Question 1

The first outward sign of puberty is
A)steady improvement in gross-motor performance.
B)the rapid gain in height and weight known as the growth spurt.
C)changes in physical features related to sexual functioning.
D)extreme moodiness,particularly toward adults.

Accepted Answer

The first outward sign of puberty is the growth spurt, which is a rapid gain in height and weight.

Question 2

Fourteen-year-old Phil experiences muscle and body growth and notices the growth of facial and body hair.Which of the following hormones is responsible for this change?
A)estrogen
B)testosterone
C)adrenal androgens
D)thyroxine

Accepted Answer

Testosterone is a male sex hormone that is responsible for the development of secondary sexual characteristics, such as muscle and body growth, and the growth of facial and body hair. Estrogen is a female sex hormone responsible for the development of female secondary sexual characteristics. Adrenal androgens and thyroxine are not primarily responsible for these changes.

Question 3

Which of the following statements is true of physical skill in midadolescence?
A)Boys and girls are evenly matched in athletics.
B)Few girls perform as well as the average boy.
C)Low-performing girls actually have skills equal to high-performing boys.
D)Girls perform better in athletics until about age 15,when boys surpass them.

Accepted Answer

B

Question 4

Mary and Ashley are identical twins.Abbie and Chandra are fraternal twins.Which of the following is most likely to be true about the timing of puberty?
A)Mary and Ashley will reach menarche about 12 months apart.
B)Abbie and Chandra will reach menarche within a month or two of each other.
C)Mary and Ashley will reach menarche within a month or two of each other.
D)Abbie and Chandra will reach menarche at around the same time.

Accepted Answer

Identical twins are genetically identical and therefore are more likely to experience puberty at a similar time. Fraternal twins, on the other hand, share only 50% of their genes and may experience puberty at different times. Therefore, Mary and Ashley are more likely to reach menarche within a month or two of each other, while Abbie and Chandra may reach menarche at different times.

Question 5

Male puberty usually begins with
A)extreme and unpredictable moodiness.
B)enlargement of the testes.
C)the appearance of pubic hair.
D)spermarche.

Accepted Answer

Male puberty typically begins with the enlargement of the testes, which is one of the first signs of hormone production. This is typically followed by growth of pubic hair, increased penis size, and eventually the onset of sperm production (spermarche). Moodiness is not a specific or reliable marker of puberty in males.

Question 6

Which of the following statements about secular trends in pubertal development is true?
A)In industrialized nations,the age of menarche increased steadily from 1900 to 1970.
B)In industrialized nations,the age of menarche declined steadily from 1900 to 1970.
C)In North America and some European countries,rates of overweight and obesity rise sharply during puberty.
D)In industrialized nations,the age of spermarche increased steadily from 1900 to 1970.

Accepted Answer

In industrialized nations, the age of menarche declined steadily from 1900 to 1970 due to improvements in nutrition and health.

Question 7

Which of the following is a secondary sexual characteristic?
A)ovaries
B)pubic hair
C)scrotum
D)testes

Accepted Answer

Secondary sexual characteristics are physical traits that develop during puberty and are not directly involved in reproduction. Pubic hair is one such characteristic, whereas ovaries, testes, and the scrotum are primary sexual characteristics because they are directly involved in reproduction.

Question 8

During puberty,the neurons become more responsive to excitatory neurotransmitters.As a result,adolescents
A)handle stressful events better than most adults.
B)experience pleasurable stimuli less intensely,causing them to seek outside stimulation,such as illicit drugs.
C)react more strongly to stressful events and experience pleasurable stimuli more intensely.
D)require less nightly sleep than school-age children and adults.

Accepted Answer

During puberty, the neurons become more responsive to excitatory neurotransmitters, which leads to stronger reactions to both stressful events and pleasurable stimuli. This can make adolescents more vulnerable to risky behaviors, such as drug use, as they may seek out stronger forms of stimulation.

