Prenatal development ELP

Social and Developmental Psychology

  • Instructors: Dr. Hazel Blythe, Dr. Alyson Dodd, Dr. Jenny Paterson, Dr. Amanda Rotella

Content Overview by Week

  1. Prenatal Development

  2. Motor Development

  3. Perceptual Development I

  4. Perceptual Development II

  5. Cognitive Development

  6. Academic Development

  7. Language Development I

  8. Language Development II

  9. Reading Development I

  10. Reading Development II

  11. Mathematical Development

  12. Revision Session

Prenatal Development

  • Presented by: Dr. Hazel Blythe (hazel.blythe@northumbria.ac.uk)

Learning Outcomes for Prenatal Development Session

  • Outline major stages of prenatal development, focusing on neural development.

  • Describe genetic inheritance principles.

  • Explain risk factors for developmental disorders (genetic and external).

  • Discuss interaction between genes and environment on development.

Today's Session Topics

  • Stages of Prenatal Development: Overview of prenatal stages including germinal, embryonic, and fetal.

  • Prenatal Risks: Both genetic and external factors.

  • Epigenetics: Role of environmental influences on gene expression.

Stages of Prenatal Development

Germinal Period (Weeks 1-2)

  • Fertilization and zygote formation.

  • Implantation in uterine lining.

  • Formation of structuring nutrients: amnion, chorion, yolk sac, placenta, umbilical cord.

Embryonic Period (Weeks 3-8)

  • Formation of central nervous system, organs, muscles, and skeleton.

  • Heart starts pumping blood.

  • Rapid neuron development.

  • Formation of external features (eyes, ears, limbs).

Fetal Period (Week 9 onwards)

First Trimester (up to week 12)

  • Organization of organs, muscles, and nervous system.

  • Beginning expansion of lungs; detectable sex.

Second Trimester (Weeks 13-26)

  • Fetus becomes active; mother feels movement.

  • Rapid synapse formation.

  • Sensitivity to sound and light begins.

Third Trimester (Weeks 27-40)

  • Age of viability considered at 22-26 weeks.

  • Significant weight gain and growth.

  • Development of sensory and behavioral capacities; temperament signs noticeable.

Additional Notes on Prenatal Development

  • Neural tube forms in the first month.

  • Synaptogenesis starts in the 6th month; enhanced behavioral capacities.

  • Cerebral cortex enlarges in the last trimester.

  • Fetal movements felt by mothers around 18-20 weeks.

Prenatal Learning

  • Fetuses react to sound by the third trimester.

  • Ability to distinguish familiar and novel stimuli from 32 weeks of gestation.

  • Prenatal learning effects persist post-birth (DeCasper & Spence, 1986).

Prenatal Risks: Genetic Factors

Key Genetic Concepts

  • Chromosomes, Genes, and Alleles:

    • Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes (22 autosomes + 1 sex chromosome pair).

    • Genes are DNA segments coding for specific proteins.

Dominant and Recessive Traits

  • Dominant alleles express traits; recessive requires both alleles to express.

  • Inheritance patterns like homozygous (same alleles) and heterozygous (different alleles).

  • Polygenic traits: multiple genes contribute to a characteristic (e.g., height).

  • Mutations: Changes in DNA segments affecting trait expression.

Genetic Inheritance Models

  • Dominant vs. Recessive traits know their effects on children (e.g., diseases).

  • Polygenic traits shape characteristics exhibiting varying phenotypes.

  • Example: Blood type inheritance using codominance and recessive traits outlined (AA, AO types).

Prenatal Risks: External Factors

Teratogens and Impact

  • Environmental agents affecting development include:

    • Smoking: Linked to low birth weight, asthma, and developmental complications.

    • Alcohol: Can cause fetal alcohol syndrome, learning difficulties.

    • Drugs & Environmental Toxins: Harmful impacts on development (mercury, arsenic).

  • Maternal Factors: Disease, age, diet, emotional state influence health outcomes.

Sensitive Periods of Development

  • Germinal, Embryonic, and Fetal periods indicate vulnerability to teratogen exposure.

  • Different body systems develop at varying times and susceptibility.

Nature vs. Nurture in Development

  • Nature refers to genetic influences, while Nurture signifies environmental experiences.

  • Example: Reading development in siblings as a product of genetic and environmental factors.

Study Comparisons

  • Twin studies differentiate genetic and environmental contributions.

  • Gene-environment interactions examine responsiveness to surroundings and epigenetics.

Epigenetics Example

  • Research indicates maternal stress from domestic violence affects children's gene expression worsening outcomes long-term (Radtke et al., 2011).

Essay Question

  • Evaluate: A child is born a blank slate, focusing on prenatal influences on childhood intelligence measures.

References

  • Suggestions for further reading and study:

    • DeCasper & Spence (1986) on prenatal auditory influences.

    • Research on epigenetics and stress impacts on fetal development.