Unit 3.1-3.2

developmental psychology

a branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive, and social-emotional development throughout the lifespan.

cross-sectional study

research that compares people of different ages at the same point in time.

longitudinal study

research that follows and retests the same people over time.teratogens

teratogens

agents, such as chemicals and viruses, that can reach the embryo or fetus during prenatal development and cause harm.

fetal alcohol syndrome

physical and cognitive function deficits in children caused by their birth mother’s heavy drinking during pregnancy. In severe cases, symptoms include a small, out-of-proportion head and distinct facial features.

habituation

decreasing responsiveness with repeated stimulation. As infants gain familiarity with repeated exposure to a stimulus, their interest wanes and they look away sooner.

maturation

biological growth processes that enable orderly changes in behavior, relatively uninfluenced by experience.

critical period

an optimal period early in the life of an organism when exposure to certain stimuli or experiences produces normal development.

adolescence

the transition period from childhood to adulthood, extending from puberty to independence.

puberty

the period of sexual maturation, during which a person usually becomes capable of reproducing.

menopause

the time of natural cessation of menstruation; also refers to the biological changes a woman experiences as her ability to reproduce declines.

Grasp

When an object is placed in an infants palm or fingers, they automatically close their fingers around it

Babinski

If you stroke the sole of an infants foot, they fan out their toes and curl them back in

Moro

When a baby is startled they respond by spreading out their arm and les and curl them back into their body’s center.

Fine motor skills

coordination of small actions

Gross motor skills

coordination of larger movements

Neural Pruning

This is when the brain eliminates unnecessary synaptic connections focusing on strengthening the essential ones.

Prefrontal cortex development

This area of the brain undergoes extensive changes, allowing teens to enhance their abilities and planning, impulse control, and consider the consequences of their actions.

Myelination

Increase during adolescence, and it improves the efficiency of neural signaling, enhancing the speed at which information travel within the brain.

Emotional centers

Teens often experience heightened emotional responses due to the amygdala’s increased sensitivity.

Reward Pathways

It changes during puberty and can lead to increased sensitivity to reward and social stimuli, contributing to adolescences risk taking behavior and sensation seeking tendancies