physical development

developmental debates

stability vs change

nature vs nurture

continuity vs discontinuity

stability

a person’s personality traits during infancy will stay the same throughout their lifespan

change

our personalities are modified by events in our lifespan and our interactions with our families, schools, and friends

nature

the genetically inherited traits impact our personality traits, intelligence, and preferences more than the environment

nurture

the environment children are raised in is more impactful on development

continuity

development is a continuous journey; changes are gradual and not abrupt

discontinuity

human development happens in stages and the changes are abrupt

teratogens

substance or factor that can cause a birth defect

ex. alcohol

maternal illness

as soon as the embryo starts to receive nutrients from the mother through the placenta, it becomes vulnerable to maternal diseases

critical periods

times during which some environmental factors can have an impact on the development of certain parts of an infant

ex. limb development critical period is 3-8 weeks

genetic mutations

missing, mutated, or extra chromosomes can cause genetic disorders

ex. cystic fibrosis, sickle-cell anemia, Tay-Sachs, Down syndrome, Turner syndrome

hormonal factors

chemical messengers produced during pregnancy that regulate physical development and can influence prenatal growth and psychological development

environmental factors

external conditions and influences during pregnancy, such as nutrition, stress, exposure to substances, that affect prenatal development

adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)

potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood (0-17 years)

ex. violence, abuse, neglect

sociocultural differences exist in what is considered an ACE and how they affect outcomes people may experience

fine motor coordination

the development of precise, controlled movements using small muscles, usually in the hands and fingers

ex. grasping

gross motor coordination

the development of controlled movements using large muscle groups that allow children from perform activities like crawling, walking, and running

synaptic pruning

like weeding a garden, but with neural connections

getting rid of unused neural connections

reflex

innate involuntary behavior patterns

infant reflexes

grasping reflect, startle reflex, rooting reflex, stepping reflex, sucking reflex

visual cliff apparatus

glass covered table with the illusion of a cliff that babies were placed onto

they were hesitant to cross, meaning they had depth perception

adolescent growth spurt

a period of rapid physical growth that occurs during adolescence, characterized by significant increases in height and weight

puberty

reproductive ability develops

primary and secondary sex characteristics are developed

primary sex characteristics

physical characteristics directly involved in reproduction, including the reproductive organs

secondary sex characteristics

physical traits that distinguish males from females, but are not directly involved in reproduction

ex. facial hair

menarche

first time a female experiences her menstrual period (age 10-16)

spermarche

male equivalent of a menarche - growing facial hair, deepening of the voice

adulthood

spans most of the lifespan

leveling off and varying decline in reproductive ability, mobility, flexibility, reaction time, visual and auditory sensory activity

menopause

the biological process in adulthood marked by the cessation of reproductive ability