Unit 1 Psych

what do developmental psychologists study

how do people change over time

lifespan development

scientific study of human growth over the lifespan

developmental psych is

multidisciplinary (draws from many perspectives)

3 themes of developmental psych

nature vs nurture

continuity vs stages

stability vs change

nature vs nuture

Nature is biological

nurture environmental

Epigenetics

study of how the environment impacts how our genes are expressed without changing the DNA sequence

continuity vs stages

human growth is an ongoing process. More skills are added over time

VS

human growth occurs rapidly and puts a person into a new stage

stability vs change

core traits, personality, and intelligence either stay the same or they are flexible

developmental psych looks at

milestones

individual differences

impact of life transitions and life practices

emerging adulthood

phase of life that begins after high school, tapers off toward the late 20s, and is devoted to constructing an adult life

who made the behaviorism theory

john watson and bf skinner

behaviorism is also called

learning theory

what does behaviorism study

observable behavior

classical conditioning

Pillar of behaviorism

Learning through association

A neutral stimulus is paired with a meaningful stimulus and then causes the same response as the meaningful stimulus

ex. Little Albert

what was little albert?

study that caused the infant to be afraid of a white rat bc originally is present was paired with a loud sound

operant conditioning

behavior influenced by consequences

desirable outcome —> behavior reinforced and behavior stays

undesirable outcome —> behavior stopped

who created social learning theory

albert bandura

social learning theory

learning by watching others

Albert Bandura experiment

bobo doll

watched aggressive behavior —> demonstrated aggressive behavior

watched pleasant behavior —> demonstrated pleasant behavior

Nuture Theories include

Social learning theory

sociocultural theory

psychoanalytic theory

sociocultural theory was credited to

vygotsky

sociocultural theory

development happens through learning from people around and culture

zone of proximal development

sociocultural theory

“Almost able to do it”

between what can be done independently and what needs help from someone more knowledgeable

scaffolding

sociocultural theory

Temporary support given to someone when learning a new skill

Psychoanalytic theory is credited to

freud

Psychoanalytic theory

behavior determined by unconscious feelings/motivations/urges and childhood experiences

psychoanalysis

unearths repressed experiences (causing symptoms), freeing patients to fulfilled lives

free association

eriksons psychosocial theory

people develop their identity and personality throughout their life, and it happens in 8 stages. they must deal with a psychosocial conflict

attachment theory credited to

john bowlby

attachment theory

childs’s relationship with a caregiver influences their idea of safety, relationships, and emotional development

very important

caregiver relationship is important (nurture) and attachment is biologically programmed (nature)

nature theories

evolutionary psychology

behavioral genetics

cognitive development

ecological theory

evolutionary psychology

Studies how evolution influences human thoughts, emotions, and behaviors

Studies inborn, species-specific behaviors and how they play in development

behavioral genetics

how do genetics play into individuals differences in behavior and traits

cognitive development credited to

piaget (stage theorist)

cognitive development

Children move through stages of thinking

Cognitive ability is innate

School only helps refine the innate ability

ecological theory

emphasizes environmental factors and how they play into the development of an individual

correlational research

are two or more variables related to each other

r (correlational coefficient)

closer to 1 stronger relationship

sign tells direction of relationship

if r is negative

one variable increases and the other decreases

if r is positive

both variables increase or both decrease

correlational research does NOT mean

cause and effect

what is a third variable

An outside factor that affects two other variables and makes them seem connected when they are not

Variable A: shark attacks

Variable B: ice cream sales

Variable C (third variable): hot weather

true experiments determine

cause and effect

what do true experiments need

random assignment

manipulation of an independent variable

naturalistic observation

direct observation of behavior

positive and negative of naturalistic observation

+: direct view of behavior

-: reality of conduction (no control of variables)

Self-reports

Participant completes questionnaire on feelings, thoughts, etc.

