Psych: Development

What is Developmental Psychology

Developmental Psychology: a branch of psychology where we look at the patterns of growth and change that happens throughout life.

Looks at the interaction between our predetermined biological patterns, and the changing environment.

What previous view did psychology challenge?

Infancy and adolescence as only the most interesting periods of growth and change.

Examines how ________ influence our __________ throughout our lives

1) genetics

2) Behavior

List the three developmental research

1) Cross-sectional research

2) Longitudinal Research

Sequential Research

Define Cross-sectional research

compares people of different age groups at the same time, to provide information about the differences in development between age groups

Which example accurately describes cross-sectional research?

a) Snapshot (taking a picture of a family from different generations)

b) Snapshot (taking a picture of the same group of people throughout different periods of their life)

c) none of the above

a) Snapshot (taking a picture of a family from different generations)

Define Longitudinal Research

Looks at the behavior of the same group of participants as they age

Which example accurately describes Longitudinal Research?

a) Watching a family from different generations behavior

b) Watching a family from the same generations behavior

c) none of the above

b) Watching a family from the same generations behavior

Define Sequential Research

combines cross-sectional and longitudinal researches by using different age groups and examining them at different points in time

What’s the pro for sequential research?

Any limitations that cross-section and longitudinal research produce

Define Conception

a sperm cell, penetrates an egg cell

How much chromosomes does this one-cell entity have?

23 pairs of chromosomes (one from the sperm, and the other from the eggs

Define chromosomes

1. Rod shape structures

2. Contain basic heredity information

How much genes does a chromosome contain?

a) 500

b) 400

c) 300

d) 1000

d) 1000

Define Genes

1. they are a PART of chromosomes

2. genetic information is transmitted

Genes are composed of…

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)

The child’s biological sex is determined by…

a combination of genes

The mother has which chromosome?

X

The father has which chromosome?

X or Y (the father decides the gender)

If the child has the genetic combination of XX, the child will be a

Girl!

If the child has the genetic combination of XY!, the child will be a

Boy

Define Zygote

a new cell formed by the egg and sperm joining together at the time of conception

Define the germinal period

the first two weeks AFTER conception where the zygote increases to 100-150 cells after a week of fertlization

Define Embryo

developed zygote with a heart, brain, other organs

During which week during the embryonic period, cell division happens

Week 2-8

By week _____, there’s a beating heart, brain, intestinal tract and several organs

Week 4

Define fetus

a developing individual from 8 weeks after conception until birth (a.k.a, the fetal period)

Define the term: Age of viability

a point where the fetus can survive if they are born prematurely

What week is age of viability

22 weeks

What can the babies do at that point?

It can open and close its eyes; suck; cry; look up, down, and around; and even grasp objects placed in its hands.

Define preterm infants

infants born before week 38 (8 months)

True or false: infants born before week 38 are at higher risk for illness, future problems, and death because they weren’t developed fully.

TRUE

Define Teratogens

“Illegal and illegal drugs, alcohol, and radiation can alter or harm the development of the unborn baby’s body or brain.”

Name some examples of teratogens

1. Illness

2. Drug use

3. Alcohol use

What is the safe level of alcohol to take during pregnancy?

NONE

FASD affects

a) ¼ people

2) 1/8

3) 9 out of 1000 babies

3) 9 out of 1000 babies

Define rooting reflex

“Rooting reflex: Causes infants to turn their heads toward things that touch their cheeks”

Define sucking reflex

“Sucking reflex: Prompts infant to suck at things that touch its lips.”

Define Gag reflex

Gag reflex: when they clear their throats

Define startle reflex

“series of movements in which the infant flings out its arms, fans its fingers, and arches its back in response to a sudden noise.”

Define Attachment

emotional bonds with another evidenced by seeking closeness to the caregiver and displaying distress on separation.

Who coined the term imprinting?

Konrad Lorenz

Define imprinting

“behaviour that takes place during a critical period and involves attachment to the first moving object that is observed”

In Harlow’s monkey experiment, the monkey’s sought out contact from…

a) wired monkey

b) cloth monkey

b) cloth monkey

What’s Bowlby’s theory of attachment?

1.Infants are already biologically programed to produce behaviors that trigger loving responses from caregivers (crying)

2. Adults/ caregivers are biologically programmed to respond to behaviors with care and nurturance

What’s the reciprocity theory?

It builds attachment. Infants who respond more positively to a caregiver, produce happier behaviour which makes the caregiver happy, which produces a stronger form of attachment in the child.

What’s the Strange situation?

Used separation anxiety as a proxy or measure of attachment.

Define securely attached (in context to the Strange Situation)

“explore independently but returning to their mother occasionally, exhibit distress when she leaves, and go to her when she returns.”

Define avoidant (in context to the Strange Situation)

1. “does not cry when the mother leaves

2. Avoids her when she returns

3. Overall, acting indifferent to her.”

Define Ambivalent (in context to the Strange Situation)

“display anxiety before separation and are upset when the mother leaves, but they may show ambivalent (mixed) reactions to her return”

Define Disorganized-disoriented (in context to the Strange Situation)

inconsistent, and contradictory behaviour.

True or false: “The nature of attachment between children and their primary caregivers has consequences for later development.”

True

Children who are securely attached at age 1:

1. Are more socially competent

2. More emotionally competent

3. They are more cooperative, capable, playful

4. Successful in romantic and relationship

5. Fewer psychological difficulties

Securely children grow into…

1. Well adjusted adults

2. Good sense of self worth

3. Healthy boundaries

4. Healthy expectations

5. Not codependent

Insecure children grow into…

1. Co-dependent adults

2. Have poor boundaries

3. Not good sense of self worth

4. Struggle with adult relationships

Define Temperament

“innate disposition that emreges early in life.”

