Nurs 203 Midterm

Front: What is growth and development from a lifespan perspective?
Back: Development is lifelong, multi‑directional (gains & losses), multi‑contextual (family, SES, history), multi‑cultural, and plastic (change is possible at all ages).

Front: What is the ecological-systems approach?
Back: Development occurs within nested systems

Microsystem: immediate environment (family, school)

Mesosystem: interactions between microsystems

Exosystem: indirect influences (parent’s job, community resources)

Macrosystem: culture, values, laws

Chronosystem: time, historical changes

Front: What does the nature/nurture debate refer to?
Back: Nature = genetics; Nurture = environment. Development results from interaction of both (e.g., temperament + parenting style).

Front: Difference between critical and sensitive periods?
Back:

  • Critical: must occur for normal development (e.g., limb formation in embryo).

  • Sensitive: ideal time for development but not required (e.g., language learning).

Front: What does psychoanalytic theory focus on?
Back: Inner drives, unconscious motives, early experiences.

Front: What does behaviorism focus on?
Back: Observable behavior shaped by reinforcement, punishment, conditioning.

Front: What does cognitive theory focus on?
Back: How people think, reason, and understand the world.

Front: What does social learning theory emphasize?
Back: Learning through modeling, imitation, observation.

Front: What does humanism focus on?
Back: Universal human needs, potential for growth, free will.

Front: What is Maslow’s theory?
Back: People must meet lower needs (physiological → safety → love → esteem) before reaching self‑actualization.

Front: Freud’s focus?
Back: Psychosexual stages; unconscious drives.

Front: Erikson’s focus?
Back: Psychosocial stages across the lifespan.

Front: Piaget’s focus?
Back: Cognitive development stages (sensorimotor → formal operations).

Front: What does information processing compare thinking to?
Back: A computer — input, storage, retrieval.

Front: Skinner’s contribution?
Back: Operant conditioning (reinforcement/punishment).

Front: Bandura’s contribution?
Back: Social learning, modeling, self‑efficacy

Front: Maslow’s contribution?
Back: Hierarchy of needs; self‑actualization.

Front: What is the genome?
Back: The full set of genes that make up an organism.

Front: Purpose of genetic counseling? Who benefits?
Back: Helps families understand genetic risks. Beneficial for older parents, family history of disorders, or known carriers.

Front: How long is a normal pregnancy?
Back: About 38–40 weeks (40 weeks from last menstrual period).

Front: What months are in each trimester?
Back:

  • 1st: Months 1–3

  • 2nd: Months 4–6

  • 3rd: Months 7–9

Front: What is the age of viability?
Back: Around 22–24 weeks — when a fetus can survive outside the womb with medical support.

Front: What is a teratogen?
Back: Any substance that can harm prenatal development (alcohol, drugs, infections, radiation).

Front: What is the threshold effect?
Back: A teratogen is harmless until exposure reaches a certain level.

Front: What is adequate prenatal care?
Back: Regular checkups, nutrition, screenings, education. Improves outcomes for mother and baby.

Front: What are the stages of labor?
Back:

  1. Dilation/Effacement of cervix

  2. Delivery of baby

  3. Delivery of placenta

Front: Effacement
Back: Thinning of the cervix.

Front: Dilation
Back: Opening of the cervix (0–10 cm).

Front: Cervix
Back: Lower part of uterus that opens into vagina.

Front: Fundus
Back: Top of uterus.

Front: Presentation
Back: Part of baby entering birth canal first (usually head)

Front: How common are C‑sections? Risks?
Back: ~30% of U.S. births. Risks: infection, longer recovery, breathing issues for baby.

Front: What does APGAR measure?
Back: Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, Respiration.

Front: What is skin‑to‑skin and what does it do?
Back: Baby placed on parent’s chest; stabilizes temperature, heart rate, bonding.

Front: What is kangaroo care?
Back: Skin‑to‑skin for preterm infants; improves weight gain, bonding, regulation.

Front: Signs and risks of post-partum depression?
Back: Sadness, withdrawal, anxiety. Risks: hormones, stress, lack of support.
Most serious: postpartum psychosis → requires immediate medical care.

Front: Definition and consequences of low birth weight?
Back: < 5.5 lbs. Risks: breathing problems, developmental delays, and infection.

Front: What encourages breastfeeding?
Back: Early latch, skin‑to‑skin, rooming‑in, support.

Front: What interferes?
Back: Formula supplementation, separation, poor latch support.

Front: Benefits for baby and mother?
Back:

  • Baby: immunity, fewer infections, ideal nutrition

  • Mother: bonding, reduced bleeding, lower cancer risk