Developmental Psychology - UNIT: 3 - intro & attachment and parenting styles

Thematic issues of developmental psychology

• stablility vs. change

• nature vs. nurture

teratogens

harmful agents that negatively impact prenatal development

• most impactful in embryo stage

• includes tobacco, certain drugs/ medications

  • can damage cells and tissues, resulting in physical or functional defects

maternal illness

• illnesses experienced by the mother

• Rubella can cause several birth defects

  • zika virus can lead to brain development problems, hearing or vision loss, feeding problems

genetic mutations

• down syndrome

  • Sickle cell anemia

harmonal factors

• thyroid hormone deficiency- can lead to developmental delays, cognitive impairments

  • excess stress hormones- preterm labor, low birth weight

environmental factors

Smoking, lead exposure, radiation, air pollution

maturation

Orderly sequence of biological growth; aka genetic blueprint

• stimulation can impact development

gross motor skills

ability to control and coordinate large muscle groups for activities like running, jumping, throwing a ball

fine motor skills

ability to coordinate small muscles such as writing, buttoning a shirt, using cutlery

critical period

optimal period when an organism’s exposure to certain stimuli or experiences produce proper development

Sensitive period

developmental windows during which the brain is particularly responsive to experiences

• ex: learning a second language is easier when younger

rooting

infant reflex which helps them feed

visual cliff

demonstrates an early ability in infants to percieve depth and an innovative way to assess infant responses

attachment

emotional tie to a person

• shown in young children by their seeking closeness to the caregiver and showing distress on separation.

Strange situation study

• mary ainsworth

• found repsonsive parenting leads to more secure attachments

• at about a year, infants develop stranger anxiety

separation anxiety

between ages 18 months and 3 years- anxiety provoked by separation or a threat to their mother

Secure

• healthy

• characterized by a child’s sense of safety, comfort, and independence

  • shows distress when caregiver leaves, but quickly returns to comfort when they return

insecure attachment

makes it difficult to form and maintain heralthy relationships

• characterized by lack of trust, lack of secure base

Avoidant

• type of insecure attachment when a child doesn’t get the care or attention needed.

• may have issues forming close relationships or struggle with showing emotion.

anxious

• fear of rejection or abandonment

• inconsistent parenting

  • needs constant reassurance or validation

Disorganized

• inconsistent and contradictory behavior in relationships

• want to be close but also fear hurt

• poor emotional regulation: want extreme closeness or extreme distance

harlow’s theory of attachment

• body contact, familiarity, responsive parenting

• The monkey experiment with one with a feeding bottle and the other with comfy blanket.

• infants become instantly attached to entities that provide comfortable body contact to them. things like rocking, warmth, and feeding make attachment stronger.

• NOT NOURISHMENT! lack of close relationships can even affect physical growth

Authoritative

• parent is warm, attentive, and sensitive to child’s needs and interests

• parent makes reasonable demands for the child’s maturity level; explains and enforces laws

  • parent permits child to make decisions in accord with developmental readiness

Authoritarian

• parent is cold and rejecting. frequently degrades the child.

• parent is highly demanding —> use of coercion by yelling commanding, criticizing and reliance on punishment

• parent makes most decisions for the child; rarely listens to the child

Permissive

• parent warm but may spoil the child

• few or no demands- misplaced concern for the child’s self esteem

• parent permits child to make decisions before the child is ready

uninvolved

• emotionally detached; withdrawn and inattentive

• few or no demands- lacking in interest

• parents are indifferent to child’s decisions and point of view