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
patterns of attachments
- > secure (dog)
- > anxious-ambivalent
- > avoidant (cat)
things that help develop secure attachment
- > showing sensitivity/ care for child
- > responsiveness (if I ask for care then you’ll give it to me)
- > daycare (teaches children to interact with others and that their parent will come back)
- > cultural factors
what is a stage theory of development
- > progress through stages in order
- > progress through stages related to age
*major discontinuities because development is not linear*
gender
cultural, social and psychological meanings associated with masculinity and femininity
gender roles
traits designated masculine or feminine in a culture
gender identity and when does it emerge?
psychological sense of being male or female
- > emerges around 2 years
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
First stage of EE theory of personality
Trust vs Mistrust (0-2 years)
- > you rely on adults for basic needs
Successful: trustin optimistic
Unsuccessful: child is mistrusting and pessimistic
seconds stage of EE theory of personality
Autonomy vs Shame/Doubt (2-3 years)
- > child develops self sufficiency and parents try and regulate childs behaviour
Successful: sense of self sufficiency
Unsuccessful: sense of shame/doubt (can I do things for myself)
stage 3 of EE theory
Initiative vs Guilt (3-6 years)
- > experiment and take initiative (I made you this noodle drawing; cut their own hair)
Successful: independence and self-esteem
Unsuccessful: guild and lower self esteem
(I cut my hair: Moms gonna yell at me or look at me go)
stage 4 of EE
Industry vs inferiority (6yrs to around puberty)
- > your ability to function socially beyond their family and in doing so they develop competence
Successful: devel sense of competence
Unsuccessful: sense of worthlessness, low self esteem
Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development
*another stage theory*
thought there were two major ways that we learn/absorb thinking
Assimilation
- > process of taking in new knowledge or experience
Accommodation
- > change our ways of thinking to explain new experiences
Piagets 4 stages of cognitive development
- > sensorimotor
- > pre-operational
- > concrete operational
- > formal operational
piaget sensorimotor period
0-2 years; a child learns about the world through their senses and motor action
- > language develops in this phase
- > develops object permanence
why is object permanence important
- > we need to understand that objects exist independent of you
- > before 6months, infants act as if objects removed from sight cease to exist
piagets preoperational period
(2-7 years)
Conservation acquired
- > physical quantities remain constant even when shape/appearance changes (pour water from one cup to another shaped cup, same amount of liquid)
Concentration
- > focus on one feature
Irreversibility
- > inability to mentally reverse an action
Egocentrism
- > limited ability to share another viewpoint
Animism
- > belief that all thing are living
Piagets concrete operation period
(7-11 years old)
- > can perform operations on tangible objects (not good with abstract things)
- > begin conversation
- > reversibility mastered
- > less egocentrism (stop thinking everyone has a sister because they have a sister)
Piagets formal operation period
around 11 years old
- > develop abstract thinking
- > understand some math, risk and probability
Kohlbergs theory of moral development
- > assessed moral reasoning by giving people ethical dilemmas
- > examined peoples reasoning
- > proposed 6 stages
kohlbergs stages of moral development
moral reasoning
- > ability to distinguish right from wrong
pre-conventional level of kohlbergs thory
- > mentally refer to external authority
- > wrong = punishment, right = rewarded
conventional level of kohlbergs theory
- > refers to the rules to maintain social order
- > internalized rules
- > inflexible moral thinking
- > rules are absolute
post conventional level of kohlbergs theory
- > personal code of ethics
- > less rigid about rules
- > greater flexibility in thinking
adolescence
- > transition between late childhood and early adulthood (13-22)
- > development of sense of self
- > sexual maturity attained
physiological changes of puberty
9-10 for girls, 10-12 (boys)
- > growth spurt
- > primary and secondary sex characteristics
- > menarche (first menstruation) and spermarche (when viable sperm are available)
puberty
sexual maturation
relate timing of puberty of newer generations vs older
- > menarche used to happen at around 15-16 not its 12-13
what is the last part of the brain to mature
frontal lobe
- > not complete until 20s
- > controls executive control, planning, emotional regulation
marcia’s identity status
1 . Identity diffusion
- > no commitment to a goal/vision
2. Identity foreclosure
- > premature commitment to a goal/vision
3. Identity moratorium
- > delay commitment; experiment with alternatives
4. Identity achievement
- > arrive at direction/passion (reinforces sense of self)
emerging adulthood
- > between 18-25
- > middle stage of adolescence and become a full fledged adult
Contributing factors
- > delays in marriage an parenting
- > delays leaving family home
3 stages of adulthood
- > early adulthood
- > middle adulthood
- > late adulthood
cohabitating and marriage stats in recent years
- > there is an increased rate of cohabitating
- > 40% of children are born outside of marriages
boomerang children
- > child returns home to live with parents after moving out
- > this is increasingly common
- > conflict if new roles to be negotiated
personality development
- > personality stays pretty much the same as you grow up but you tend to become more open and agreeable
