Chapter 2

Question 1

Natural selection

Answer 1

the evolutionary process by which those individuals of a species that are best adapted to their environment are the ones that are most likely to survive & reproduce (darwin)

Question 2

behavior genetics

Answer 2

the field that seeks to discover the influence of heredity & environment on individual differences in human traits & development

Question 3

evolutionary psychology

Answer 3

emphasizes the importance of adaptation, reproduction, & “survival of the fittest” in shaping behavior (darwin)

Question 4

genes

Answer 4

units of hereditary info, short segments of DNA; Help cells to reproduce themselves & to assemble proteins

Question 5

passive genotype-environment correlation

Answer 5

occur bc biological parents provide environment for child

Question 6

evocative genotype-environment correlation

Answer 6

occur bc a child’s genetically influenced characteristics elicit certain types of environments

Question 7

active (niche picking) genotype-environment correlation

Answer 7

occur when children seek out environments that they find compatible & stimulating

Question 8

epigenetic view

Answer 8

states that development is the result of an ongoing, bidirectional interchange between heredity & environment

Question 9

conception

Answer 9

a single sperm cell from a male unites w/ an ovum/egg in a female’s fallopian tube in a process called fertilization

Question 10

germinal period

Answer 10

first 2 weeks after conception; creation of zygote (fertilized egg), cell division (mitosis), & attachment of the zygote to the uterine wall

Question 11

embryonic period

Answer 11

2 to 8 weeks after conception; rate of cell differentiation intensifies, support systems for cells forms, & organs appear (organogenesis)

Question 12

fetal period

Answer 12

2 months to birth; fast development

Question 13

neural tube

Answer 13

Long, hollow, pear-shaped tube on embryo’s back; forms about 21 days after conception out of the ectoderm; tube closes at the top & bottom by about 27 days after conception

Question 14

neurogenesis

Answer 14

Massive proliferation of new immature neurons; generation of new neurons

Question 15

neural migration

Answer 15

15 wks after conception; cells migrate to create different levels, structures, & regions of the brain

Question 16

neural connectivity

Answer 16

23 wks after conception; connections between neurons form & continues postnatally

Question 17

teratogen

Answer 17

any agent that can cause a birth defect or negatively alter cognitive & behavioral outcomes

Question 18

First stage of birth

Answer 18

? stage of birth; The longest, uterine contractions are 15-20 min apart at beginning & last up to a min each; contractions open up cervix; lasts avg 6-12 hrs

Question 19

Second stage of birth

Answer 19

? stage of birth; Babys head starts to move thru cervix & birth canal; terminates when baby completely emerges; lasts avg 45 min to 1 hr

Question 20

Third stage of birth

Answer 20

? stage of birth; Aka afterbirth; placenta, umbilical cord, & other membranes are expelled from uterus & pass thru vagina; lasts few minutes

Question 21

Apgar scale

Answer 21

widely used to assess the health of newborns at one & five min after birth; evaluates infants heart rate, respiratory effort, muscle tone, body color, & reflex irritability
○ total score of 7-10 indicates good condition, score of 5 indicates some developmental difficulty, & score of 3 or less is emergency

Question 22

bonding

Answer 22

formation of a connection between parents & their newborn during the period after birth; bonding can happen later on

Question 23

postpartum period

Answer 23

period after childbirth or delivery that lasts for about 6 wks or until moms body has completed its adjustment & returned to prepregnant state; physical, emotional, & psychological adjustments

Question 24

What are the consequences of a low birth weight?

Answer 24

Brain damage, impaired cognitive development (adhd, autism, learning disabilities), breathing problems (asthma)