Development Flashcards
Development Science
A field of study devoted to understanding change constancy throughout the lifespan.
The main goal of developmental science
To identify factors that affect consistencies and transformations in people from conception to death.
The human development influenced by
biological, psychological and social factors.
The lifespan perspective on human development assumes that
Humans develop according to
- Lifelong - each period important & powerful
- Multidimensional & multidirectional – biological, social & psychological changes / at every period both decline & growth
- Highly plastic- elderly people respond to special training with substantial gains in mental abilities.
Periods of development
Prenatal - Conception to birth Infancy and toddlerhood - Birth - 2 years Early childhood - 2 - 6 years Middle childhood - 6 - 11 years Adolescence - 11 -18 years Early adulthood - 18 - 40 years Middle adulthood - 40 - 65 years Late adulthood - 65 - death
Major Domains of Development
physical, cognitive and emotional/social development.
Conception & Prenatal Development
Zygote
Embryo
Fetus
Zygote length
from 0 to the 2nd week
Zygote key events
Fertilization (first 7 days)
- First cell duplication (not complete until about 30 hours of conception)
- New cells are added at a faster rate
- 4th day 60 to 70 cells exist that form blastocyst
- Trophoblast protective covering and nourishment
Implantation ( 7th - 9th days)
- Trophoblast forms AMNION & AMNIOTIC FLUID
- The placenta and umbilical cord (9th -14th)
- The end of the second week the placenta starts to develop
Placenta; permits food and oxygen to reach the organism and waste products to be carried away
The placenta is connected to the UMBILICAL CORD containing one large vein that delivers blood loaded with nutrients and two arteries that remove waste products
Embryo length
2nd - 8th week
Embryo key events
Nervous system & skin, muscles, skeleton, circulatory system, internal organs, lungs
The NS develops fastest NEURAL TUBE, which will become the spinal cord and brain, is formed
By the 3,5 weeks production of neurons
The heart begins to pump blood, muscles, backbone & digestive track begins to appear
At the second week; Arms, legs, fingers, and toes;
Eyes, ears, nose, jaw, and neck form
Heart begins beating
Fetus length
8th - 30 week
Fetus key events
Growth and finishing
Organs, muscles, and NS start to become organized and connected
12th week: external genitals are well-formed 🡪 sex of the fetus
Fingernails, toenails, tooth buds, and eyelids (open and close)
Cerebral cortex enlarges
Age of viability: the earliest point which the baby can survive if born prematurely. (22 weeks)
Teratogens
Any environmental agent that causes damage during the prenatal period.
Common examples of teratogens are
Drugs, tobacco, alcohol, infectious diseases, radiation and genetic disruptions.
Drugs (Thalidomine and Accutane)
Thalidomine - a synthetic hormone prescribed to prevent miscarriages, although caused gross deformities on embryo’s arm and legs.
Accutane - prescribed to treat severe acne. Results in eye, ear, skull, brain, heart abnormalities.
Tobacco (Nicotine)
Nicotine: Raises the concentration of carbon monoxide
in the bloodstreams of both mother & fetus.
Carbon monoxide damaging the CNS & slowing the body
growth and causes miscarriage, prematurity, asthma & development of cancer.
Alcohol (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome)
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS): Occurs when a mother uses alcohol during pregnancy. Slow physical growth, facial abnormalities such as thin upper lip, short eyelid openings, small head. Problems related to memory, language, attention, motor coordination.
Infectious disease (Rubella, HIV and Syphilis, diabetes)
Rubella - during the embryonic period, eye
cataracts, deafness, heart, genital abnormalities.
HIV - 20 to 30 per cent of the time. Babies survive for only 5 to 8 months.
Syphilis, diabetes - high blood pressure may
also, produce permanent effects on the fetus.
Radiation
Examples can be about Bombing of Hiroshima- Nagasaki; explosion in Chernobyl that causes miscarriages, underdeveloped brain, physical deformities, slow physical growth, development of cancer later.
Genetic Disruptions
Genetic disorders or random errors negatively influence prenatal development. A single cell is copied with some error/break in the DNA.
The cell goes on to replicate with the error retained resulting in impaired development of organs
Down Syndrome
results from mistakes during the ovum & sperm are formed. (A chromosome pair (21st chromosome) doesn’t separate properly)
How infants learn to use their bodies
through movement starting from the birth
Motor behaviours
bodily motions that occur as a result of the self-initiated force that moves the bones & muscles
Some aspect of motor coordination evident at birth, others develop gradually during infancy & early childhood.
Infants are born with a large set of automatic behaviours (reflexes) such as
Rooting: Stroke cheek near the corner of the mouth. Head turns towards. Becomes voluntary at 3 weeks. Helps the infant to find the nipple.
Sucking: Permits feeding. Becomes voluntary after 4 months.
Palmar grasp: Infant spontaneously grasps a finger. Prepares the infant for voluntary reaching. Disappears at the age of 3-4 months.
Gross motor development
control over actions that help infants get around the environment
-crawling, standing, and walking
Fine motor development
smaller movements
- reaching and grasping
Ulnar grasp
Around 3-4 months; reaching appears & improves in accuracy; ulnar grasp; clumsy motion; fingers close against the palm
Pincer Grasp
At the end of the 1st year; pincer grasp; the use of thumb & index finger to manipulate objects.
Ulnar and pincer grasp correspond to which motor development
Fine Motor development
Grow in spurts
occurring every 30-55 days in children ages 3-16.
Cognitive development
how we acquire the ability to learn, think, communicate, and remember over time.
Schemes
psychological structures referring to the organized ways of making sense of experience./ Organized patterns of functioning. Actions or mental representations that organize knowledge or experience.
Two processes in the account for change of scheme
Adaptation
Organization