Deck 11: Physical and Cognitive Development in Adolescence

Question 1

Gonorrhea is the most commonly reported infectious disease in Canada.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

The pituitary gland triggers other glands to release hormones.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

In studies of teenage sexual behaviour, birth control pills were reported as the most frequently used form of contraception.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Comprehensive sex education causes teenagers to become sexually active.

Question 5

Primary sex characteristics include the growth of the penis and testes in males, and the growth of the uterus, ovaries, and vagina in females.

Question 6

Becoming overweight/obese and underfit is an increasing problem for Canadian adolescents of both genders.

Question 7

For the first time since the 1970s, the prevalence of smoking is lower in youth than it is for the general population.

Question 8

It is not possible to become pregnant shortly after menarche.

Question 9

Too much "screen time" is a contributing factor to obesity rates in Canadian boys but not in girls.

Question 10

The risky behaviours of adolescence may have a developmental function because they help teens gain peer acceptance and establish autonomy with respect to parents and other authority figures.

Question 11

Nutrition is responsible for shortening the average time between the appearance of secondary sex characteristics and menarche in Canadian teens.

Question 12

The best way to discourage teens from smoking is to educate them about the risks.

Question 13

In females, menarche is the signal that puberty has begun.

Question 14

Most sexual minority youth are aware of their sexual orientation in early childhood.

Question 15

Children being attracted to cross-gender activities or children expressing a desire to be the opposite gender are two sound predictors of a future transgender sexual orientation.

Question 16

Peer rejection increases the likelihood that a girl will become pregnant.

Question 17

In Canada, the rate of teenage pregnancy has declined since 1974.

Question 18

Sensation seeking interacts with parenting styles to increase the likelihood of drug use.

Question 19

Puberty is a positive and rewarding experience for the girls and boys who experience physical changes well in advance of their peers.

Question 20

The thyroid gland and thyroxine are the master endocrine gland and master hormone for controlling the processes of puberty.

Question 21

The changes in the patterns of physical growth and development that are known as the secular trend are most likely caused by

A) cultural values that favour a thin, angular body image
B) increased levels of demand and stress placed upon children and adolescents
C) an increasingly sexualized society
D) improved nutrition and health status

Question 22

When transitioning from grade school to high school, students typically experience losses in achievement and self-esteem.

Question 23

Although bulimics are obsessed with their weight, they are not exceptionally thin but do suffer other physical consequences such as disturbances of body chemistry, stomach irritation, and hair loss.

Question 24

Which of the following is the earliest sign of puberty for a female?

A) menstruation
B) development of a mesomorphic body type
C) changes in breasts and pubic hair
D) growth spurt

Question 25

Of the following, which is NOT an example of changes in primary sex characteristics during puberty?

A) growth of the penis
B) growth of a uterus
C) growth of breasts
D) growth of the ovaries

Question 26

Someone who suffers from anorexia is also likely to suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder.

Question 27

Which hormones are responsible for the development of the sex organs?

A) estrogen in females and testosterone in males
B) thyroid gland hormones
C) general growth hormones
D) adrenal androgen hormones

Question 28

The three best predictors of leaving school early are a history of academic failure, higher levels of aggression, and above-average risk-taking behaviours.

Question 29

When a parent stops smoking, the likelihood that their children will smoke decreases.

Question 30

During puberty, the most important endocrine gland is ________ because ________.

A) the thyroid; it controls the overall rate of growth
B) the adrenal gland; it produces androgens, such as testosterone, which stimulate sexual interest
C) the pituitary gland; it activates the release of hormones from other glands
D) the hypothalamus; it regulates sexual behaviour

Question 31

Anorexia nervosa is characterized by periods of binge eating alternating with purging behaviours.

Question 32

Which of the following is an example of changes in secondary sex characteristics during puberty?

A) growth of the penis
B) growth of breasts
C) growth of the uterus
D) growth of the testes

Question 33

The average age for first time drug use is 13 to 14 years old.

Question 34

Teenaged girls are twice as likely as teenage boys to report feelings of depression.

Question 35

The high rate of suicide among Aboriginal youth is a very recent phenomenon.

Question 36

To help your child succeed in the transition from elementary to secondary school, it is important to help him maintain his interests and to set goals. These are called task goals.

Question 37

Employment for working teens beyond 15 to 20 hours per week can be detrimental to academic success and achievement.

Question 38

When Nikolaos tries different solutions to a problem, he is using systematic problem-solving.

Question 39

Which of the following is NOT considered a contributing factor to the steady drop in the average age of menarche onset in young girls in industrialized countries?

A) lifestyle
B) protein intake
C) fat intake
D) increased exercise

Question 40

Mackenzie received an A+ in calculus. She maintains that she received the grade due to high expectations, standards, and hard work. This is an example of ability goals.

Question 41

Research indicates that the most effective sex education programs for teens focus on

A) communication skills.
B) reducing specific risk-taking behaviour.
C) the responsibilities of teenage parenting.
D) promotion of abstinence.

