Chapter 12 - Development over the lifespan Flashcards
(141 cards)
Developmental Psychology
• Study changes in biological, physical, psychological, & behavioural processes over time
Relative contributions of genes and environment?
• Critical & Sensitive Periods
Critical period =
age where experiences must occur
Sensitive periods =
optimal age range
Developmental Research Designs
- cross sectional
- longitudinal
- sequential
Cross-sectional
• Compare different ages at same time
Measure different ages at same time:
- 2020: survey 10 year-olds, 20 year-olds, 30 year-olds
Issues with cross-sectional
- Different cohorts grew up in different time periods
- Different experiences, cultural changes, environmental changes
• Technology; growing up in depression; access to higher
education
Longitudinal
• Test same cohort at different times
Test same cohort at different times:
• 2000: survey 10 year-olds
• 2010: 20 year-olds
• 2020: 30 year-olds
Issues with longitudinal research
- Time-consuming
- People drop out
- Changes generalizable to all people, just this group?
Sequential
• Test several cohorts as they age
Test several cohorts as they age:
• 2000: survey 10 year-olds, 20 year-olds, 30-year-olds
• 2010: survey 10 year-olds, 20 year-olds, 30-year-olds
• 2020: survey 10 year-olds, 20 year-olds, 30-year-olds
What sequential research help avoid ? T6
Helps avoid the issues of both cross-sectional and longitudinal designs
Germinal Stage
- Conception to 2 weeks
- Sperm +ovum (egg cell) → zygote (fertilized egg)
- Zygote attaches to uterine wall 10 – 14 days after conception
Embryonic Stage
• 2nd - 8th week post conception • Life-support structures: - Placenta - Umbilical cord • Organs and systems begin to form
Fetal Stage
- 9 weeks post conception
- Muscles strengthen, systems, develop
- Eyes open by 24 weeks
- reaches age of viability by 28 weeks
Prenatal development involves the following 3 stages
- germinal stage
- germinal stage
- Fetal stage
Genetics and sex determination
- 23rd chromosome = X or Y
- Females = XX
- Males = XY
Y chromosome contains TDF
testis determining factor
- Initiates development of testes
* Testes secrete androgens
Critical period for TDF ?
6-8 weeks
• Insufficient androgen activity = female
Teratogens
• Environmental agents that may cause abnormal fetal development
Sexually transmitted diseases
• Can pass from mother to fetus and produce brain damage, blindness, and/or deafness
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD)
- Involve a range of mild to severe cognitive, behavioural, and physical deficits caused by prenatal exposure to alcohol
- FAS involves a cluster of severe developmental abnormalities
Children who suffer from fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)look different?
YES
Children who suffer from fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) have brains that are
underdeveloped compared with
those of normal children
Maternal malnutrition
• Miscarriage, premature birth, stillbirth, impaired brain development