Key Concepts in Human Development Across the Lifespan

Adolescence

The fifth developmental period.

Life span perspective

Development is studied from conception to death.

Traditional view of development

Development is studied from birth to adolescence.

Maximum life span

Regarded as 122 years.

Factors influencing life expectancy

Sanitation, lifestyle, healthcare, and clean water.

Multidirectional development

Development involves gains and loss.

Nature vs. nurture

Definition of intelligence.

Multidisciplinary development

Development involves many disciplines.

Plasticity

Development involves changes.

Emerging adults

Placed between adolescence and young adulthood.

Late adulthood

The eighth developmental period.

Imprinting

Occurs in a critical period.

Developmental issue

Stability and change.

Nature/nurture developmental issue

Nature is genetic and biological factors; nurture is life experiences and environmental factors.

Stability and change

Developmental issues where certain traits remain the same while others change.

Continuity vs. discontinuity

Continuity is gradual development; discontinuity occurs through distinct stages.

Normal aging

Natural, gradual, continuous process of physical and cognitive changes without disease.

Pathological aging

Changes due to age-related diseases, characterized by severe cognitive decline.

Successful aging

Maintaining health, engaging in meaningful activities, and fostering social connections.

Physiological age

How old your body's tissues and cells appear based on factors like DNA, diet, and exercise.

Chronological age

Age from birth.

Psychological age

How old one feels, acts, and behaves, not necessarily equal to chronological age.

Microsystem

Includes family, peers, and school according to Bronfenbrenner.

Mesosystem

Which system would include an interaction between two systems according to Bronfenbrenner?

Chronosystem

Which system would include sociohistorical context and life events according to Bronfenbrenner?

Sensitive Period

Language development occurs in this period.

Non-normative life event

It is an event that has a profound impact on one's development. Example: winning the lottery.

Fertilization

The sperm meets the egg, and a zygote is formed.

Chromosomes in sperm

There are 23 chromosomes in a sperm.

Trimester

Three months during prenatal development.

Spina Bifida

Yes, it is a gene-linked disorder. Nurture/environment can be involved; adequate folic acid helps.

Klinefelter syndrome

Male born with extra X chromosome; karyotype of these males would be 47 chromosomes instead of the regular 46.

Down's syndrome

A person has an extra copy of chromosome number 21, resulting in 47 chromosomes instead of 46.

Karyotype

A visual representation of an individual's complete set of chromosomes, arranged by size, shape, and banding patterns.

Germinal period

Lasts for two weeks (14 days); implantation of the zygote occurs in this period.

Embryonic period

Lasts between 3-8 weeks; occurs between the second and eighth weeks of pregnancy.

Fetal period

Starts from the ninth week of pregnancy and continues until birth; significant growth and development occur.

Ectoderm

Differentiates into the nervous system, skin, and nails.

Endoderm

Differentiates into digestive, pulmonary, kidneys, and so on.

Mesoderm

Differentiates into the muscular system and skeleton, and so on.

Sickle cell anemia

It is a gene-linked disease.

Teratogen

Agent that can cause birth defects such as pollution, age, diseases, and lack of essential nutrients.

Factors influencing teratogen effects

Three factors are dose, time of exposure, and genetic susceptibility.

Most sensitive period to teratogenesis

The embryonic period, during which organogenesis takes place, usually from around 14 to 60 days post conception.

Longevity and reproductive benefits

Human females have an unusually extended post-reproductive lifespan, which has been explained by the fitness benefits provided from helping to raise grandchildren following menopause.

Culture-based resources

Literacy programs, social support, and medical technology.

Oxytocin during labor

Oxytocin is used during labor to stimulate contractions, helping the cervix to dilate, the baby to move through the birth canal, and the placenta to be expelled.

Pitocin during labor

Pitocin (synthetic oxytocin) is used during labor to stimulate and strengthen uterine contractions, primarily to induce labor or augment labor that isn't progressing naturally.

Postpartum blues

Postpartum blues are mild, temporary mood swings that typically start within the first few days after birth and usually resolve within a couple of weeks.

Postpartum depression

Postpartum depression is a more severe and persistent form of depression that can start anytime within the first year after birth and can significantly impact a mother's ability to care for herself and her baby.

Kangaroo care

Kangaroo care is a method of caring for newborns that involves skin-to-skin contact with a parent, typically the mother, where the baby is held on the parent's chest.

