Lecture 8: Development Flashcards
Developmental psychology
Examination how individuals grow, change, and stau the same from conception to death
Facts:
1. Main differentiating characteristics from other fields within psych. Change overtime
2. Development is a life long process; from conception to death
Developmental research methods
- Longitudinal studies
- Cross-sectional studies
- Sequential research studies
Longitudinal studies
Following same group of individuals over two or more time periods
Cross-sectional studies
Collecting data from cohorts rather than over time
Sequential research studies
Combining long and cross studies
Types of developmental research
- Correlational
- Experimental
- Qualitative
- Sequential
- Longitude
- Cross-sectional
Correlational
Observe variables as they exist in the world and determine their relations
Experimental
Manipulate independent variable and determine the effect on dependent variable
Qualitative
Examine “lived experience” through in-depth interviews or observation
Sequential
Multiple groups of people are tested over time, based on either multiple long. Or cross designs
Parental period
- Neural plate
- Neural groove
- Neural tube
- Anterior neural fold
Neural plate
21 days after conception, primitive neural tissue that occupies outermost layer of embryonic cells
Neural groove
First fold of neural groove
Anterior neural fold
Closes to form brain
Teratogens
Agents that influence the prenatal environment to disrupt development
Ex:
1. Disease
2. Drugs
3. Environmental
Neuron
Nerve that transmit information
Neurogensis
Creation of new neurons
Synaptogenesis
Process of neurons forming synapses and increase connections
Dendritic arborisation
Extensions of dendritic branching
Synaptic pruning
Reduction in number of synapses
- Begins in infancy and continuing until early adolescence
Programmed cell death
Synapses form, surrounding neurons die
Myelination
Process when neurons are coated in fatty substance, which facilitates neural communication
Facts of brain
- By 2yrs old, brain is 80% developed of adult size
- Large increase in brain weight is during first 3yrs of life
General principles of the brain
- Specialization occurring in early development
- More focused, less diffused
- Diff, brain regions specialize at diff, rates
- Successful specialization req, stim, from enviro
- Lack of specialization in immature brain is good