Human Growth and Development: Chapters 1-3

Developmental Psychology

the study of how and why people change throughout life

The Lifespan Perspective: Lifelong Development

people continue to grow and change throughout life

Lifelong Development: Plasticity

the ability to be shaped/molded

ex: brain exercises for memory, workout, eat right, etc.

Multidimensional Development

development occurs in several different areas

Multidimensional Development: Physical Development

changes in physical growth, the brain, the sense, etc.

Multidimensional Development: Cognitive Development

changes in thinking, memory, reasoning, etc.

Multidimensional Development: Psychosocial (Socioemotional) Development

changes in personality, emotions, relationships, etc.

Multicontextual Development

development is influenced by a lot of different contexts (environments)

Multicontextual Development: Historical Context

when you were born

Historical Context: Cohort

people who were born within a few years of each other. They tend to develop in a similar way

Socioeconomic Context

social/economic standing

Socioeconomic Status (SES)

education, income, occupation, place of residence

ex: poorer= unhealthier foods, cant afford to go to the doctor, work all the time so can't maintain relationships, no education - cognitive

Multicontextual Development: Cultural Context

where you were born

Culture

values and traditions shared by a group of people

Multidirectional Development

development involves both growth and decline

ex: get older - memory declines but vocabulary improves

Multidirectional Development: The Butterfly Effect

small events can have a huge impact on us and our development

ex: someone calling you fat in grade school gave you self-image problems

Prenatal Development

time period between conception and birth (38 wks on average)

Stages of Prenatal Development: Germinal Stage

Zygote, first two weeks of pregnancy

Cell division

Identical twins: one fertilized egg completely separates

Fraternal twins: two separate eggs fertilized by two separate sperm

Germinal Stage: Differentiation

cells start to specialize, 8th in cell division process, start to become brain tissue, etc.

Germinal Stage: Implantation

zygote burrows into uterine wall

as soon as it occurs you enter the second stage

Embryonic Stage

embryo, 3rd to 8th weeks of pregnancy

Brain, spinal cord, and organs develop. Heart starts beating.

Critical period-extremely vulnerable

Fetal Stage

fetus, 9th week through birth

Fetal Stage: Major Developments

Organs: are functioning (breathe, urinate)

Sex: can be determined as early as 12th week (usually 16th-20th week)

Quickening: feel baby move, 16th week

Weight/Muscle Gain: especially towards the end

Age of viability: can survive if born, 22 to 24 weeks

Influences on Prenatal Development: Teratogens

any substances or conditions that can cause abnormal prenatal development

ex: malnutrition, stress, drugs, illness

Influences on Prenatal Development: Diet

Weight recommendations: gain 25 to 30 pounds

Effects of malnutrition: intellectual disability, prematurity, low birth weight

Rare Meat (and cat poo): contains toxoplasmosis; can lead to sensory loss and brain damage

Seafood: contains mercury; can lead to intellectual disability, stunted physical growth

Influences on Prenatal Development: Drugs

Alcohol: can cause fetal alcohol syndrome, ADHD, mental health problems. Anxiety, depression

Nicotine: can cause miscarriage, prematurity, low birth weight, slow physical growth, learning difficulties, SIDS; strongest predictor of infant death

Caffeine: stimulant. Controversial, may cause miscarriage and SIDS in large amounts. 2 cups a day = more likely to miscarry

Spontaneous Abortion (miscarriage)

expulsion of baby before the 20th week

Early Miscarriages

before the 12 week. Usually chromosomal problem

Late Miscarriages

12th-20th week. Usually problems with the placenta

Spontaneous Abortion (miscarriage): Gender differences

males more likely to be miscarried because of sex chromosome

Labor and Delivery: Stage 1

contractions begin, cervix dilates (10 cm) and effaces (thins out). Typically 6 to 12 hours

Labor and Delivery: Stage 2

push with contractions, crowning occurs, one to two hours

Labor and Delivery: Stage 3

baby is out, placenta is expelled, minutes to an hour

Reasons for C-sections: Previous C-Section

can rip open abdominal wall during contractions

Reasons for C-sections: Cephalopelvic Disproportion

baby wont fit

2nd and 3rd baby tend to be larger

Reasons for C-sections: Placenta Previa

placenta will detach early. Placenta isn't in the right place, too close to cervical opening

Reasons for C-sections: Malpresentation

baby isn't turned right

Other reasons for c-sections

slow labor or fetal distress

Physical Growth - Weight

7.5 lbs at birth, tripled by one year

Physical Growth - Height

20 in. long at birth; 10 inches taller by one year

Physical Growth - Growth Patterns

grows head first then down the body; trunk out

Physical Growth - The Brain: Newborn

lost of neurons; few connections

Physical Growth - The Brain: First Two Years

a.) Millions of connections are formed

b.) Synaptic pruning: connections not used are lost

Motor Skills - Reflexes

involuntary movements in response to stimuli

Survival reflexes

necessary for survival/saftey

ex: rooting, sucking, breathing

Primitive reflexes

not necessary

Startle easily, palmar (touch palm and they squeeze) and plantar (touch foot and they flex)

