Unit 6 Developmental Psychology

Mod 42 (Developmental Issues. Prenatal Development & the Newborn )

* What do developmental psychologists do?

Developmental psychologists study physical, cognitive, and social changes throughout the lifespan, from conception to old age. They examine how people grow and change and what influences these changes.

* List and describe the three major issues that developmental psychologist’s research?

Nature vs. Nurture – Examines how genetic inheritance (nature) and environmental factors (nurture) influence development.

Continuity vs. Stages – Debates whether development is a gradual, continuous process or occurs in distinct stages.

Stability vs. Change – Explores whether personality traits persist through life or change over time.

Conception

*Describe the union of sperm and egg at conception

Conception occurs when a sperm cell penetrates an egg cell, forming a zygote. The zygote contains all the genetic information needed for a new human being and begins to divide rapidly.

Prenatal Development

* Define the following:

- Zygote A fertilized egg that undergoes rapid cell division for about two weeks before becoming an embryo.

- Embryo The developing human from about 2 weeks to 8 weeks after conception, during which organs begin to form.

- Fetus The developing human from 9 weeks after conception to birth, during which the body matures and gains the ability to survive outside the womb.

* What is a teratogen? Give an example. A teratogen is any harmful substance (such as drugs, alcohol, or viruses) that can pass through the placenta and negatively affect fetal development.

* What is FAS?

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a condition caused by heavy alcohol consumption during pregnancy. It can lead to physical deformities, cognitive impairments, and behavioral issues in the child.

The Competent Newborn

* All babies exhibit a set of specific reflexes. The following reflexes we are born with and lose later in life as our brain grows and develops. Describe them.

- Rooting reflex A newborn turns their head and opens their mouth when their cheek is touched, searching for food.

- Sucking reflex A newborn automatically starts sucking when something is placed in their mouth.

- Grasping reflex A newborn tightly grasps objects placed in their hand.

- Moro reflex A newborn flails their arms and legs out and then pulls them in when startled.

- Babinski reflex A newborn’s toes fan out when the sole of the foot is stroked.

*Discuss how habituation is used to understand a newborn’s competencies.

Habituation occurs when a baby becomes less responsive to a repeated stimulus. Researchers use this to study infant learning and perception. If a baby stops responding to a stimulus, it indicates that they recognize it as familiar.

*Describe a newborn’s visual, auditory & olfactory (smell) preferences?

Vision – Prefers faces, especially their mother’s

Hearing – Prefers human voices, especially the mother’s voice.

Smell – Recognizes and prefers the scent of their mother.

Mod 43 (Infancy & Childhood: Physical Development)

*During infancy, a baby grows from newborn to toddler, and during childhood from toddler to teenager.

* Define and give an example of maturation

Maturation refers to biological growth processes that enable orderly developmental changes, relatively uninfluenced by experience.

Example: Babies roll over before they crawl and crawl before they walk.

Brain Development

* From ages 3 to 6, the most rapid growth was in your frontal lobes, which enable planning, decision-making, and impulse control .

* What are the last cortical (brain) areas to develop?

The association areas

Motor Development

* Describe the 5 basic skills in the proper sequence.

Rolling over

Sitting up

Crawling

Standing

Walking

* What is SIDS?

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the unexplained death of an otherwise healthy infant, often occurring during sleep.

*What part of the brain rapidly develops to create our readiness to learn walking at about age 1?

The cerebellum, which is responsible for balance and coordination.

Infant Memory

*We have no conscious memories of events occurring before about what age?

We have no conscious memories before about age 3.5 due to infantile amnesia.

* Based on the information in this section, how might you reply to a friend who insists he remembers events clearly from his 1^st & 2^nd years of life?

If a friend claims to remember events from their first two years, you could explain that while they might have implicit (unconscious) memories, they likely don’t have accurate, detailed recall of those experiences.

Mod 44 (Infancy & Childhood: Cognitive Development)

* What are schemas?

Schemas are mental frameworks that help us organize and interpret information.

* To explain how we adjust our schemas Piaget proposed two processes. What are they? Describe the difference between these two processes.

Assimilation – Interpreting new information using existing schemas.

Example: A child calls a cat "dog" because it has four legs.

Accommodation – Modifying schemas to fit new information.

Example: The child learns that not all four-legged animals are dogs.

*Make a chart describing Piaget’s cognitive development. Be sure to include happenings in each stage.

*What are 2 examples of how Piaget underestimated young children’s competence in the sensorimotor stage?

Infants develop object permanence earlier than he thought.

Babies show an understanding of numbers and physics.

Smart People Cook Fish

Stinking Pigs Can’t Fly

*Discuss how Lev Vygotsky’s views on the cognitive development of children differ from Jean Piaget.

Piaget emphasized stages and independent discovery.

