Physical Development Note Sheet

Zygote stage

1-2 weeks after conception

Embryonic stage

3-8 weeks (organs + limbs start developing)

Fetal stage

9 weeks to birth

Imprinting

rapid, innate learning that occurs early in life, involving attachment to a caregiver (e.g., baby geese)

Teratogens

Chemicals or viruses that can cause defects

Rooting

automatic response in infants to turn their head toward any stimulus that strokes their cheek

Visual cliff & depth perception

They hesitate at the “cliff,” showing they understand space

Habituation

decreasing attention to a repeated stimulus; used to study infant cognition

(Babies look longer at new stimuli than familiar ones)

Gross vs fine motor

Gross: big muscles (lifting, walking)

Fine: small muscles (writing)

Importance of Touch and Contact Comfort (Harlow Study)

Rhesus monkeys showed a preference for soft, comforting mothers over wire mothers providing food.

Attachement theory

explains how early emotional bonds form between infants and caregivers, studied using the Strange Situation

Ainsworth’s Study

"Strange Situation" procedure, identified key infant attachment styles (Secure, Insecure-Avoidant, Insecure-Resistant/Ambivalent, and later Disorganized)

Secure attachment

feel comfortable w intimacy and closeness

Anxious attachment

often nervous and stressed in their relationships, and need constant reassurance and affection

Disorganized attachment

mix of anxious and avoidant behaviors—-difficulty forming healthy relationships, and often displays confusion in relationships.

Critical period

how much people are able to learn language

claims there is an ideal ‘window’ of time in a person’s life to acquire language skills effectively

Spermarche

The first ejaculation in males, marking the onset of puberty and reproductive capability

Menarche

The first menstrual period in females, indicating the onset of puberty and reproductive ability

Primary sex characteristics

Body structures that make reproduction possible

Secondary sex characteristics

Non-reproductive sexual characteristics (body hair + boobs)

Synaptic Pruning

The brain's way of cutting away extra, unused synapses to optimize function (like deleting old apps to make a phone run faster) to strengthen frequently used pathways and improve cognitive efficiency.

authoritative

balance warmth and clear boundaries, focusing on teaching rather than controlling

Authoritarian

low responsiveness and high demands, emphasizing obedience and discipline over autonomy (dictator)

Permissive

high responsiveness and low demands, allowing greater freedom and minimal limits on the child's behavior (friend parent: no rules but they love their kids; let them do anything)

Uninvolved

low responsiveness and low demands, where parents are detached and provide minimal guidance or attention (absent)

Menopause

• Can no longer reproduce

• One year no period

• Average age: 51

Longitudinal Studies

a research method in which data is collected from the same group of participants over an extended period of time to examine changes or developments that occur over time.

Cross sectional studies

an observational research method that collects data from a diverse population (like different age groups) at a single point in time to get a "snapshot" of prevalence for traits, behaviors, or conditions

Nature vs Nurture

Nature refers to genetic, inherited traits (biology, DNA), while nurture encompasses environmental influences (upbringing, experiences, culture) that shape us

Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development

Sensorimotor (0–2): learns through senses & actions; object permanence

Preoperational (2–7): symbolic thinking; egocentrism; lacks conservation

Concrete Operational (7–11): logical thinking about concrete objects; conservation

Formal Operational (12+): abstract, logical, and hypothetical reasoning

Stage 1 of Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development and what it means

Sensorimotor: birth to 2, experience world mostly through your senses and movement.

When is Stranger Anxiety and Separation Anxiety

9-12 months

Object Permanence

Awareness that things continue to exist even when not perceived. Why Babies like peek-a-boo until they are about 1 year old.

Seperation anxiety

• healthy adaptive response until age of 3

• goes away with time

• does not cause difficulty in functioning

Seperation anxiety disorder

• ages 4+

• can persist for many years

• causes significant impairment in daily functioning

Stage 2 of Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development and what it means

Preoperational: 2-6, child learns to represent things with language but does not understand concrete logic.

Preoperational development

• Pretend Play

• Language Development & Mental Symbols

• Egocentrism

• Animism

Egocentrism

inability to take another point of view until develop theory of mind.

Animism

attributes life to things that are inanimate. Ex: “That police car is angry.”

Lack of Reversibility and Conservation

In the Preoperational stage, children cannot mentally reverse actions and do not understand conservation—they think quantity changes when appearance changes (e.g., taller glass = more water).

Stage 3 of Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development and what it means

Concrete Operational: 7 to 11, child begins to think concretely and complete math operations. Characterized by earliest stages of logical, realistic thinking

Reversability

stage 3: understanding that actions can be mentally reversed (e.g., 2 + 3 = 3 + 2)

Stage 4 in Jean Piaget’s theory

Formal Operational: 12 to adulthood, ability to abstractly reason and use abstract logic.

Assimilation vs accommodation

Assimilation:Adding new information to what you already know. ex: Calling a zebra a horse

Accommodation: Changing what you know to fit new informationLearning it’s a different animal and updating your idea

Continuity vs. Discontinuity (Cognitive Development)

Vygotsky: continuity — cognition develops gradually

Piaget: discontinuity — cognition develops in stages

Zone of Proximal Development:

The range of tasks a learner cannot do alone but can do with guidance from a teacher or more knowledgeable other; learning happens best here (Vygotsky).

Scaffolding with Vygotsky

A teaching method that involves providing support to learners as they develop new skills, gradually removing assistance as they become more proficient.