According to Erikson, how many stages of psychosocial development occur in childhood?

4

Define psychosocial development

“changes in our interactions and understanding of one another as well as in our knowledge and understanding of ourselves as members of society.

Through each of these stages, we go through a _________ or __________

1. Crisis

2. Conflict

True or false: each crisis has to be entirely resolved before we move on to the next stage

False: it doesn’t have to be resolved entirely, just enough so we can deal with the demands in the next stage.

Identify and define the first stage:

1.Trust versus mistrust: (Birth to 1 ½ years)

“Infants develop feelings of trust or lack of trust, based on interaction w/primary caregivers”

Identify and define the second stage:

2.Autonomy versus shame and doubt: (1 ½ to 3 years)

“Toddlers develop independence and autonomy if exploration and freedom are encouraged, or shame and self-doubt if they are restricted and overprotected.”

Identify and define the third stage:

3. Initiative versus guilt : (3 to 6 years)

   Children experience conflict between independence of action and the sometimes-negative results of that action.

Identify and define the fourth stage:

4. Industry versus inferiority: (6 to 12 years)

Children may develop positive social interactions with others or may feel socially inadequate.

BREAK: Take a breather you got this!

AND you’re gonna crush this test!

What does Jean Piaget say about children’s development?

1. Not small adults, or "passive recipients of experience”

2. Children must go through transitional periods to have more adult-like thinking

3. Children match their experience with the world

Define Assimilation:

1. using new experiences into what you already understand.

2. It’s unchanged, relatively low cognitive effort required.

Define Accommodation:

New experience forces adjustment/modification to the existing schemas.

Piaget said that children go through four stages in a fix order. Name all of them

1. Sensorimotor

2. Preoperational

3. Concrete operational

4. Formal Operational

Define Sensorimotor and the age it happens at

1. Development of object permanence

2. Development of motor skills

3. Little to no capacity for symbolic representation

4. Happens between birth-2 years

Define Preoperational and the age it happens at

1. 2-7 years of age

2. Developing language

3. Developing symbolic thinking

4. Developing egocentric thinking

Define Concrete operational and the age it happens at

1. 7-12 years

2. Development of conservation

3. Mastering the concept of reversibility

Define Formal Operational the age it happens at

1. 12 years-adulthood

2. Development of logical and abstract thinking

Define object permanence (sensimotor stage)

the awareness that objects and people continue to exist even if they are out of sight.

Define egocentric thought (preoperational stage)

“a way of thinking in which the child views the world entirely from his or her own perspective.”

2. “They think that everyone shares their own perspective and knowledge (theory of mind)”

Vygotsky’s View of Cognitive Development….

Children learn through social interactions and work with others to solve problems.

2. by seeing different perspectives, their cognitive skills increase

3. They also learn to function intellectually on their owned.

True or false: “Children’s cognitive abilities increase when they encounter information that falls within their zone of proximal development”

True

Define ZPD

“The level at which a child can almost, but not fully, comprehend or perform a task on his or her own.”

“When children receive information that falls within the ZPD, they can _________ their understanding or _________ a new task.”

1. increase

2. master

Define Puberty

is the period at which maturation of the sexual organs occurs, begins at about age 11 or 12 for females and 13 or 14 for males

True or false: puberty for men begins at age 13-14

True!

Puberty begins at age ____ or _____ for girls

1.13

2. 14

Continuing with Erikson’s psychosocial development, four stages happen through adolescence to adulthood. What are they?

1. Identify vs. role confusion

2. Intimacy vs Isolation

3. Generativity vs Stagnation

4. Ego integrity vs Despair

Define Identity vs role confusion

1. Adolescent try to figure out who they are, their roles, and what they can do. (Am I an artist? Good friend, daughter/son)

Define Intimacy vs Isolation

1. Focus on developing close relationships with others

2. Difficulty in this stage results in you feeling lonely and fear of relationships

3. OR, you can be successful and it results in intimate realtionships

Define Generativity vs stagnation

1. Contributing to your family, community, society, and helping develop the younger generation

2. Success = feeling positive about their life

3. Difficulties = feeling worthless

Ego integrity vs Despair

1. Reflecting on your life

2. Success = happy about your life and accomplishments

3. Difficulty = sad about your life, miss opportunities, failures

Emerging adulthood happens when?

Beginning of late teenage years and extending into the mid 20’s (e.g 16/17-24

Define Emerging adulthood

1. Not an adult or deal with adult responsibilities, but not a teenager either

2. Still learning who they are and their career paths

Early adulthood beings around __________ and last until __________

1. age 20

2. last until age 40-45

Middle adulthood beings around ___________ and last until ___________

1. 45’

2. 65

Name some new challenges in adulthood

1. Highschool education is not enough, need many years in education for the job market (masters, PHD)

2. Marrying later (and less) 40% of first marriages end in divorce!

3. Fewer woman having children

4. Those having children, have them later

Intelligence in adults….

1. Remain stable

2. Some decline in late adulthood does happen

3. (fluid intelligence declines, crystalized intelligence does not)

Memory in adults….

1. not an inevitable part of aging

2. EPSIODIC MEMORIES (events like birthdays, anniversary, first kiss etc). are memories

3. Semantic and implicit are unaffected

Define Disengagement Theory

“aging can produce a gradual withdrawal from the world on physical, psychological, and social levels.”

Define Activity Theory

“people who age most successful are those who maintain their interests, activities, and level of social interaction.”

Older adults in Canada are…

1. Living longer

2. but… that comes with physical. mental, and economic cost

3. Poverty is increasing

4. Many adults live or with little support

5. Ongoing bereavement near end of life

6. anxieties around end of life

THEY STILL BE HAPPIER THAN US THO!