APGAR scale

The Apgar scale is a quick test performed on newborns shortly after birth to assess their general condition and determine if they need immediate medical care.

APGAR scale evaluation areas

It evaluates five key areas: Appearance (skin color), Pulse (heart rate), Grimace response (reflexes), Activity (muscle tone), and Respiration (breathing rate and effort).

APGAR score range

Each area is scored from 0 to 2, with a total score ranging from 0 to 10, where higher scores indicate better health.

APGAR test timing

The Apgar test is performed at 1 minute and 5 minutes after birth, and sometimes at 10 minutes, depending on the baby's condition.

Purpose of the APGAR test

The Apgar test, a quick assessment tool, is used to evaluate a newborn's health and vital signs immediately after birth, specifically at 1 and 5 minutes. Its primary purpose is to identify newborns who may need extra medical attention or resuscitation right after delivery.

Adaptive characteristics

It is not true that all evolved characteristics are adaptive in contemporary society. Many evolved traits, while advantageous in the past, may no longer be beneficial or even become maladaptive in modern environments.

Down's syndrome and maternal age

The risk of a child being born with Down syndrome increases with the mother's age, especially after 35. While most children with Down syndrome are born to younger mothers, the overall likelihood of the condition increases significantly with advanced maternal age.

Proximodistal pattern of development

The proximodistal pattern of development describes the tendency for growth to begin in the center of the body and move outward towards the extremities. Example: An infant will develop control over their arms and trunk before they develop the ability to use their fingers effectively.

Cephalocaudal pattern of development

The cephalocaudal pattern of development refers to the trend of growth and development proceeding from the head down to the rest of the body. Example: An infant's head and brain develop earlier and are larger in proportion to the body compared to their feet and legs during prenatal development.

Characteristics of development in infancy

Infancy, the period from birth to about two years, is characterized by rapid physical growth, development of cognitive and motor skills, and the beginning of social and emotional development.

Characteristics of development in early childhood

Early childhood development is characterized by rapid growth and development in physical, cognitive, social-emotional, and language domains.

Characteristics of development in middle and late childhood

Middle and late childhood (roughly ages 6-12) is characterized by steady growth and development in several key areas, including physical, cognitive, and social-emotional development.

Gonadotropins

Gonadotropins stimulate the male testes and female ovaries.

Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)

One of the two gonadotropins.

Luteinizing hormone (LH)

One of the two gonadotropins.

GnRH

GnRH is Gonadotropin-releasing hormone, involved in puberty because it releases two hormones (Gonadotropins) that travel to the gonads to start the sexual maturation.

Changes in boys during puberty

1. Voice change 2. Body growth and strength 3. Facial hair 4. Gentile growth

Changes in girls during puberty

1. Breasts develop 2. Gain in height as seen in the growth spurt 3. Pubic and underarm hair develops 4. Menstrual period starts (Menarche).

Growth spurts in puberty

During puberty, both boys and girls experience a rapid increase in height and weight due to the simultaneous release of growth hormones, thyroid hormones, and androgens, with boys experiencing their growth spurt about two years later than girls, at 13.

Lateralization

Lateralization refers to the specialization of functions between the left and right hemispheres of the brain.

Myelination in the visual pathway

Myelination of the visual pathway is completed around six months of age.

Myelination in the auditory pathway

Myelination in the auditory pathways is typically completed around 3-5 years of age.

Corpus callosum in adolescence

During adolescence, the corpus callosum continues to grow and mature, thickening and becoming more interconnected.

Corpus callosum in late adulthood

In late adulthood, the corpus callosum undergoes significant structural changes, including reductions in its size and microstructural integrity.

Dendritic pruning

Dendritic pruning is the process of reducing the number of dendrites to improve the efficiency of neuronal connections.

Dendritic blooming

Dendritic blooming refers to the growth of new dendrites to increase the number of connections between neurons.

Sarcopenia

Sarcopenia is a condition characterized by a progressive and generalized loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength, typically associated with aging.

SIDS

SIDS, or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, refers to the sudden, unexplained death of an infant under one year old.

Sleep across the lifespan

Sleep changes dramatically across the lifespan, influenced by factors like age, genetics, and individual experiences.

Physical changes across the lifespan

Physical development across the lifespan involves significant changes, including height and weight variations, modifications to the nervous system, sensory capabilities, and the propensity for diseases.

Brain wiring

The brain gets 'wired' through a process called neuroplasticity, where the brain's connections between neurons are strengthened and refined over time through learning and experience.