Class Notes - Developmental Psychology Developmental psychologists are interested in common patterns of development and growth and the way in which people differ throughout the lifespan. Continuity and Discontinuity • Developmental stages are periods during which physical or psychological functioning differs qualitatively from that of either earlier or later periods. • A critical period is a sensitive time in organism's development when organism may acquire particular behavior conditional on the occurrence of certain stimuli and events. Nature and Nurture • Nature-nurture controversy - long-standing debate over relative importance of heredity and learning in many aspects of functioning. • John Locke, British philosopher, believed that human infants born without knowledge or skills. • Jean Rousseau, French philosopher, argued that we bring into our world our evolutionary legacy. Research Designs • Normative investigations - specific age or stage of development. • Longitudinal design - observe and test same individuals over long period of time. • Cross-sectional design - Subject groups different ages observed and immediately compared to each other. Sequential design - subjects spanning specific, short-age range repeatedly observed over time. Data Collection • Habituation - basic response process where familiar sights, sounds or tastes no longer demand attention. Dishabituation - infant responds to new stimulus, revealing that perceive it to be different and novel.
Physical Aspects of Development Development begins at conception when sperm cells unite with the ovum. • 23 chromosomes from each parent unite at conception to form zygote. Black All Guns Blazing Pc more. • Period from conception to birth called the prenatal period.
Stages of Prenatal Development • Stage of zygote - shortest, from conception until approximately 2 wks later. • Ovum usually fertilized in one of fallopian tubes. • Zygote takes 7 days move down fallopian tubes to uterus • Zygote takes another 7 days to be firmly implanted in wall of uterus.
Psychology Class Notes written by a Psychology instructor to help psychology students. MODULE - I Foundations of Psychology An Introduction to Psychology Notes PSYCHOLOGY SECONDARY COURSE 3 Fig. 1.1: Aspects of the subject matter of psychology. Marui Tactical Master Manual. This section provides the schedule of lecture topics for the course along with lecture notes and handouts for. (PDF) 2: The Science of Social Psychology and Vice.
• Stage of embryo - lasts 6 weeks, from week 2 to week eight. • At Beginning three types of cells can be differentiated. • Some become the nervous system • Some will become internal organs • Others become muscles, skeleton, and blood vessels. • Unborn organism most sensitive to external or environmental influences. • Stage of fetus - longest, lasting until birth.
• Organs grow and begin functioning • Arms and legs move by end of third month • By 7 month reaches viability - can survive if born prematurely. • Fetus ready to be born at about 270 days. Environmental Influences On Prenatal Development • During rapid stage prenatal development, even small environmental disturbances can have serious and lasting consequences. • Maternal malnutrition - increases in miscarriages, stillbirths, and premature births.
• Deficiencies in specific vitamins and minerals • Calcium deficiencies -- development of bones and teeth in fetus • Nutrient deficiencies may adversely affect mother. • Drugs and chemicals • Smoking by mother - low birth-weight, hearing defects • Smoking mother may have more miscarriages, stillbirths, and babies who die soon after birth than mothers who do not smoke. • Alcohol - heavy drinking increases probability of having smaller babies and babies with retarded physical growth, poor coordination, poor muscle tone, and intellectual retardation; collectively these are called fetal alcohol syndrome.
• FAS leading preventable cause of birth defects leading to mental retardation. • Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates 8,000 babies born with FAS every year in US. • Total abstinence from alcohol during pregnancy best advice. • Psychoactive drugs such as heroin and/or cocaine • Babies may be born addicted leading to painful withdrawal and hospital stay averaging 42 days. • Low birth weight, difficult regulating sleep/waking cycles, and symptoms of FAS.
• Drugs should be used with great care and only after consulting with physician. • Tetracycline taken during pregnancy colors fetal bones and teeth yellow. • Even aspirin become suspect as potential complications. • Maternal stress causes hormone changes and reduces oxygen available to fetus. • Role of father • one third Down's syndrome babies result from difficulties with sperm • Undernourishment, alcohol or drug abuse, or stress in father near time of conception may have developmental consequences on child. Motor Development • First two weeks of life newborn referred to as neonate. • Neonate capable wide range behaviors • Reflexes • Useful purpose • More than dozen reflexes in neonate.