Chapter 4 Flashcards
(56 cards)
Developmental Psychology
- changes in biological, physical, psychological and behavioural processes
- how you’ve become the person you are today and who you’ll become in the future
critical periods
- age where experiences must occur
- when brain needs certain environmental stimuli to develop normally
- needs to be exposed to light within first 6 months of life or you’ll be visually impaired
sensitive periods
- the optimal developmental period for a specific function or skill to be learnt
- brain is primed to learn new things
- ex. learn 2nd language before 12 = optimal
cross-sectional research design
- compare different ages at same time
- different cohorts grew up in different time periods
-data obtained quickly
cross-sectional research design cons
- different experiences, cultural changes, environmental changes
- technology; growing up in depression; access to higher education, etc
longitudinal research design
- test same cohort at different times
longitudinal research design cons
- expensive and time-consuming
- people drop out/researcher loses contact with them
- are results generalizable to all people?
sequential research design
- A developmental design in which multiple groups of participants of different ages are followed over time, combining cross-sectional and longitudinal research.
- most comprehensive
sequential research design cons
- time-consuming
- expensive
prenatal development
3 stages
germinal stage, embryonic stage, fetal stage
germinal stage
- first 2 weeks since fertilization
-one sperm fertilizes one egg resulting in a zygote - zygote undergoes cell division and attaches to uterine wall
Embryonic stage
-Weeks 3-8
-Mass of cells called embryo
-Life support structures develop - Placenta and Umbilical cord.
-Bodily organs and systems begin to develop - heart beats, brain starts forming, facial features become recognizable.
Fetal Stage
-Week 9 - Till birth
-Embryo is now called a fetus
-Organ systems develop, muscles become strong
-
-by 24 weeks is can open its eyes
-by 28 weeks it attains age of viability (service outside the womb)
most human cells contain____ pairs of chromosomes; each pair is from ______
- 23
- each pair consists of one chromosome from each parent
- 23rd chromosome -> females = XX males = XY
chromosomes if baby is female/male
-female will get X from egg, and X from sperm
-male will get X from egg, and Y from sperm
Y chromosome contains what that makes men men
- contains TDF (testis determining factor)
- initiates development of testes
- testes secrete androgens
androgens
- sex hormones for male organ development
critical period for male development
- 6-8 weeks after conception
- insufficient androgen activity = female
environmental influences on birth
teratogens
- environmental agents that may cause abnormal fetal development
- mercury, lead, radiation, nicotine, stress, alcohol (some chemicals can still pass placenta which is why they are bad for placenta
environmental influences on birth
maternal malnutrition on birth
- miscarriage, premature birth, stillbirth, impaired brain development
environmental influences on birth
maternal stress (stress hormones)
Premature birth, infant irritability, attentional deficits
environmental influences on birth
sexually transmitted diseases (STD)
can pass from mother to fetus and produce brain damage. blindness, and deafness
environmental influences on birth
fetal alcohol spectrum disorders do what
- cognitive, behavioural, and physical deficits caused by prenatal exposure to alcohol
environmental influences on birth
fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)
disorder within the spectrum involving a cluster of severe developmental abnormalities
- abnormal facial features, underdeveloped brains compared to normal children
- intellectual disability, attentional and perceptual deficits, impulsivity, and poor social skills
- alcohol levels that cause FAS are unknown, which is why pregnant women are advised to completely avoid alcohol