Question 9

Boys show superior athletic performance during the teenage years because
A)they have an extra 2 years of preadolescent growth.
B)they develop larger skeletal muscles,hearts,and lung capacity than girls.
C)they have more athletic opportunities available to them.
D)the number of red blood cells increases in girls but not in boys.

Accepted Answer

During the teenage years, boys develop larger skeletal muscles, hearts and lung capacity than girls, which contributes to their superior athletic performance. This is due to the effects of higher levels of testosterone on their bodies. The other options (A, C, and D) do not fully explain the gender difference in athletic performance during the teenage years.

Question 10

Wayne believes that teenagers are naturally rebellious and full of rage because of the biological changes of puberty.Wayne's beliefs are consistent with the theory that
A)social forces determine adolescent psychological change.
B)biological,psychological,and social forces combine to influence adolescent development.
C)teenagers have no control over their behavior and cannot be held accountable for their actions.
D)the biological upheaval of puberty triggers heightened emotionality,conflict,and defiance.

Accepted Answer

Wayne's belief that teenagers are naturally rebellious and full of rage because of the biological changes of puberty is consistent with the theory that the biological upheaval of puberty triggers heightened emotionality, conflict, and defiance. This theory suggests that biological forces play a significant role in shaping adolescent development, in addition to psychological and social factors. However, it does not suggest that teenagers have no control over their behavior or cannot be held accountable for their actions.

Question 11

On average,girls reach puberty
A)at approximately the same time as boys.
B)2 months earlier than boys.
C)2 years earlier than boys.
D)2 years later than boys.

Accepted Answer

Girls typically reach puberty around the age of 11-12, while boys usually start around age 13-14. This means that girls reach puberty about 2 years earlier than boys on average.

Question 12

G)Stanley Hall described adolescence as a
A)period so turbulent that it resembles the era in which humans evolved from savages into civilized beings.
B)time in which teenagers grasp scientific and mathematical principles and grapple with social and political issues.
C)generally pleasant time of life in which the social environment is responsible for the range of teenage experiences.
D)brief intervening phase between childhood and full assumption of adult roles and responsibilities.

Accepted Answer

Stanley Hall viewed adolescence as a period of intense storm and stress, akin to the era of human evolution from savagery to civilization. He believed that during adolescence, individuals undergo significant physical, emotional, and intellectual changes, which make them more prone to conflict and turmoil. This view of adolescence has been criticized by many contemporary scholars, but it remains influential in the popular imagination.

Question 13

Female puberty usually begins with
A)the budding of the breasts and the growth spurt.
B)menarche.
C)the completion of pubic hair growth.
D)extreme and unpredictable moodiness.

Accepted Answer

The budding of the breasts and the growth spurt are typically the first physical changes that occur during female puberty. Menarche (the onset of menstruation) usually occurs a few years after these initial changes, and completion of pubic hair growth may take several years as well. Extreme moodiness can be a symptom of puberty, but it is not usually one of the first signs.

Question 14

Fifteen-year-old Kurt is often sleep-deprived.Research indicates that Kurt will
A)perform better on cognitive tasks in the morning hours.
B)engage in sleep rebound on the weekends,which will compensate for sleep loss during the week.
C)be too exhausted to engage in high-risk behaviors.
D)perform especially poorly on cognitive tasks during morning hours.

Accepted Answer

Sleep deprivation in adolescents like Kurt often leads to poor performance on cognitive tasks, especially in the morning hours when they are not fully alert.

Question 15

Brian is a star high school athlete,who has recently exhibited severe mood swings and aggressiveness.An initial health screening also indicates that Brian has acne,excess body hair,and high blood pressure.Brian's symptoms are consistent with
A)delayed puberty.
B)sexual maturation.
C)anabolic steroid use.
D)excessive stimulant use.

Accepted Answer

Brian's symptoms of acne, excess body hair, high blood pressure, mood swings, and aggressiveness are consistent with the use of anabolic steroids, which are commonly used by athletes to enhance their performance. Delayed puberty would be indicated by a lack of physical development, while sexual maturation would not necessarily result in the other symptoms described. Excessive stimulant use might result in mood swings and aggressiveness, but would not typically cause the physical symptoms described.

