Class Notes Flashcards
Reasons to study child development
a. raising children
b. social policy
c. understanding human nature
Examples of why developmental psych is important.
a. Autism and vaccines
b. Shyness and parenting
c. Nicaraguan sign language invented by kids
Why is raising children a reason to study child development?
Research allows for evidence-based practices to help us raise healthy, happy children and reduce controversy in parenting strategies.
Themes of child development
- Nature/Nurture
- The Active Child
- Continuity/Discontinuity
- Mechanisms of Developmental Change
- The Sociocultural Context
- Individual Differences
- Research/Children’s Welfare
Phenotype vs Genotype
Genotype is the genetic makeup, phenotype is how it affects physical characteristics. Phenotype depends on interaction with the environment
Why is social policy a reason to study child development?
Research facilitates informed decisions about social policies that affect children like education, child testimony, and health education.
Heritability
Heritability is the genes that parents pass along to parents (50% each) but environment also affects things
Why is understanding human nature a reason to study child development?
Interest in if there are critical periods and innate aspects of human behavior.
nature/nurture
Nature: genetics/innate endowment
Nurture: environment
Every trait is influenced by both interacting with each other, complex
the active child
Children contribute to their own development
• Elicit reactions from others
• Select environments
• This becomes more prominent the older you are
Form attachments and learn language by being interested in what’s around you
continuity/discontinuity
Pine tree: developmental continuity
• Gradual, can be difficult to notice unless looking over large period
Butterfly: developmental discontinuity
• Complete categorical change from what you were like before
Depends on how you examine
• Height can seem continuous or discontinuous
o Looking in centimeters = gradual
o Looking by year = discontinuous
Stage theories: development occurs in a progression of age-related, qualitative shifts
o Mechanisms of developmental change
Why/how does change occur?
• Interaction of genes and environment
• Adolescent and young adult risky behavior
o Spending more time with peers increases possibility of risk behavior
Allostatic load: wear and tear on body that results from chronic severe life stress
Predictor=chronic life stress, mechanism=allostatic load, developmental outcome=poor mental and physical health
o Sociocultural context
Physical, social, cultural, economic, and historical circumstances
Example: co-sleeping
• US emphasizes independence while other countries emphasize teamwork/codependence
Ethnicity, race, and socioeconomic status have strong implications for child development
• 16% of children in 2020 live below poverty line
o Matters because it is associated with poor environmental conditions
o Disproportionately affects people of color
o Parents have less time and less resources to provide for the kids
individual differences
How do children become different from one another?
• 4 key factors
o Genes
Impact but don’t determine everything
o Differential treatment
Teachers respond more positively to students who do well
o Reactions
Everyone reacts differently to their environment
• a loud bang may illicit a larger response from one person than another
o Environment selection
As you grow older, you’re more able to choose your environment
• Sports, friends, etc.
• research and children’s welfare
research and children’s welfare
Practical benefits to diagnosing and helping problems that arise in children
• Books, programs
Gene-environment correlations
occur when there are genetically influenced differences in exposure to environmental risk factors.
Evocative: child prompts changes in how people treat them. ex: Angry kid makes people scared to interact with him
Active: how the kid influences their own development. ex: kid that likes books reads a lot and gets smart.
genotype
the genetic material an individual inherits
heredity
how parents pass on genes to their child
gene-environment correlation
When genetic makeup is correlated with their environment
Passive gene-environment correlations versus parenting effects
• The association between a genotype inherits from their parents and the environment they are raised in
o The environment parents create at home is influenced by parents own characteristics
phenotype
individuals observable characteristics; results from interaction of the genotype with the environment. Can be turned on or off.
Gene-environment interactions
Early experiences in the environment affect how different genes manifest themselves
Shared and non-shared environments
Shared environments are the same. Non-shared environments are different.
How does environment impact child phenotype?
If there is family conflict, the child may misbehave more.
evocative
fussy children are more likely to evoke neglecting/hostile parenting.
active
children seek out environments that are compatible with their genetic dispositions
Brain development processes
a. neurogenesis: proliferation of neurons
b. migration: cells move to their ultimate destination
c. synaptogenesis: brain generates synapses
d. synaptic pruning: brain generates too many synapses, eliminates some.
e. myelination: neurons wrapped in insulation that allows for electrical signals
Plasticity advantages/disadvantages
Brain changes due to experience. Advantage: it allows for learning. Disadvantage: some experiences are bad but your brain still changes.
Types of plasticity
a. experience-expectant: general experiences shared by humanity are expected by individual brains and just happen.
b. experience-dependant: neural paths are changed. LEARNING.
c. brain damage/recovery: when brain gets damaged, plasticity can rewire things
Adolescent brain development changes
How can gene’s and environment interact.
recessive genetic disorders can appear later in life if child goes through maltreatment. For example, men who experienced severe maltreatment were more likely to engage in antisocial behavior.
MAOA gene
gene that can appear if child goes through maltreatment. It inhibits brain chemicals associated with aggression
Assimilation
Translate new information into existing schemas. e.x. have schema for horses, see zebra, think a zebra is a horse
Accomadation
Change schemas to adapt to new information. e.x. realize a zebra isn’t a horse
epigenetics
genetic inheritance is fixed, but gene expression is not because it is influenced by environment.
Equilibration
Process by which you use assimilation and accommodation together to make sure no information conflicts with any schemas.
Equilibrium
Schemas balanced, nothing conflicting