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