Lecture 1: Lifespan Development Flashcards
Cognitive development
Learning, attention, memory, language, thinking, reasoning and creativity.
Physical development
Growth and changes in the body and brain, senses, motor skills, and health and wellness.
Psychosocial development
Emotions, personality and social relationships.
Cross-sectional study
Different groups of people are compared at a single point in time.
Longitudinal study
The same group of subjects is tracked over multiple points in time.
Germinal stage (0 to 2 weeks)
Conception leads to the formation of a zygote, called a blastocyst after two days. Blastocyst migrates from the fallopian tubes to the uterus. Cellular division takes place.
Embryonic stage (2 to 8 weeks)
Basic cell layers become differentiated, major structures emerge, embryo attaches to placenta.
Fetal stage (8 weeks to birth)
Distinct regions of the brain take form, bodily systems develop, sex organs appear.
Teratogen
An environmental agent that causes damage to the developing embryo or fetus. (Alcohol, cigarettes, heavy metals, drugs, viruses).
Preterm babies
Born earlier than 36 weeks, 9% of infants, 50% survival at 25 weeks, 95% survival at 30 weeks.
Rooting reflex
Elicited by stimulation to corners of the mouth. Infants orient themselves towards the simulation and make sucking motions.
Moro reflex
When infants lose support of head. Infants grimace and reach arms outward and then inward in a hugging motion.
Grasping reflex
Elicited by stimulation to palm. Infant graps caregiver.
Synaptogenisis
Axons grow longer, dendrites increase, surplus of new connections are formed.
Synaptic pruning
Active connections are strengthened, unused connections disintegrate.