Vygotsky emphasized social interactions and the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD).

Close-Up

* What is ASD?

Autism Spectrum Disorder

*What is mind blindness?

Difficulty understanding others’ thoughts and emotions.

* How does ASD impact boys differently than girls?

ASD impacts boys more often than girls (4:1 ratio).

* Explain some evidence supporting biology’s influence on ASD.

Genetic links, brain structure differences, prenatal environment factors.;

Mod 45 (Social Development)

* What is stranger anxiety? At what age does this commonly occur?

Fear of strangers, commonly occurring around 8 months of age when infants form strong attachments to familiar caregivers.

* Explain what attachment is.

The emotional bond between a child and their caregiver, which influences social and emotional development.

Describe the 1950’s Harlow Monkey study. What previously held belief did it overturn?

Demonstrated that infant monkeys preferred a soft, comforting cloth mother over a wire

mother that provided food. This overturned the belief that attachment was solely based on nourishment.

* What are two keys to attachment?

Body contact (comfort) and familiarity (consistent presence of a caregiver).

* Describe critical periods and imprinting.

A critical period is an optimal time shortly after birth when exposure to stimuli influences development. Imprinting is the process of forming strong attachments early in life.

Attachment

* Explain the strange situation that Mary Ainsworth (1979) placed infants in.

Ainsworth observed infants in a lab setting where caregivers left and returned. She identified different attachment styles based on infants' reactions.

* Contrast secure and insecure attachment.

Securely Attached: Upset when caregiver leaves but easily comforted upon return.

Insecurely Attached: Either anxious/clingy (resistant) or indifferent (avoidant) when the caregiver returns.

* Discuss the role that parents play in the development of attachment.

Responsive and sensitive caregiving fosters secure attachment, while inconsistent or neglectful caregiving leads to insecurity.

* Erik Erikson said that securely attached children approach life with a sense of basic trust. Explain.

a belief that the world is predictable and trustworthy.

T / F Children are very resilient, but those who have moved repeatedly, severely neglected by their parents, or otherwise prevented from forming attachments by an early age may be at risk foe attachment problems.

Children are resilient, but severe neglect, frequent relocation, or lack of early attachment can lead to attachment disorders.

Self-Concept

* Childhood’s major social achievement is what?

Developing a positive self-concept (understanding and valuing oneself).

* What is our self-concept?

Our understanding and evaluation of who we are

* At about what age does the child recognize that the image in the mirror is me?

Around 18 months, children recognize themselves in a mirror.

* Describe children who form a positive self-concept.

hey are confident, independent, optimistic, assertive, and sociable.

Parenting Styles (Diana Baumnind)

*What are the 3 parenting styles, and how do children’s traits relate to them?

Authoritarian (strict, expect obedience) - Children are obedient but may lack self-esteem and social skills.

Permissive (few rules, indulgent) - Children may be impulsive, lack discipline, and struggle with authority.

Authoritative (firm but responsive) - Children tend to be self-reliant, socially competent, and confident.

Mod 48 (Adolescence: Physical & Cognitive Development)

*Define adolescence.

The transition period from childhood to adulthood, marked by puberty and identity exploration.

* How does early development affect males and females differently?

Males: Early puberty often leads to higher social status but also higher risk of delinquency.

Females: Early puberty can lead to anxiety, attention from older peers, and emotional distress.

*In 2005, what happened legally to a person of the ages 16 or 17? Why did this occur?

The Supreme Court ruled against the death penalty for minors due to underdeveloped cognitive and moral reasoning.

* Describe Kohlberg’s levels of moral development.

Preconventional (before age 9): Obedience to avoid punishment or gain reward.

Conventional (early adolescence): Upholding laws and social approval.

Postconventional (later adolescence/adulthood): Morality based on personal principles and justice.

Mod 49 (Adolescence: Social Development & Emerging Adulthood)

*Define identity & social identity.

Identity: A sense of self, developed by testing and integrating various roles.

Social Identity: The "we" aspect of self-concept based on group memberships.

* Name and explain Erik Erikson’s eight level of psychosocial development and include characteristics of each.

Trust vs. Mistrust (0-1 year): Secure infants develop basic trust.

Autonomy vs. Shame/Doubt (1-3 years): Developing independence.

Initiative vs. Guilt (3-6 years): Taking initiative vs. feeling guilty for trying.

Industry vs. Inferiority (6-12 years): Competence in school and social interactions.

Identity vs. Role Confusion (12-18 years): Figuring out who you are.

Intimacy vs. Isolation (20s-40s): Forming meaningful relationships.

Generativity vs. Stagnation (40s-60s): Contributing to society or feeling purposeless.

Integrity vs. Despair (60s+ years): Reflecting on life with satisfaction or regret.