Question 42

Which of the following is NOT an accurate statement about Canadian teenagers' typical internal models of expectation for the physical changes of puberty?

A) The worst effects are experienced by girls who are late in their physical development.
B) Normal-developing girls and early-developing boys should have the best psychological experience of puberty.
C) Pubertal changes should occur between 12 and 14.
D) The negative psychological effects experienced by late-developing boys and early-developing girls occur because they are "off-time" in their development.

Question 43

Which of the following statements about adolescent sexual activity is NOT true?

A) Alcohol use is associated with 22% of adolescent sexual encounters.
B) Among girls, those who are sexually active are more likely to have had early menarche.
C) Of the students using contraception, more use the birth control pill than use condoms.
D) Teens who are involved in sports or after-school activities have lower rates of sexual activity than teens who do not participate in such activities.

Question 44

With respect to male adolescent development, which of the following is NOT a variable for a male whose sexual development is earlier than his peers?

A) they are more academically successful
B) they assume leadership roles
C) they perform better in sports
D) they are economically more successful

Question 45

Menarche is

A) the onset of primary sex characteristics.
B) a female's first menstruation.
C) the peak of the female growth spurt.
D) the onset of secondary sex characteristics.

Question 46

Which of the following statements about menarche is NOT true?

A) Menarche typically occurs two years after the beginning of indicators such as changes in the breast and pubic hair.
B) In industrialized countries, the average age of menarche has remained fairly stable for the last 100 years.
C) Girls now show signs of secondary sex characteristics one or two years earlier than their mothers and grandmothers.
D) Girls who are sexually active are more likely to have experienced early menarche.

Question 47

Which of the following is an unlikely characteristic of a girl who experienced the major physical changes of puberty by age 10?

A) a positive body image
B) getting in trouble at home and at school
C) depression
D) involved with older misbehaving peers

Question 48

Among teenagers, sensation-seeking behaviours are associated with

A) recklessness.
B) increased volume of music, television, video games, etc.
C) reduced need for sleep.
D) emotional arguments with parents and friends.

Question 49

Which cognitive function is not influenced by the growth spurts occurring in the brain during the teenaged years?

A) logic and planning
B) spatial perception
C) sensation of colours and odours
D) abstract thinking and metacognition

Question 50

Of the following events in boys' puberty, which typically occurs earliest?

A) growth of the genitals
B) growth of a beard
C) lowering of the voice
D) peak of the growth spurt

Question 51

Across cultures, earlier initiation to adolescent sexual activity is associated with

A) involvement in school activities.
B) a history of abuse.
C) a history of dating at a later age.
D) school-based sexuality education programs.

Question 52

The drop in the average age at which girls show secondary sex characteristics such as breast buds and pubic hair can be attributed to

A) increases in protein intake.
B) increased exercise.
C) increased rates of obesity.
D) improved nutrition.

Question 53

What statement best represents current trends in adolescent sexual behaviour in Canada?

A) The rate of teens who report having sexual intercourse before age 15 has increased.
B) The rate of 15- to 19-year-old females who reported ever having intercourse has declined.
C) The rates of sexual activity are higher among teens who are involved in sports or after-school pursuits.
D) The rate of condom use with sexual intercourse among teens of both sexes increases with age.

Question 54

The general pattern of adolescent pregnancy is that

A) the rate of births to married teenagers has increased in the last four decades.
B) pregnancy is most likely to happen after a girl leaves high school.
C) the teenaged pregnancy rate has steadily increased since the 1960s.
D) the highest rate of teenaged pregnancy is among girls under the age of 15.

Question 55

During adolescence, boys are more advanced than girls on which of the following aspects of physical development?

A) size of heart and lungs
B) attainment of adult height
C) joints of the skeletal system
D) acquisition of fat tissue

Question 56

Which is the most accurate statement about the results or effects of teenagers' physical development during puberty?

A) As a result of growth of the frontal lobes of the cerebral cortex, teens are better able to plan and use logical thinking.
B) As a result of puberty, the proportion of body weight that is fat increases for boys.
C) Boys have an advantage over girls in athletic skills that require coordination because their joints are more developed.
D) Boys attain their mature adult height by age 16 to 18.

Question 57

In Canada, the most commonly reported infectious disease is

A) human papilloma virus.
B) chlamydia.
C) HIV.
D) gonorrhea.

Question 58

Dawn has just turned 13 years old, and she recently experienced menarche. If Dawn becomes sexually active, will she be at risk for pregnancy?

A) No. The irregularity of menstrual cycles after menarche means that it will be impossible to have intercourse during an ovulatory cycle.
B) Yes. Menarche represents full sexual maturity and pregnancy is likely.
C) Probably not. She is too young to get pregnant.
D) Possibly. Although irregular menstrual cycles are the norm for some time, pregnancy is still possible.

