in this age group who are cutting themselves. They’ve got a range of
emotions going on and cutting is a way of “release” because they don’t know how to
deal with a lot of emotion. It’s not that they’re trying to commit suicide, when the
blood starts flowing, they become calm.
 Anorexia and bulimia appear at this age (occurs between ages 12-40).
Anorexia is a severe eating disorder. They refuse to eat and they deny that they are
to skinny when they look at themselves in the mirror. 15-20% of anorexic people
actually starve themselves to death. 10% of males suffer from anorexia.
Bulimia is an eating disorder that involves binging and purging. They take a
lot of laxatives, and they self induce vomiting. Causes erosion of tooth enamel and
varicosities/erosion of the esophagus. Can lead to cardiac arrest.

Ch. 10

Erikson
Gender and friendships
Bullying
Victims of bullying share several characteristics: they are loners, very passive in
nature, cry easily, lack social skills. 90% of middle school students reported being
bullied sometime in their time at school, and going back to preschool.

Characteristics of Bullies
Half of all bullies come from abusive homes that tend to prefer violent
television, they misbehave more at home than other children, when they are caught
they lie and show little remorse and they are more likely to break the law as adults.

Self-care kids/ Latch-key kids

These are children whose parents work, and when they come home from
school, they are at home by themselves. While they are at home by theirselves, their
watching TV, playing on the computer, video games. More like to have inappropriate
friends over. Usually they wait alone until their parents come home. a lot of these
kids report being lonely, some develop a sense of independence and competence.

Divorce
Only about half the kids living in the US will go thru childhood living with both
parents. Each of whom have only been married once. School age kids tend to blame
themselves for break-ups. Both children and parents may show several types of
psychological maladjustments for 6 months up to 2 years after a divorce. Those are
anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, and phobias. Most kids will live with their
mother and the relationship with that mother will decline temporarily. (mom’s being
blamed) twice as many children of divorced parents need psychological counseling as
to children from intact families. Divorce also brings a decline to both parent’s
standards of living.

Single Parent Families

1/ 4 of all kids under the age of 18 in our country live with only one parent.
60% of African-American children live in single parent homes. In the majority of these
cases the parent is the mother.

Multi-generational families
Households consisting of several generations living together. More prevalent
among African-Americans than Caucasians.

Blended families
Remarried couple that has at least 1 stepchild living with them.

Families with homosexual parents

Growing # of kids that have 2 mothers or 2 fathers depending on what the
relationship is. Children of homosexual parents have similar relationships with their
peers as children with heterosexual parents.

Ch. 9

Gross motor
Psychological disorders
Depression
Anti depressant drugs
Special needs children

ADHD
Stimulants that reduce hyperactivity seen with ADHD
Ritalin
Dexadrine
Memory
Process where information is encoded, stored and retrieved. During middle
childhood, short-term memory capacity improves significantly.

Syntax
(Language development) The rules that indicate how words and phrases can
be combined to form sentences and those wrote during childhood.

* Stanford-Benet intelligence test

Test that consists of a series of items that varies according to the age of the
person tested.

* Wexler intelligence scale for children revised

Provides verbal and performance: which is nonverbal skills as well as total
score.

IQ
Intelligence quotient: know the formula!!
(MA + CA) x 100 = IQ
MA: Mental age CA: Chronological age
2/3 of all people will fall within 15 points of the avg.

Fluid Intelligence
Ability to deal with new problems and situations

Crystallized Intelligence
Store of information, skills, and strategy that people have acquired from
education and prior experiences.

Mental Retardation
Typically measured by IQ tests
Mild retardation: when the IQ is in the range of 50 or 55 -to- 70.
Moderate retardation: IQ ranges 35 or 40 -to- 50 or 55.
Severe retardation: IQ ranges 20 or 25 -to-35 or 40.
Profound retardation: IQ less than 20 to 25 most limited. No speech. Poor
motor control and 24h care.