Lecture 5 Flashcards
What are the three things human development researchers study?
Physical development
Cognitive development
social-emotional development
Study different age groups at the same point in time
Finds age-related differences
Advantages: quick, inexpensive
includes cohort effects
cross sectional design
Study same people over time at various ages
Advantages: real age-related change
Disadvantages: costly, time consuming; selective attrition (participant dropout)
includes history effects
longitudinal design
design to address problem of history and cohort effects
studies 2-3 age groups over a long period of time
Longitudinal- sequential design
The three stages of the developing fetus
Germinal stage
Embryonic
Fetal stages
How long is the germinal stage?
conception to 2 weeks
how long is the embryonic stage?
2 weeks to 8 weeks
how long is the fetal stage
8 weeks on
in the germinal stage, what happens 36 hours after conception?
cell starts rapidly dividing
multi cellular organism that evolves from the single cell in the germinal stage
blastocyst
What is the risk of a blastocyst not implanting to the uterine wall
30-50%
what is the baby called in the embryonic stage?
an embryo
what happens during the embryonic stage?
the baby’s major organs begin developing
What is the major distinction between embryonic and fetal stage
formation of bone cells
When is the fetal heartbeat usually first detected?
8-12 weeks after conception
what happens (in terms of baby’s growth) during the fetal stage?
Major organs finish developing
baby increases rapidly in size
What is the peak of neural growth during the fetal stage?
neural growth rate: 3 million neurons/ minute at peak
On what day, during the germinal stage, does the blastocyst travel down the Fallopian tube to attach to the uterine wall
on the 7th day
When do most abnormalities/ birth defects occur during development? Why?
The fetus is very susceptible to birth defects during the embryonic and fetal stages because this is when all the major organs are developing
What percentage is the weight of the baby’s head when first born, compared to adult head weight
25% of adult weight
Infant’s body when born: ____ adult weight
5% adult weight
: the process where neurons move from one part of the brain to their permanent; during the 3rd to the 5th month of pregnancy
neural migration
what, during development, increases the risk of psychological disorders
Prenatal exposure to certain toxins or viruses can increase the risk of psychological disorders
When are fetus movements usually first detectable?
4-6 months after conception
When can the mother first feel the baby moving?
16 weeks after conception
Generally, are female or males more active during pregnancy?
males
After the formation of ____, the embryo begins to move
nervous system
Neurons connecting brain to ear are complete ________ after conception
18 weeks
Babies can start responding to sound around___________
26 weeks
Do babies have any preference to voices? How do we know?
mother’s voice
- Slowed heart rate indicates attention. Interest and orienting response
- Rather than fast heart rate which indicates fear or distress
How long can babies retain sounds for after birth?
4 months
what do studies show about babies’ sense of taste in the womb?
Studies indicate taste preferences may start in the womb
_______ is/are present in the mothers amniotic fluid that influences taste after birth?
taste and odor chemicals
What flavours do premature babies favour
sweet flavours
How many weeks after conception do fetus’ taste buds resemble adults?
13-15 weeks
What is the least well developed sense of a fetus?
vision
How well is the sense of hearing developed by the time of birth?
almost as good as adults at birth
Do fetuses open their eyes
no
what do people/fetuses need in order to develop sight?
light
Is there anything particular about the type of sight babies’ have after birth?
they are near sighted, cannot see anything unless its very close to them
When are babies’ sight comparable to that of an adult
6 months after birth
the process by which events in the womb alter development of physical and psychological health
prenatal programming
substances that can disrupt normal prenatal development and cause life-long deficits
teratogens
When can abnormalities in the Nervous System start?
after 19 days
The risk of what disorders are increased when the mother is malnourished during her pregnancy?
schizophrenia and antisocial personality disorder
iron deficiency in mothers diet can predisposed newborn to ________________________________________
anemia, red blood cell count, cognitive impairment, motor deficiencies and poor emotional functioning
pregnancy sickness that may be a built-in body toxin detector
morning sickness
when is morning sickness the worst? why?
- during the first three months
- because babies’ major organs are developing and most susceptible to teratogens
what types of food are the worst for morning sickness?
Foods that are susceptible to mould (cheese, mushrooms) and coffee
Why are certain foods worse for morning sickness vs other foods?
possibly because they could cause birth defects
Substances and chemicals that come from the external environment also have an impact on fetal and infant development
teratogens
What are some known teratogens?
prescription drugs, alcohol, radiation, viruses
When do viruses have the most impact during development?
during the early stages of pregnancy
If the woman gets the flu during ____ months in pregnancy→ increased risk of schizophrenia for child later in life
4-6 months
a consequence of prenatal alcohol exposure that causes multiple problems, like brain damage and intellectual disability
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
What can FASD cause?
Causes damage to central NS; low birth weight; abnormalities in face, joints, head and heart; intellectual disability; behavioral problems
In Canada what are the stats on FASD?
In Canada 9/1000 babies has FASD, or 3000 babies a year
Prenatal exposure to nicotine can interfere with what? Increases risk for what?
can interfere with oxygen supply to fetus
Nicotine exposure increases risk for premature and low-weight birth, and stillbirths
If a woman smokes during pregnancy, her child’s risk for what doubles
Risk of child developing bipolar disorder later in life doubles
Is caffeine consumption during pregnancy a bad thing?
Caffeine consumption during pregnancy
–> Studies have mixed results
Caffeine consumption of ___ is linked to _____
300 mg or 3 cups
is linked to increased miscarriage risk and low-birth weight
Antidepressants Zoloft and Prozac can cause what if a pregnant woman consumes them during pregnancy?
respiratory problems, increased risk of premature birth, and short lasting effects on motor development
