Human Development Across the Lifespan

Flashcards covering human development across the lifespan, prenatal development, factors influencing development, motor skills, and key concepts.

Germinal Stage

The stage of prenatal development from 0-2 weeks, starting at fertilisation and ending at implantation, where the morula transforms into a blastocyst.

Embryonic Stage

The stage of prenatal development from 3-8 weeks where organs and systems begin to develop, and the embryo becomes distinctly human-looking.

Fetal Stage

The stage of prenatal development from 9 weeks to birth where the fetus develops ears, sex organs, eyelids, fingers and toes, and lungs, preparing for birth.

Factors Influencing Prenatal Development

Environmental factors such as ultraviolet radiation, ambient air pollution, scarcity of access to safe water and hazardous chemicals, and lead, mercury, and arsenic.

Adolescent Environmental Exposures

Social and behavioral problems, overweight.

Child Environmental Exposures

Respiratory diseases and reduced learning capabilities.

Adult Environmental Exposures

Cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and overweight.

Neonatal Environmental Exposures

Low birthweight and congenital abnormalities.

Toddler Environmental Exposures

Diarrhoea, respiratory diseases, neurodevelopmental problems, and poisoning.

Stages of Motor Development (Birth to 5 months)

Motor development from birth to 5 months involving maintaining an upright posture, lifting and holding the head up, and bringing hands together at the midline.

Stages of Motor Development (6-11 months)

Motor development from 6-11 months involving sitting without assistance, making stepping movements when held upright, and moving objects from hand to mouth.

Separation-anxiety

Emotional distress seen in many infants when they are separated from people with whom they have formed an attachment.

Cognitive development

Refers to transitions in children's patterns of thinking, including reasoning, remembering and problem-solving.

Egocentrism

Thinking that is distinguished by the limited ability to share the point of view of another person.

Developmental norms

Indicate the typical (median) age at which individuals display various behaviours and abilities.

*Temperament

Refers to characteristics of mood, activity level and emotional reactivity.

*Attachment

Refers to the close, emotional bonds of affection that develop between infants and their caregivers.

*Separation-anxiety

Emotional distress seen in many infants when they are separated from people with whom they have formed an attachment.

*Cognitive development

Refers to transitions in children's patterns of thinking, including reasoning, remembering and problem-solving.

*Object permanence

Develops when a child recognises that objects continue to exist even when they are no longer visible.

*Centration

The tendency to focus on just one feature of a problem, neglecting other important objects.

*Irreversibility

The inability to envision reversing an action.

*Egocentrism

Thinking that is distinguished by the limited ability to share the point of view of another person.

*Reversibility

This allows a child to mentally undo an action.

*Decentration

This allows the child to focus on more than one feature of a problem simultaneously.