positive and negative of self report research strategy

• +’s: quick

• -’s: reporter bias

Observer reports

Parent, teacher, or research assistant completes questionnaires evaluating subject

positive and negatives of observer reports research strategy

• +’s: structured look at behavior

• -’s: biases

cross-sectional studies

Test different age groups at the same time

look at testing group differences vs individual differences

longitudinal studies

Gold standard in developmental research

Can examine how individuals change over time and look at predicting later behaviors from earlier ones

problems with longitudinal studies

expensive and difficult to follow large groups over a long time

those that stay in the study are likely highly motivated and will skew the results of the study

cross-sequential research

Combination of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies

Includes different age groups and follows them over time

uterus

where developing baby grows

cervix

lower portion of uterus

fallopian tubes

slim tubes that connect the ovaries to uterus

ovaries

contain women’s ova or eggs

ovulation

when ovum (egg cell) is released from the ovary

day 14 of cycle

what hormones trigger ovulation

FSH, estrogen, and LH

how long does the egg take to travel to the uterus

3 days

fertilization

egg and sperm unite

When a sperm penetrates the ovum the ovums wall then prevents any other sperm

lifespan of an ovum

24 hours

why can intercourse a few days prior to ovulation still result in fertilization

sperm live in uterus for a week

3 stages of prenatal development

germinal

embryonic

fetal

germinal prenatal development stage

weeks 1 to 2

zygote: fertilized ovum

blastocyst: hollow sphere of cells

implantation

embryonic prenatal development

week 3 to 8

Week 3:

• organ/organ system construction time

• neural tube forms

Week 4 and 5:

• head

• arm and leg buds develop

mass to specific sequences

neural tube

cylindrical structure that forms along the back of the embryo and develops into the brain and spinal cord

fetal prenatal development

week 9 to week 40/birth

what can you find out by month 3

sex of baby

SRY gene makes male sex organs if male

proximodistal development

• Growth occurs from most interior (proximal) part of the body to the outer (distal) sides

  • Arms and legs grow and then fingers and toes

cephalocaudal sequence

• growth occurs in a sequence from head to toe

  • Mammoth head-looking embryo from which arms and legs sprout

mass-to-specific sequence

• large structures 

     precede increasingly detailed refinements

• Head forms before eyes and ears

Months 4, 5, 6 what happens

heartbeat strengthens and digestive and excretory systems develop

CNS starts to regulate basic functions

what happens to brain in months 4-7

doubles in size

Months 7 to 9 what happens

lungs expand, swallowing, heart valves mature, neurogenesis and synaptogenesis, increase in weight

what is the age of viability

22 to 23 weeks

what are important structures for prenatal development

umbilical cord and amniotic sac

when do hospitals start treating

week 23

why is it important to plan a pregnancy

proper nutrition

timing between siblings

what is the critical period

major organs and body sturctures are being formed during this time

weeks 0-13

gestation

period of pregnancy

gestational age

conception is the starting point

last menstrual period (LMP) is used because

the gestational age/exact date of conception can be unknown

approximately 14 days before conception

trimester

3 month long segment of pregnancy

3 in each pregnancy

symptoms of first trimester

frequency urination

morning sickness

lightheaded

nausea

breast tenderness

fatigue

headaches

missed period

morning sickness

nausea or vomiting

aversion to certain foods

crave starchy foods

2nd trimester symptoms

feel better

noticeable bump

first feeling of baby moving

3rd trimester

fatigue

backaches

swelling extremities

heartburn

insomnia

braxton hicks

sciatic nerve pain

braxton hicks

body stiffens to practice birthing

tertogens

substance that crosses the placenta and harms the fetus

sensitive period

time when area of the body is most susceptible to damage from a teratogen (usually when it is in the midst of developing)

types of teratogens

drugs

infections

maternal disease

environmental toxins

physical agents

when is an especially vulnerable time for major damage due to teratogens

embryonic stage when organogenesis is happening

later exposure of a teratogen can lead to

learning impairments and or behavior problems

teratogens have a

threshold amount

what does smoking do to a baby

low birth weight

hyperactivity

sleep problems

heart and respiratory problems

stillbirth

increased sudden infant death (SIDS)

what does alcohol do to a baby

small head

short stature

facial abnormalities

malformed limbs

attention problems

hyperactivity

learning disabilities

memory problems

speech and language delays

low IQ

heart kidney and bone problems

how many pairs of chromosomes

23