Human Development Flashcards
what is human development
the sequence of age related changes from conception to death
stages of human development
- Prenatal
- Childhood
- Adolescence
- Adulthood
Explain nature vs nuture
it is a theory regarding the role of hereditary vs environment and it’s effects on human development
- > is IQ mostly inherited or is it determined by early environment
- > is there a criminal gene
is development continuous
There is a stage theory
- > distinct phases of development (complete one to enter another)
and a continuity theory
- > there is gradual and abrupt development, even move backwards
Prenatal stage and it’s subclasses
3 Main stages
Germinal (0-2 weeks)
- > conception, implantation, formation of placenta
Embryonic (2wks - 2 months)
- > vital organs and systems formed
Fetal (2 months - birth)
- > rapid growth, muscle and bones, age of viability
germinal stage
- > egg migrates from fallopian tude into the uterus
- > implants on uterine wall for 10 days (¼ are spontaneously aborted)
- > placenta forms
- > zygote, rapic cell division
embryonic stage
- > vital organs and systems are formed
- > particularly vulnerable stage, highest risk of miscarriage
fetal stage
- > rapid growth
- > muscle and bones form
- > reaches age of viability
influences on prenatal development
- > nutrition
- > drug and alcohol use
- > exposure to toxins
- > stress and illness
- > disease
- > maternal age
teratogen
factor that causes embryo malformation
- > i.e. alcohol will cause fetal alcohol syndrome (flat upper lip and stuck out ears)
thalidomide babies
Thalidomide is a drug that was marketed as a sedative and treatment for morning sickness in pregnant women in the late 50s and early 60s.
This drug subsequently caused babies to be born with a range of disabilities, primarily baby was born without limbs
temperment
characteristic activity level and emotional reactivity
- > how reactive you are
link childhood temperament to your later personality
*temperament is the precursory to personality*
- > the temperament differences in babies can be a reliable foundation/starting point adults personalities
- > we can’t call it “personality” because the baby has not had enough interaction with the environment to form a personality
variation in baby temperament
easy baby
- > easy to console themselves; easily content/ to make happy again
Slow-to-warm baby
- > baby a little shy, will like you when they get to know you
- > adaptable; will adjust to change but will be a bit difficult
Difficult child
- > will cry and cry, resistant to change
Mixed
- > can go through phases of easy, difficult, ect.
- > all babies go through phases but this more relates to structured changes instead of day by day
when does temperament emerge
3 months lasts until around 10 years when your personality starts to become fixed
cephalocaudal trend in childhood motor skill development
- > you body works more on getting the head/brain under physical control then you work down to the arms, trunk, legs, feet
prximodistal trend in childhood motor skill developmet
centre - > outward
- > baby learns to use trunk and spine before the limbs
factors that effect motor development
- > physical growth
- > maturation (unfolding of genetic blueprint)
- > exploration of the environment (kids outside playing will develop more than those in front of tvs)
developmental variation
usually fine, some kids start late but everyone catches up
attachment
close emotional bonds between an infant and its primary caregivers
what are harlow’s Monkeys
- > research study that separated 2 monkeys from their birth mothers
- > raised them with fake mothers, one provided food and nutrients, and the other had a face
- > if baby was stressed, it saught comfort with the nice looking mother, not with the one that gave it food
harlows monkeys proved what?
that all mammalian babies require affectionate contact (especially touch) to thrive
- > lack of touch and isolation can kill you/ cause irreparable damage
ainsworths strange situation
- > use to assess the quality of attachment a young child has
- > based on the idea of separation anxiety;
*what does the child do when the parent leave and when they come back*
results of ainsworths strange situation
- > a securely attached child will not be happy that their parent it gone, they will be reluctant to interact but they will adjust. the child will rush over to the parent when they come back
- > if a child has learnt that nothing good/comforting will happen if they rush over to a parent for support (unreliable parent = no safe spot), they will develop an avoidance attachment
*no one cares, they don’t know if their parent will care to take care of them when they’re in distress
what are gender differences
- > toddler girls tend to play more with dolls and feminine things
- > todler boys play more with trucks, more active play
- > gender differences are true in many species (boy and girl monkey)
Eric Erikson’s Theory of personality
8 stages that span across your lifetime
- > marked by psychosocial crisis
kohlbergs stages of moral development
3 stages of adulthood
- > early adulthood
- > middle adulthood
- > late adulthood