Question 59

The cumulative psychological effect of experiencing significantly early or significantly late puberty is related to

A) whether the individual's family members experienced similar timing of puberty.
B) whether the individual is capable of formal operational thought.
C) an individual's stage of moral development when the changes of puberty begin.
D) an individual's belief about the "right time" to go through puberty.

Question 60

Research has demonstrated that higher hours of "screen time" leisure activities are highly correlated with __________ in adolescents.

A) lack of school achievement
B) early substance use
C) obesity rates
D) depression rates

Question 61

Which of the following has NOT been proposed by theorists as a possible explanation for the development of eating disorders in our society?

A) cultural values that emphasize health and strength as characteristics of attractiveness
B) obsessive-compulsive personality disorder
C) a discrepancy between an individual's internal image of a desirable body and her perception of her own body
D) brain dysfunction

Question 62

The eating disorder bulimia nervosa is characterized by

A) episodes of binge eating that are followed by purging activities.
B) metabolic dysfunction that triggers compulsive and excessive eating.
C) obsessive dieting that results in death by starvation.
D) significant weight loss.

Question 63

Of the following, which would be the least effective strategy for parents who want to prevent children from smoking?

A) provide a parental model for non-smoking
B) punish teens who are found to be smoking
C) establish family rules against substance use
D) discuss beliefs about the morality of smoking

Question 64

Concerning risk factors and teenage pregnancy, which of the following statements is true:

A) The age at which an adolescent girl first becomes sexually active is not a risk factor.
B) Demographic and economic variables like parents' educational attainment, income level and family composition (single parent vs. two parent) are not risk factors.
C) Among teen girls who are from poor families, or families with relatively uneducated parents, pregnancy rates are higher.
D) Pregnancy rates are highest in mid-adolescence, specifically ages 15 to 17, making middle adolescence a risk factor.

Question 65

One of the most promising explanations for understanding eating disorders is

A) biological theories.
B) image discrepancy between the person's internal image of a desirable body and their perception of their own body.
C) psychoanalytic theory, based on fear of growing up.
D) abnormal brain functioning.

Question 66

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of anorexia nervosa?

A) intense fear of gaining weight
B) risk for death by starvation
C) fear of conflict
D) cessation of menstruation

Question 67

Adolescents whose psychological gender is different from their biological sex are known as

A) bisexuals.
B) transgendered.
C) transsexuals.
D) cross-gendered.

Question 68

Researchers believe the gradual process of achieving and accepting one's sexual orientation usually begins in

A) early childhood.
B) middle childhood.
C) adolescence.
D) young adulthood.

Question 69

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic associated with bulimia?

A) depression
B) excessive weight loss
C) hair loss
D) tooth decay

Question 70

A pattern seen in adolescent depression rates that persists across the lifespan is

A) females experience depression more frequently than males.
B) there are no true gender patterns in adolescent depression rates.
C) males experience depression more frequently than females.
D) females may experience more depression but males experience more severe forms of depression.

Question 71

Among teenagers, sensation-seeking appears to be least associated with

A) tobacco use.
B) alcohol use.
C) drug use.
D) automobile accidents and injuries.

Question 72

Which of the following factors is associated with increased likelihood of teenaged pregnancy?

A) late initiation of sexual activity
B) low level of family education
C) communication about sex and contraception with one's mother
D) popularity among peers

Question 73

Studies seeking to identify factors that contribute to the development of a bisexual, gay or lesbian sexual orientation indicate that the most statistically relevant factor is _________.

A) prenatal hormone exposure.
B) environmental influences.
C) family trait inheritance.
D) genetic programming.

Question 74

The eating disorder anorexia nervosa is characterized by

A) an obsessive fear of food.
B) intense fear of weight gain, extreme dieting, and obsessive exercising.
C) acid-related tooth decay and stomach irritation.
D) the use of laxatives or self-induced vomiting.

Question 75

In Canada, the group with the highest suicide rate is

A) adolescent girls in rural areas.
B) First Nations adolescents.
C) all adolescent males.
D) all adolescent girls.

Question 76

A developmental pathway for adolescent depression may be created by

A) growing up in a religion that emphasizes traditional gender roles.
B) growing up with a depressed parent.
C) having many siblings.
D) growing up in a low socioeconomic status family.

Question 77

Which of the following is NOT a factor that may contribute to the development of depression among adolescents?

A) low self-esteem
B) family responsibilities and chores
C) family stressors
D) genetic factors

Question 78

In Canada, the reason more young males than young females die as a result of suicide is

A) boys are more violent.
B) boys use more lethal methods.
C) girls are more likely to go for counselling.
D) boys have a higher rate of depression.

Question 79

A link can be found between parenting styles and sensation-seeking and the likelihood of drug use. Children whose parents have a(n) ________ parenting style are less likely to engage in such behaviours.

A) authoritarian
B) authoritative
C) permissive
D) neglectful

Question 80

Adolescents or adults who choose to live as the opposite gender on a full-time basis are known as

A) transgendered.
B) bisexuals.
C) transsexuals.
D) sex reassignments.