Human Development Lecture Notes

Flashcards from lecture notes on Human Development

What molecule carries our genetic instructions?

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)

How many pairs of chromosomes does a typical human cell contain?

23

What is required for recessive traits to be expressed?

Two copies of the recessive allele (one from each parent)

What are polygenic traits?

Traits determined by the combined effect of multiple genes (e.g., intelligence, height, skin color, personality)

What is multifactorial transmission?

The interaction between genetics and environment in shaping traits and behaviors

What is Down Syndrome (Trisomy 21) caused by?

An extra copy of the 21st chromosome

Which sex does Turner Syndrome (XO) affect?

Females

Which sex does Klinefelter Syndrome (XXY) affect?

Males

During which stage of prenatal development does organogenesis occur?

Embryonic Stage (3–8 weeks)

What are teratogens?

Harmful agents (alcohol, nicotine, drugs, infections) that can cause congenital disabilities

What is parturition?

The process initiating labor

List the stages of childbirth.

1) Dilation of the Cervix, 2) Descent and Emergence of the Baby, 3) Expulsion of the Placenta

Name three approaches to studying cognitive development.

1) Behaviorist, 2) Psychometric, 3) Piagetian

What does the Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS) evaluate?

The baby's behavioral responses and neurological development

What are the 6 substages of Piaget’s Sensorimotor Stage?

1) Reflexes (0–1 month), 2) Primary circular reactions (1–4 months), 3) Secondary circular reactions (4–8 months), 4) Coordination of secondary schemes (8–12 months), 5) Tertiary circular reactions (12–18 months), 6) Mental combinations (18–24 months)

What developments indicate memory development during infancy?

Object permanence and deferred imitation

What are the first emotions?

Interest, distress, disgust, contentment

Define temperament.

A person’s characteristic way of approaching and reacting to people and situations

What is Goodness of Fit?

The degree to which a child’s temperament is compatible with the demands of their environment and caregivers’ expectations

List Bowlby's Theories of Attachment

1) Psychoanalytic (Freud), 2) Learning theory, 3) Ethological (Bowlby)

What is the Strange Situation?

A method to assess attachment in 1-year-olds by observing reactions to caregiver’s absence and return

What are Ainsworth's Attachment Styles?

1) Secure, 2) Avoidant, 3) Ambivalent (Resistant), 4) Disorganized

What scale assesses the newborn's health immediately after birth?

Apgar Scale

What is Low Birth Weight (LBW)?

Babies weighing less than 5.5 pounds at birth

What is the correct ordering of the principles of development?

Cephalocaudal Principle and Proximodistal Principle

According to Vygotsky, what is the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)?

The difference between what a child can do alone vs. with help

List the prelinguistic forms of communication.

Crying (newborn), Cooing (6–8 weeks), Babbling (6–10 months), Gestures (8–12 months)

What is the term for single word used to express a complex idea?

Holophrase

What is telegraphic speech?

Two- or three-word sentences that emit less important words

What is the HOME, or the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment?

It is a measure of the home environment of a child based on parental responsiveness, learning materials, and variety of stimulation.

Physical Development in Early Childhood

Children grow about 2–3 inches and gain 4–6 pounds annually. Transition from toddler physique to a more slender, athletic build. Cartilage turns to bone more rapidly; bones harden, providing better protection for internal organs. Enhanced respiratory and circulatory systems contribute to increased stamina and health.

Egocentrism

Cannot easily take others’ perspectives.

Animism

Belief that inanimate objects are alive ("the moon is following me").

Centration

Focus on one aspect of a situation and ignore others

Irreversibility

Difficulty understanding that actions can be undone.

What did Vygotsky consider private speech to be?

As a tool for thinking and self-guidance.

What does Executive Function refer to?

Higher-order thinking skills such as Planning, Inhibiting impulsive behavior, and Monitoring one’s own progress

What characterizes Authoritative parenting?

High warmth, firm control

What are Parten’s Types of Play?

1) Unoccupied, 2) Solitary, 3) Onlooker, 4) Parallel, 5) Associative, 6) Cooperative

What does growth look like in Middle Childhood?

Growth is slower compared to early childhood, but steady and predictable. Children grow approximately 2–3 inches in height and 5–7 pounds per year. Girls may begin to outpace boys in height and fat accumulation near the end of this stage as puberty approaches. Body proportions change with longer limbs, slimmer appearance, stronger muscles.

In Piaget's Concrete Operational Stage, what does conservation mean?

Understands that quantity remains the same despite shape changes

In terms of Information Processing, what is working memory?

increases capacity

Name 3 memory strategies.

Rehearsal, Organization, and Elaboration

What is puberty?

The period of biological changes that lead to sexual maturity and the ability to reproduce.

What are the key abilities enhanced during Adolecence?

Abstract thought, Hypothetico-deductive reasoning, and Propositional logic

What stage of Erikson's Psychosocial Stages does Adolescence experience?

Identity vs. Role Confusion

The term that refers to the physical attraction aspect of the Triangular Theory of Love.

Passion

Trend in Midlife: Openness

May slightly decline

Trend in Midlife: Conscientiousness

Tends to increase (responsibility grows)

Which type of intelligence declines in late adulthood?

Fluid Intelligence

Which type of intelligence improves or remains with in late adulthood?

Crystallized Intelligence

Which of Erikson's Psychosocial Stages do individuals in late adulthood experience?

Ego Integrity vs. Despair