Developmental Psychology Flashcards
Developmental psychology
Branch of psychology that studies systematic changes that occur during the lifespan
Stages of development throughout the life span
Prenatal period
Infancy period
Toddler period
Preschool period
Middle childhood
Adolescence
Young adulthood
Middle adulthood
Late adulthood
Longitudinal study
Researchers repeatedly examine the same individuals to detect any changes that might occur over a period of time
Cross-sectional study
Type of research design in which you collect data from many different individuals at a single point in time
Physical development
Prenatal
Early childhood
Adolescence
Adulthood
Older age
Stages of prenatal physical development
Germinal stage
Embryonic stage
Fetal stage
Prenatal complications
Problems with the placenta and teratogens
Teratogens
Environmental influence or agent that may harm the developing embryo or fetus
Examples: Alcohol and drugs, nicotine, pollution, undercooked meat and fish infections and viruses
Germinal stage
the zygote begins to divide in order to implant into the uterine wall
Embrynic stage
Stage of prenatal development from implantation through about the eighth week of preganncy. This is where major organ systems begin to form
Fetal stage
Stage of prenatal development in which the fetus develops, beginning around the ninth week of pregnancy and lasting until the birth of the child
Ovulation
The release of an egg cell from an ovary
Ovaries
The fmeale gonads which secretes estrogen and progesterone and produce mature egg cells
Fallopian tube
Straw-like tube between the ovary and the uterus through which an ovum passes after ovulation
Zygote
Fertilized egg cell
Fertilization
Union of sperm and ovum