Development Flashcards
Development Definition
changes and continuities that occur within the individual between conception and death
Two processes: Maturation, Learning
Maturation
biologically timed unfolding of changes within the individual according to that individual’s genetic plan. Influenced by specific environmental conditions that shape the genetically determined processes
Learning
Relatively permanent changes in our thoughts, behaviours, and feelings because of our experiences. The acquisition of neuronal representation of new information
Interactionist Perspective
The view that holds that maturation and learning interact during development.
- Perspective helps understand inherited traits, prenatal development, and how the nervous system develops across the lifespan
Can learning affect maturation?
Yes. Learning from the environment modulates the maturation of human processes (maturation will be delayed if child is kept in a dark room all alone)
T/F Changes that occur earlier in life are much more dramatic than those occurring later in lif
True
Habituation Procedure
To determine if the infant can detect the difference between two stimuli
- Repeatedly presenting the infant with the same stimulus (tone or picture) while measuring changes in physiological responses like heart rate and breathing or behavioural orienting responses like head or eye movements
Habituation
A decrease in the responsiveness to a stimulus following its repeated presentation.
- used to test colour perception
Dishabituation
An increase in the responsiveness to a stimulus that is somehow different from the habituated stimulus
Event-related potentials (ERP)
A measure of the brain electrical activity evoked by presentation of stimuli.
- Special cap with an array of electrodes is placed on the scalp. Electrodes detect changes in electrical activity across a population of neurons in the brain.
- If presenting a visual stimulus, you may expect changes in activity of the occipital lobe of the brain
High Amplitude Sucking Method
- measured by a special pacifier
- measure baseline first
- If they like the music notes, they will keep sucking fast, if they do not, they will suck at baseline or maybe even slower
Preference Method
looking chamber to simultaneously look at two different stimuli. If more attention is being directed to one stimulus over the other.
Competence-Performance Distinction
An individual may fail a task not because they lack those cognitive abilities, but because they are unable to demonstrate those abilities
Longitudinal Design Research Method
A developmental research design in which the same individuals are studied repeatedly over some subset of their lifespan
- Expensive
- Time consuming
- practice effects
Cross-Sectional Design Research Method
A developmental research design in which individuals from different age groups are studied at the same point in time
- cannot distinguish age effects from generational effects
- cannot directly asses individual development stages
Zygote
Cell formed when sperm penetrates an ovum. Contains 46 chromosomes (23 chromosomes contributed from each parent)