Gross motor skills

movements involving large muscles of the body

3 months-rolling over

9 months-crawling

Gross motor skills - key development

12 months-walking

2 years-running, climbing stairs, kicking a ball

Fine motor skills

movement involving smaller muscles of the body

Vision

poor at birth (blurry, no color)

Vision: Preferences

human faces, black and white, complex patterns

Audition

muffled at birth, prefer voices

Taste, Smell, and Touch

fully operational at birth

Heath: Leading causes of death

1. Birth defects

2. Prematurity (complications)

3. Pregnancy complications

Two major health concerns: Nutrition

"Breast is best"

Recommend at least one year (U.S.)

Reduces allergies/asthma, illness (provides antibodies), SIDS (up to 50%), and adulthood disease (obesity, heart disease)

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

unexplained death of an apparently healthy infant under age of 1 year (most often between 2 to 4 month range)

SIDS prevalence rate

1,500 a year (leading cause of death from 1 month to 1 year)

SIDS possible cause

defects in brainstem? unsure

SIDS risk factors

prematurity, low birth rate, prenatal exposure to drugs, exposure to smoke, males, parental age (teen mothers), sleeping position (on stomach), winter weather, co-sleeping

The sensorimotor period: Stage 1 (birth to 1 month)

learn to control reflexes

ex: with practice, can learn to suck with empty mouth

The sensorimotor period: Stage 2 (One to 4 months)

move body part by accident and then repeat. Focus is on oneself.

Ex: accidentally kick leg, then continue to do it

The sensorimotor period: Stage 3 (Four to 8 months)

accidentally learn their actions can cause changes in the environment (then repeat). Focus is on others (people and objects)

ex: accidentally squeeze stuffed animal then continue to do it

The sensorimotor period: Stage 4 (Eight months to 1 year)

Characteristics: begin to behave intentionally to reach goals. Take steps to make what they want happen

Ex: will knock food on floor, mom picks it up

Object permanence: awareness that object exists even if it can't be seen; develops around 8 months

The sensorimotor period: Stage 5 (One year to 18 months)

actively experiment. "What will happen if....?"

Ex: like to drop objects, squeeze objects - just to see what happens

The sensorimotor period: Stage 6 (Eighteen months to 2 years)

can visualize, think about consequences before acting.

Ex: "hmmmm..... should I really pour water on the cat?"

Memory: Deferred Imitation

ability to watch, remember, and later imitate someone

18 months - remember up to 2 weeks

2 years: remember up to 2 to 3 months

Memory: Infantile Amnesia

inability to remember first few years of life. 2 is the earliest

Language: Crying

at birth. Hungry cry, tired cry, etc.

Language: Cooing

simple vowel/consonant sounds = "ahhhh"; 2 months

[4 months: variety in "speech"; show conversational skills]

Language: Babbling

repeating syllables = "babababa"; 6 months

Language: First true word

at one year. Most common first words: dada, mama, baa-baa, bye, hi, uh-oh

Language: The naming explosion

period of rapid learning. 18 months - 2 years. Best time to learn a new language

Language: Sentences

short sentences (2 or 3 words); 18-24 months

Emotional Development: Basic (Primary) Emotions

sadness, anger, surprise, disgust, happiness, fear

Stranger Anxiety

starts at 8 months, peak at 15 months, disappears by 2 years

Separation Anxiety

starts at 8 months, peaks at 10-15 months, disappears by 2 years

Social Referencing

look up to others to determine emotions; begins at 8 to 10 months

ex: kid falls down, looks at mom to see her reaction

Secondary Emotions

based on self-evaluation; develop at 2 to 3 years

ex: pride, guilt, shame. (differs in different countries/cultures)

Attachments

emotional bond

first around 6 to 8 months

formation depends on how caregiver responds to infants needs

Secure Attachment

likes mom and wants her around. Mom is warm, affectionate, dependable

60 to 65% of infants

Good self esteem, trusting, comfortable with relationships, also can be independent

Dismissing (Avoidant) Attachment

ignores mom. Mom is emotionally unavailable/distant

As adults: don't trust others, expect others to disappoint; keep distance

20% of infants

Preoccupied (Anxious) Attachment

clingy and dependent

mom is inconsistent

As adults: desperate; want others but don't trust them; clingy

10-15% of infants

Fearful-Avoidant (Disorganized) Attachment

confused, afraid

mom most likely abusive

mixed feelings; want others but don't trust them; hold back

5-10% of infants

Consequences of insecure attachments

1.) delays in development (ex: malnutrition)

2.) odd eating behaviors (ex: hoard food)

3.) odd soothing behaviors (ex: rock back and forth)

4.) more emotional problems