Kristen Embry
PSY 223
Test 3

1. Puberty is a stage in the lives of both males and females in which their bodies begin to develop from a child to an adult. During puberty both males and females will develop and grow more rapidly than any other time in their lives except for infancy. Everyone goes through puberty, but everyone doesn’t necessarily go through it at the same age or in the same way as someone else. There isn’t just one single event that determines when puberty is beginning. It is a set of events that may happen gradually or very suddenly. Puberty typically begins between the ages of 8 and 14 in girls and between 9 and 15 in boys. However, it is hard to know exactly when puberty has begun in either sex due to unseen hormonal changes that precede physical changes by up to three years, according to our text book on page 303.
During puberty, boys will notice several physical changes occurring. These include a major growth spurt, the shoulders becoming broader, and an appearance of body hair under the arms, on the chest, and on the face. They will begin to notice their voices changing from a childlike tone to a deeper, more adult tone as well as begin to have body odor and acne due to hormones being produced at a high rate. The male genitals will undergo some changes as well. As we watched in the video on puberty, the penis will grow longer and wider while the testicles drop into place ready to aide in reproduction later in life. Wet dreams, or nocturnal emissions, will occur during this time period as well as involuntary erections for what may be no apparent reason. Pubic hair will also begin to grow and get darker, more course, and curlier.
Females will notice some physical changes as well. Some of which are enlarged breasts, a growth spurt, the appearance of body hair on the legs, under the arms, and on the forearms. She will experience her first