Developmental Lecture 1: Introduction & Prenatal Development Flashcards
1
Q
Developmental psychology
A
A branch of social psychology that studies physical, cognitive and social change throughout the lifespan
2
Q
When does development begin?
A
Conception
3
Q
Stage 1 (5)
A
- Zygote
- Up to week 2
- A zygote is a single cell
- Contains 46 unique chromosomes
- Develops into an embryo
4
Q
Stage 2 (6)
A
- Embryo
- Week 2 to 8
- Development occurs at a rapid pace
- Critical period for susceptibility to damage
- Crucial development in terms of organ formation and sexual development
- Brain & spinal cord, sexual development, movement
5
Q
Stage 3 (2)
A
- Foetal
- From 2 months
6
Q
Stage 3, by 9 weeks (2):
A
- Foetus can swallow
- Face, palms, soles of feet can sense light touch
7
Q
Stage 3, by 10 weeks:
A
Fingernails and toenails are growing
8
Q
Stage 3, 13-14 weeks (3):
A
- Most of the foetus is touch-sensitive
- A foetus near the mouth shows the same rooting reflex newborns use to find food
- Clear gender differences emerge
9
Q
Stage 3, 20 weeks:
A
Foetus hears and responses to growing medley of sounds
10
Q
Stage 3, 25 weeks (2):
A
- Foetus response to taste
- Positive response to sweet food negative response to bitter food
11
Q
Embryo Stage 1
A
Organ formation
12
Q
Organ Formation (4)
A
- 18 days after fertilisation, the embryo’s heart appears
- 3 weeks and 1 day after fertilisation, the heart begins to beat
- by 4 weeks, heart typically beats between 105-121 times a minute
- by 8 weeks, major features can be defined (arms, hands, toes…)
13
Q
Embryo Stage 2
A
Brain & Spinal cord
14
Q
Brain & spinal cord (3)
A
- by 2 weeks, 4 days, site of future brain development first recognisable with appearance of neural plate
- 3 weeks, neural plate thickens at head end of embryo and folds into neural tube which will form brain and spinal cord
- 3 weeks, 3 primary sections of brain are identifiable: forebrain, midbrain and hindbrain
15
Q
Embryo Stage 3
A
Movement
16
Q
Movement (3)
A
- between 5-6 weeks, embryo starts to move
- essential for normal development of bones and joints
- sections begin as embryo can begin to move reflexively
17
Q
Embryo Stage 4 (3)
A
Sexual development
18
Q
Sexual development
A
- XX is female, XY is male
- a gene on the Y chromosome initiates chemical process for the development of testes, when no Y chromosome, ovaries develop
- development of testes in turn secret androgens
19
Q
How do we know about the ability of the foetus? (2)
A
- ultrasound
- foetal heart rate
20
Q
When does foetal learning occur?
A
When exposure takes place
21
Q
De Casper et al. (3)
A
- 1994
- Foetal reactions to recurrent maternal speech
- Pregnant women recited a short type aloud, each day, between 30-37 weeks of pregnancy
22
Q
Hepper (3)
A
- 1991
- Foetal reactions to exposure to television theme tunes
- Babies of mothers who had heard the sound tracks during pregnancy showed a more calm response than those who didn’t
23
Q
Foetal learning
A
Testing newborns may reveal components of development from the prenatal phase
24
Q
Teratogens
A
Substances which, when ingested by the mother-to-be, can adversely affect her unborn child
25
The Dutch Famine Study
- The effects of prenatal exposure to famine on later health
- Evidence that the effects persisted into the next generation
26
Types of teratogens (2)
- Diseases/infections (rubella, syphilis...)
- Medicine/drugs (illegal drugs, aspirin...)
27
Teratogen exposure: critical period
Time when a particular organ or other body part of the organism is the most susceptible to teratogenic damage
28
Teratogen exposure: zygote
Before implantation, teratogens rarely have an impact. If they do, the tiny mass of cells usually die
29
Teratogen exposure: embryonic
Time when serious defects are most common because the foundations of all body parts are put in place
30
Teratogen exposure: foetal
Teratogen damage is usually minor. However, organs such as the brain, eye, genitals can still be strongly affected
31
Ness et al. (3)
- 1999
- Effect of cocaine and tobacco on pregnancy
- Both drugs were significantly related to miscarriage (analysis of urine and hair samples)
32
Reissland (5)
- 2015
- Effects of smoking on a foetus
- Infants born healthy but infants from smoking mothers displayed higher rate of mouth movements compared to control group
- Foetal central nervous system did not develop at the same rate, therefore behaviour was less mature
- Speech delay in infants pre-exposed to smoke
33
Foetal alcohol syndrome
A disorder of permanent brith defects which occurs in the offspring of women who drink alcohol during pregnancy
34
What is the main effect of foetal alcohol syndrome?
Central nervous system damage, especially brain damage
35
Chromosomal abnormalities (2)
- Changes that affect chromosomes can cause problems with growth, development, and function of the body's system
- Change in the number or structure of chromosomes is known as a chromosomal disorder
