prenatal period
stage of development between conception and birth
3 stages of prenatal development
germinal stage, embryonic stage, fetal stage
germinal stage
conception, zygote, blastocyst, amniotic sac, placenta, umbilical cord, teratogens, fetal alcohol syndrome
zygote
a single celled fertilized eggs
blastocyst
bundle of cells that will implant in the uterine wall
amniotic sac
regulates exchange of fluids, cushions against environmental shock and temperature changes
placenta
passes oxygen and nutrients from parent to embryo/fetus, gets rid of waste
umbilical cord
tube with blood vessels that carries blood between embryo/fetus and placenta
teratogens
agents that can cause harm to prenatal organism (chemicals, viruses)
fetal alcohol syndrome
physical and cognitive symptoms in children of parent who drank heavily during pregnancy
embryonic stage
3rd-8th week; called an embryo; organogenesis; sexual differentiation begins; most common for misscariages
organogenesis
all major organ systems are formed
fetal stage
from 2nd month to birth; fetus; rapid growth occurs; maturing organ systems (lungs are last); development of senses and brain
infant reflexes
born with reflexes that are automatic, involuntary, unlearned; rooting, sucking, swallowing
developmental norms
median age at which people display behaviors or abilities
infant to child physical development
rapid growth over first 5 years and then slow and steady growth until puberty
infant and child cognitive development
born with some abilities and develop basic understanding; language development progresses; generally increase and improve
temperament
a person's innate characteristic emotional reactivity and intensity
easy temperament
chill/happy/social; slow to warm up, sensitive
difficult temperament
emotional/anger/frustration/no change
basic trust
sense that the world is a predictable and trustworthy place
Harlow's monkeys
wire mother has milk, cloth mother has no milk; monkey bonds with cloth mother
secure attachment
strong, healthy bond; most infants; calms down quickly
anxious/ambivalent attachment
don't trust the caregiver
avoidant attachment
bond is lacking
adolescence
transition between childhood and adulthood
menarche (girls)
first menstrual period
semenarche (boys)
first ejaculation
secondary sex characteristics
sexual differences that have no essential reproductive function
growth spurt
rapid increase in height coincides
adolescence: brain development
neurons gain myelin sheath; brain prunes unused neurons and connections; amygdala matures early, prefrontal cortex matures late (age
adolescence: cognitive development
better at seeing other's perspectives, better at thinking abstractly, reasoning about hypothetical situations, identity development
identity achievement
active exploration and chosen identity
identity moratorium
active exploration and not chosen identity
identity foreclosure
no exploration and chosen identity
identity diffusion
no exploration and no chosen identity
adolescence: emerging adulthood
new stage from 18-25ish; found in most industrialized countries; identity exploration, instability, self focus
adult physical development
peak in early adulthood, declines starts in 30s-40s, sensory decline in late adulthood
adult cognitive development
abilities to stay steady, intelligence increases; processing slows down later in adulthood; offset by being active
adult social and emotional development
satisfying work/career, positive relationships with others
fluid intelligence
information processing abilities (logical reasoning, remembering lists, reaction time)
crystallized intelligence
abilities to draw upon experience and knowledge (vocabulary, number problems, understanding texts)
developmental milestones
approximate ages at which children should reach specific normative events (walking, crawling, writing)
continuous development
development is a cumulative process with gradual improvements on existing abilities
discontinuous development
development takes place in unique stages
pre-conventional morality
obedience and punishment: behavior driven by avoiding punishment; individual interest: behavior driven by self interest and rewards
conventional morality
interpersonal: behavior driven by social approval; authority: behavior driven by obeying authority and conforming to social order
post-conventional morality
social contract: behavior driven by balance of social order and individual rights; universal ethics: behavior driven by internal moral principles