Unit 7

Development Psychology includes the Nature vs. Nurture, continuity and stages, and stability and change

researchers who emphasize experience see development as a slow, continuous shaping process

Researchers who emphasize biological maturation tend to see development as a sequence of genetically predisposed stages or steps

temperate and emotionality are remarkably consistent over the lifespan

teratogens: agents such as viruses or drugs, that can damage an embryo or fetus

fetal alcohol syndrome: marked by lifelong physical and mental abnormalities because of chemical marks on DNA that switch genes abnormally on or off

smoking during pregnancy leaves epigenetic scars that weaken the ability to handle stress

mothers’ stress can transfer stress hormones to the baby and indicate a threat and produce a early delivery

excess stress for a baby can put them at a risk for hypertension, heart disease, obesity, and psychiatric disorders

babies have natural reflexes, naturally turn their head toward human noises, and to help connect socially

maturation: biological growth process that enables orderly changes in behavior, relatively uninfluenced by experience

we consciously recall little from before age 4

babies/toddlers can remember things day to day

piaget believed that our brian built schemas, concepts, or wolds into which we pour our experiences to make sense of them

we adjust schemas and assimilation can be one of the ways

piaget believed children construct their understanding of the world while interacting with it

preoperational stage is 6/7 where children learn to use language, but doesn’t comprehend mental operations of concrete

concrete operational stage is 7-11 which children can logically think about

formal operational stage is age 12, where they can abstractly think (“if this, then that”) or logically about abstract concepts

Lev Vygotsky emphasized that children’s minds grow through interaction with social environment

babies develop stranger anxiety around 8 months of age

brain, mind, and social-emotional behavior develop together

body contact help from attachment

Psychologist Erik Erikson believed that securely attached children approach life with sense of basic trust

people who report secure relationships with their parents tend to enjoy secure friendships, adjust well to going off to college, flourish academically and socially

neglect and abuse at infant stage has devasting effects

many who experience enduring abuse don’t bounce back. They are 4x more likely to abuse their children, at increased risks for psychological disorders, substance abuse, and criminality

those who form positive self-concepts are more confident, independent, optimistic, assertive, and sociable

parent styles include authoritarian, permissive, negligent, authoritative

Men are more likely to have ASD, color deficient vision, ADHD, antisocial personality disorder as an adult, die via suicide, developed alcohol use disorder, more aggressive (mainly physical aggression), groups that are full of activities and competition, little intimate discussion, enjoy side by side activities and problem solving,

women more likely develop depression and anxiety, develop eating disorder, more likely to commit relational aggression, more interdependent overall, smaller groups of friends, more imitate soical relationships,

enriched environment increases brain power

brain maturation creates abundance of neural connection, but unused ones weaken and disappear

Parenting matters when you have good parents and bad parents (there are extremes present in the child)

G. Stanley Hall was one of the first psychologists to describe adolescence.

sequence of physical changes is more predictable than the timing of puberty

frontal lobe lags behind emotional limbic system

during teen years, reasoning is often self-focused

genes kick in at 6 weeks and biological sex is determined by chromosome 23

testosterone starts producing around week 7

primary sex characteristics and secondary sex characteristics develop around puberty

STI=STD and can be transmitted by other means (sharing needle), but sexual transmitted is most common

sexually active teens and young adults have increased risk for STI compared to older adults

sexual behaviors vary between culture (97% against in Indonesia but 6% in Germany)

environmental factors such as communication about birth control, impulsivity, alcohol use, and mass media affect increased sexual action

higher intelligence, religion, presence of father, service/learning participation (ex. volunteer & tutor) reduce sexual action

people tend to remember a lot from early adulthood (20s)

cross-sectional study compares people of different ages at same point

longitudinal studies follows and retests the same people over time

NCD=dementia