Development 1: Methods, prenatal development

What is nativism in developmental psychology?

The idea that some psychological abilities are innate (e.g., color perception, puberty).

What is empiricism in developmental psychology?

The idea that psychological abilities are learned through experience and vary by culture (e.g., reading).

What is nativism in developmental psychology?

The idea that some psychological abilities are innate (e.g., color perception, puberty).

What is empiricism in developmental psychology?

The idea that psychological abilities are learned through experience and vary by culture (e.g., reading).

What are the stage-theories of development?

Theories that suggest development occurs in a universal sequence of stages for everyone.

What is a continuous/fluid theories of development?

Theories that suggest development is fluid and abilities can emerge at any time without a set order. → no such thing as a universal order

What are the broad developmental periods and their age ranges?

• Newborns: 0-3 months

• Infants: 3-12 months

• Toddlers: 12-24 months (1-2 years)

• Preschoolers: 3-6 years

• School-aged children: 6-12 years

• Adolescents: 12-18 years

What is a cross-sectional design?

A study where different age groups (cohorts) are tested at the same time.

E.g., we want to understand how working memory changes between infancy to adolescence

What is a key advantage and major limitation of cross-sectional studies?

Pro: They are quick and easy to conduct.

Con: Cohort effects – differences may be due to generational differences (and differing environmental factors), not age itself. → third-variable problem

E.g., babies born today did not experience Covid-19 vs children born before

What is a longitudinal study?

A study that follows the same participants over a long time and tests them at different ages.

What is a key advantage and major limitation of longitudinal studies?

Pro: They eliminate cohort effects and help establish causal relationships.

Con: They take a long time to complete and often suffer from attrition (participants dropping out).

What is a looking preference?

Situation where babies choose between two stimuli, and their preference is measured. → given a choice

What is the face preference study?

A study showing that newborns prefer looking at face-like patterns, suggesting early face detection.

What is habituation in infant research?

Repeated exposure to the same stimulus until boredom, then testing if they notice a new stimulus.

if baby recognizes new thing → get excited and dishabituation, looking a lot more; if baby doesn’t recognize → remain habituated

What happens if a baby dishabituates?

They recognize the new stimulus and show increased attention.

What is the sandbox task?

A memory test where toddlers try to remember where objects are buried, showing memory development.

What is prenatal development?

The development that occurs in the womb from conception to birth (~40 weeks).

How can the prenatal environment shape a baby’s later preferences?

Fetuses develop sensory organs and can experience sounds, tastes, and other stimuli in the womb.

What are teratogens?

Substances that alter prenatal development (e.g., alcohol, tobacco). → introduced into the womb environment

Can result in changed order of natural development

What is Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)?

A condition caused by alcohol exposure during pregnancy, leading to facial abnormalities, brain damage, and cognitive issues.

Most severe in embryonic stage

What is Down Syndrome?

A disorder caused by an extra copy of chromosome 21, affecting multiple areas of development.

Domain-general disorder → all parts of development/elements of psychology are affected

What is a domain-general disorder?

A disorder that impacts all areas of psychological development (e.g., Down Syndrome).

What is Williams Syndrome?

A disorder caused by the deletion of genes on chromosome 7, affecting spatial abilities but sparing language and social skills.

Domain-specific disorder → only some things are affected

What is a domain-specific disorder?

A disorder that affects only certain aspects of development (e.g., Williams Syndrome affecting spatial abilities but not language).

Which of the following statements describes a “domain-specific” pattern:
a) Stress can be caused by any external stimulus.
b) All emotions are associated with some level of arousal.
c) The rTPJ is the brain-region thought to relate to theory of mind.
d) All of the above are examples of domain-specific patterns.

C is correct → rtpj is dedicated for theory of mind; other options are general rather than specific

Which of the following theories we’ve learned about describes “stage-like” development.

a) Freudian psychosexual theory.

b) General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS).

c) Burnout.

d) All of the above are examples of stage-like development.

D is correct; GAS (alarm → resistance → exhaustion); burnout → extension of GAS