Development 1 Flashcards
WHat is Developmental Psychology?
Study of age-related changes in behaviors and mental processes from conception to death
What are the three components of development psych?
1) the developing body
a) Prenatal development
b) the aging brain
2) the developing mind
a) Piaget’s theory of cognitive development
b) Vygotsky socioltural approach
3) The developing personality
What are the stages in Prenatal development?
1) Germinal
2) Embryonic
3) Fetal
How long is the germinal period?
0-2 weeks ( time form conception to implantation)
What is a zygote and what stage in the prenatal devopment does it take place?
A Zygote is a fertilized human egg, it takes place in the germinal period ( conception - 2 weeks)
How long is the Embryonic Period ?
3 – 8 weeks:
What develops in the EMbryonic period?
Heartbeat begins; brain starts developing; recognizable body parts appear, etc.
During what prenatal deveolpmet stage is the “baby” most venerable and why
The embryonic because it’s where vital organs are being developed and during this stage the baby is the most vulnerable to environmental hazards
How long is the Fetal Period
9 weeks - birth
WHat happens during the fetal period?
Last 3 months, the fetus has Rapid growth of body and brain
WHats a fetus and where does in what stage in prenatal deveopment does it occur?
A fetus is an offspring of a human or other mammal) and it occurs in the fetal period
What are the three prenatal influences?
1) General maternal factors
2) teratogens
3) alcohol consumption
What does general maternal factors include on prenatal development ?
1)Health (e.g.,stress,diseases)
2) Diet/nutrition (e.g.,folicacid;over consumption of certain nutrients can lead to defects)
3)Age (e.g.,infant mortality rates by maternal age) ( also the age of the mom becauae the younger the mom the more at risk the baby is of like death)
What are teratogen and how do they influence prenatal development
Teratogens are Environmental hazards that can damage the developing embryo or fetus
Examples:illegal or legal drugs radiation
Teratogens harm particular structures at a particular point in
development
* Critical periods of susceptibility
How does alcohol consumption affect prenatal development? and what disorder can it cause
alcohol consumption can cause Low birth weight, preterm delivery, birth defects, intellectual disabilities, and neurodevelopmental disorders
* there is No known safe amount for alcohol consumption or known safe time
alcohol consumption can caus e Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Whishc affects the Physical, behavioral, psychological parts of the baby
* Alcohol damages unborn baby’s brain
the aging brain is the second component to what part of developmental psychology
The developing body
The Agining Brain syas what about neurons?
Neurons do die with age
* However, they can continue to increase in complexity
WHat is dementia?
Loss in mental functioning caused by physical changes in the brain
Fewer than what % of those under 65 have dementia
1%
About what percent have dementia over a certain age?
About 20% over 80 have dementia
What are some differences in a persons brain with Alzheimer’s Disease and without?
1) Cerebral Cortex: shrivels up and damages areas involved in thinking, planning, and remembering. The cerebral cortex is responsible for language info and info processing
2) Ventricles filled with cerebrospinal fluid grow larger
3) Hippocamus shrinks severyly which is bad becuase it is critcal to the formattion of new memories
What theories does The Developing Mind have?
Theories of cognitive development: Explanations of how we acquire the ability to learn, think, communicate, and remember over time
Asks if the mind has
* Stage-like or gradual changes?
* Domain-general or domain-specific?
* Principal source of learning
The Developing Body: Summary
1) What are the twp components of development body
2) Describe prenatal development, the influences
3) What does the aging brain talk about?
1) Prenatal development and the aging brain
2) Prenatal development has
* 3 stages of prenatal development
* Maternal factors
* Teratogens (critical periods of susceptibility; alcohol)
3) The aging brain talks about how :
* Neurons die with age
* Increase in complexity continues with age
* Dementia vs. Alzheimer’s Disease
What approach and theory are used to understand how the developing of mind
1) Piagets Theory of Cognitive Development
2) Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Approach