DPG prenatal/infancy

Prenatal Stage

The period of development from conception to birth, encompassing three main stages: the zygote, embryo, and fetus.
Example: During the prenatal stage, a baby develops from a single fertilized cell into a fully formed infant ready for birth.

Zygote

The fertilized egg cell formed when sperm and egg combine, marking the beginning of pregnancy.
Example: A zygote undergoes rapid cell division in the first few days after fertilization.

Genes

Segments of DNA that carry hereditary information and determine traits in organisms.
Example: A child may inherit the gene for eye color from their parents, determining whether they have blue or brown eyes.

Embryo

The early stage of prenatal development, typically from two weeks to eight weeks after fertilization, where major organs and structures begin to form.

Fetus

The stage of prenatal development from about nine weeks until birth, where the body continues to grow and organs mature.

Placenta

An organ that develops during pregnancy to provide nutrients and oxygen to the fetus, and remove waste products.

Teratogens

Harmful substances or agents that can cause birth defects or developmental problems during pregnancy. Example: Alcohol, drugs, radiation, virus.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)

A condition resulting from prenatal alcohol exposure, leading to physical and mental developmental issues.

Reflexes

Automatic, involuntary movements or responses triggered by specific stimuli, important for infant survival. Example: When a newborn’s cheek is stroked, they turn their head and open their mouth, searching for a nipple to feed.

Temperament

An individual’s characteristic mood, emotional reactivity, and behavioral tendencies that are generally consistent over time. Example: A child with a highly reactive temperament might become upset easily when introduced to new experiences or people. A child with a more easygoing temperament might adapt more quickly to changes.

Maturation

The biological process through which an individual’s body and brain naturally grow and develop over time.

Motor Development

The progression of physical abilities and skills in infants and children, involving both gross and fine motor skills. Example: A baby learning to crawl and then walk.

Developmental Psychology

The study of how humans grow and change over the lifespan, including cognitive, emotional, and social development. Example: Examining how teenagers develop a sense of identity during adolescence.

Cognition

The mental processes involved in gaining knowledge and understanding, such as thinking, memory, problem-solving, and decision-making.

Schemas

Mental frameworks or structures that help us organize and interpret information.

Assimilation

the interpretation of a new experience in terms of existing schemas

Accommodation

is the adaptation of current schemas to incorporate new information- The new experience is so novel the person’s schema must be changed to accommodate it.

Sensorimotor Stage

The first stage in Piaget's theory of cognitive development, where infants learn through sensory experiences and motor actions.

Stranger Anxiety

A fear or distress exhibited by infants when encountering unfamiliar people, typically emerging around 8 months.

Attachment

the emotional tie with another person shown by seeking closeness to the caregiver and showing distress on separation • Body contact, familiarity, and responsiveness all contribute to attachment

Harry Harlow

did research with infant monkeys on how body contact relates to attachment. The monkeys had to chose between a cloth mother or a wire mother that provided food- The monkeys spent most of their time by the cloth mother

Critical Period and familiarity

Critical period the optimal period shortly after birth when an organism’s exposure to certain experiences produces proper development. Familiarity is the sense of contentment with that which is already known • Infants are familiar with their parents and caregivers

Konrad Lorenz & Imprinting

Konrad Lorenz is the researcher who focused on critical attachment periods in baby birds, a concept he called imprinting. Imprinting is the process by which certain animals form attachments during a critical period early in life. Ex: ducks are imprinted to follow the first large moving object they see

Responsiveness

The degree to which a caregiver meets and reacts to a child's emotional and physical needs. Responsive parents are aware of what their children are doing -Unresponsive parents ignore their children – helping only when they want to

Mary Ainsworth

A developmental psychologist known for her work on attachment theory, particularly through the Strange Situation experiment.

Securely Attached

A type of attachment where infants feel confident that their caregiver will respond appropriately to their needs.

Insecurely Attached

A type of attachment where infants exhibit anxiety or avoidance toward their caregiver, often due to inconsistent caregiving.

Physical Development (Define Ages and Stages):

• Infant (0-2 years): The stage marked by rapid physical growth, including milestones like crawling, walking, and the development of basic motor skills.
  

• Toddler (2-4 years): This stage involves increased mobility, the development of fine motor skills (like drawing), and early language skills.
  

Child (4-12 years): Steady physical growth and the refinement of motor skills, like balance, coordination, and more complex movements.

Jean Piaget

introduced a stage theory of cognitive development that lead to a better understanding of children’s thought processes. Proposed a theory consisting of four stages of cognitive development

Object permanence

the awareness that things continue to exist even when you cannot see or hear them. Ex: Five month olds reactions to a numerically impossible outcome are studied. One month old babies allowed to suck on one of two different shaped pacifiers, Infants later shown the pacifiers looked primarily at the one they were given earlier