Crystalized vs Fluid Intelligence

Crystalized intelligence: the ability to use learned knowledge and experience (like vocab, gets bigger and bigger)

Fluid intelligence: the capacity to reason and solve novel problems independent of prior knowledge (speedy problem solving)

Sex vs Gender

Sex: biological and psychological

Gender: socially constructed roles

Gender schema theory

theory that children form mental frameworks about gender that guide behavior and expectations

Estrogen

a hormone responsible for the development of female secondary sexual characteristics and regulation of the menstrual cycle

Testosterone

a hormone responsible for the development of male secondary sexual characteristics, influencing muscle mass and libido

Stage 1 Erik Erikson.

trust vs mistrust (infancy): can i trust that my basic needs will be met? if so, then i develop trust

Stage 2 Erik Erikson.

autonomy vs shame and doubt (toddlerhood): During toddlerhood, children learn to assert their independence and make choices. If successful, they develop a sense of autonomy; otherwise, they may feel shame and doubt in their abilities

Stage 3 Erik Erikson.

Initiative vs guilt (preschool): Helping and taking care of other people —- they’re showing initiative to help out. they want to do things that they see adults doing but they can’t do it themselves so they need support

Stage 4 Erik Erikson.

industry vs inferiority (early school)

Kids ask: do i have skills compared to my peers? They begin to compare themselves to others and seek validation from their achievements. Success leads to a feeling of industry (skill), while repeated failures may cause feelings of inferiority.

Stage 5 Erik Erikson.

identity vs role confusion (adolescence): “who am i and who am i gonna be?”

Middle schoolers explore their sense of self and personal identity. Successful resolution leads to a strong sense of who they are, while failure may result in confusion about their role in society.

Stage 6 Erik Erikson.

Intimacy vs isolation (young adulthood):

forming deep, meaningful, loving relationships (intimacy) or retreating into loneliness and disconnection (isolation) after establishing a sense of self (identity) in the previous stage

Stage 7 Erik Erikson.

Generativity vs stagnation (middle adulthood):

adults focus on nurturing the next generation or contributing to society (generativity) through parenting, mentoring, or meaningful work, or they feel unproductive, self-absorbed, and disconnected (stagnation)

Stage 8 Erik Erikson.

Integrity vs despair (late adulthood):

older adults reflect on their lives, developing a sense of fulfillment and acceptance (integrity) if they feel their life was meaningful, or regret and bitterness (despair) if they focus on missed opportunities and failures, leading to wisdom or fear of death

Exploration (erikson’s identity vs role)

seeking different options related to personal values and career options

Commitment (erikson’s identity vs role)

the degree to which individuals invest in an alternate identity

Identity diffusion

When individuals lack both a sense of commitment and exploration

ex: individuals who are unsure of their beliefs, values, or goals, often feeling lost or apathetic.

Identity foreclosure

when individuals commit to an identity without exploring alternatives.

ex: they adopt the beliefs and values of their parents or culture without critical examination

Identity moratorium

individuals actively explore different identities without committing.

ex: they may try various lifestyles or ideologies, experimenting with different roles before making a decision

Identity Achievement

The successful resolution of identity exploration and commitment.

Adolescents who reach this status have a clear sense of self and direction in life.

Childhood: parallel play

when young children (toddlers/preschoolers) play independently but alongside other children, using similar toys without direct interaction (sets foundation for future cooperation/sharing)

Childhood: pretend play

Children use their imagination to create scenarios and act out different roles and events. Fosters creativity, social skills, and cognitive development as children engage in storytelling and role-playing

Adolescence: imaginary audience

The adolescent belief that everyone is constantly watching, judging, and scrutinizing their behavior and appearance, leading to intense self-consciousness, anxiety, and perfectionism

Adolescence: friendships & the brain

The impact of friendships during adolescence on brain development, influencing emotional well-being, social skills, and cognitive growth as individuals form and maintain close relationships.

Adverse childhood experiences

Negative experiences in childhood that can impact long-term health and well-being, including abuse, neglect, or household dysfunction.

Theory of Mind

The ability to understand that other people have thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and perspectives different from one’s own (develops around age 4).

Representational Thought / Mental Symbols

Ability to use mental images, words, or symbols to represent objects not physically present

Example: A child uses a banana as a phone or draws a house from memory

Temperament

Inborn personality traits that influence emotional reactivity, activity level, and sociability in infants and children.

Insecure-Avoidant Attachment

An attachment style in which infants avoid or ignore caregivers and show little distress when separated.

Personal Fable

An adolescent belief that their experiences and feelings are unique and extraordinary, contributing to risk-taking behavior.

8 stages of Erikson

Trust vs. Mistrust (0–1) — trust caregivers

Autonomy vs. Shame/Doubt (1–3) — independence

Initiative vs. Guilt (3–6) — start activities

Industry vs. Inferiority (6–12) — competence at school

Identity vs. Role Confusion (teens) — sense of self

Intimacy vs. Isolation (young adult) — close relationships

Generativity vs. Stagnation (middle adult) — contribute to society

Integrity vs. Despair (late adult) — reflect on life

Jean Piaget’s theory

• Sensorimotor (0–2)
  Learns through senses and actions; develops object permanence

• Preoperational (2–7)
  Uses symbols and language; egocentric; lacks conservation

• Concrete Operational (7–11)
  Logical thinking about concrete objects; understands conservation

• Formal Operational (12+)
  Abstract, logical, and hypothetical reasoning