AP Psychology: 6.0 Psychological Development (Part 1)

Developmental Psychology: The study of how organisms change over time as the result of biological and environmental influences 

Infancy and Childhood

- Physical Development

- Cognitive Development 

- Social Development

Infancy = Newborn to toddler

Childhood = Toddler to teenager

Nature-Nurture issue: Long-standing discussion over relative importance of nature (heredity) and nurture (environment) in their influence on behavior and mental processes

Genes: Our Codes for Life

-Chromosomes containing DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) are situated in the nucleus of a cell.

-Segments within DNA consist of genes that make proteins to determine our development. 

Genome: the set of complete instructions for making an organism, containing all the genes in that organism. Thus, the human genome makes us human, and the genome for drosophila makes it a common house fly.

Prenatal Development

-A zygote is a fertilized egg with 100 cells that become increasingly diverse. At about 14 days the zygote turns into an embryo (a and b). 

-At 9 weeks, an embryo turns into a fetus (c and d). Teratogens are chemicals or viruses that can enter the placenta and harm the developing fetus.

Two Types of Growth

Proximodistal - From the centre of the body towards the extremities, referring to the development of an embryo, and also later stages of development, in which growth is fastest near the head and torso and progressively slower towards the feet and hands. (Organs and motor skills of the trunk/neck are developed first) Physical reactions tend to become less global and more specific with time.

Cephalocaudal - From the head to the tail, referring to the development of an embryo, and also later stages of development, in which growth is fastest at the head and progressively slower in parts of the body distant from the head. (Little kids have BIG heads)

The Competent Newborn: 

-Infants are born with reflexes that aid in survival, including rooting reflex which helps them locate food.

-Offspring cries are important signals for parents to provide nourishment. In animals and humans such cries are quickly attended to and relieved.