Question 16

According to anthropologist Margaret Mead,_____________ is/are entirely responsible for the range of teenage experiences.
A)biology
B)the social environment
C)the storm-and-stress of adolescence
D)psychological forces

Accepted Answer

Margaret Mead believed that the social environment, including the culture and values of the society, family dynamics, and peer relationships, played a significant role in shaping the range of experiences that teenagers go through. She felt that adolescence was a culturally constructed stage of life and that the experiences that young people had during this time were heavily influenced by the social context in which they lived.

Question 17

Girls exposed to family conflict tend to reach menarche __________,whereas those with warm family ties tend to reach menarche __________.
A)relatively late;early
B)on target;late
C)at the same age as their mothers;earlier than their mothers
D)early;relatively late

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that girls exposed to family conflict tend to reach menarche earlier, while those with warm family ties tend to reach menarche relatively later. This is thought to be due to stress and environmental factors influencing biological development.

Question 18

Most researchers today believe that adolescent development is
A)biologically determined.
B)socially determined.
C)influenced by biological,psychological,and social forces.
D)abrupt and stagelike.

Accepted Answer

Most researchers today agree that adolescent development is influenced by biological, psychological, and social forces. Biological changes such as puberty interact with the social and psychological changes to shape an adolescent's identity, behavior, and overall development. This view takes into account that there are individual variations in development and no clear cut-off between different stages of development.

Question 19

One landmark of male physical maturity is
A)the deepening of the voice.
B)menarche.
C)an increase in aggression.
D)enhanced athletic skill.

Accepted Answer

The deepening of the voice is a physical change that occurs during male puberty as the vocal cords thicken and lengthen. This change is due to the increase in testosterone levels and is a visible sign of male physical maturity. Menarche is the onset of menstrual periods in females and does not relate to male physical maturity. An increase in aggression and enhanced athletic skill are not universal landmarks of male physical maturity, as not all males experience these changes.

Question 20

Research indicates that adolescents need about ______ hours of sleep each night.
A)5
B)7
C)9
D)11

Accepted Answer

Research indicates that adolescents need about 9 hours of sleep each night for optimal health and functioning. This is because during sleep, the body releases growth hormones that are important for physical development, and the brain consolidates and processes information learned during the day. Lack of sleep can lead to negative effects on mood, cognitive ability, and physical health.

Quiz 11: Physical and Cognitive Development in Adolescence

The first outward sign of puberty is

Fourteen-year-old Phil experiences muscle and body growth and notices the growth of facial and body hair.Which of the following hormones is responsible for this change?

Which of the following statements is true of physical skill in midadolescence?

Mary and Ashley are identical twins.Abbie and Chandra are fraternal twins.Which of the following is most likely to be true about the timing of puberty?

Male puberty usually begins with

Which of the following statements about secular trends in pubertal development is true?

Which of the following is a secondary sexual characteristic?

During puberty,the neurons become more responsive to excitatory neurotransmitters.As a result,adolescents

Boys show superior athletic performance during the teenage years because

Wayne believes that teenagers are naturally rebellious and full of rage because of the biological changes of puberty.Wayne's beliefs are consistent with the theory that

On average,girls reach puberty

G) Stanley Hall described adolescence as a

Female puberty usually begins with

Fifteen-year-old Kurt is often sleep-deprived.Research indicates that Kurt will

Brian is a star high school athlete,who has recently exhibited severe mood swings and aggressiveness.An initial health screening also indicates that Brian has acne,excess body hair,and high blood pressure.Brian's symptoms are consistent with

According to anthropologist Margaret Mead,_____________ is/are entirely responsible for the range of teenage experiences.

Girls exposed to family conflict tend to reach menarche ,whereas those with warm family ties tend to reach menarche .

Most researchers today believe that adolescent development is

One landmark of male physical maturity is

Research indicates that adolescents need about ______ hours of sleep each night.