Lecture 9 Flashcards
What is Narcolepsy?
A chronic sleep disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and sudden, uncontrollable episodes of falling asleep during the day
Individuals with narcolepsy may experience cataplexy, which is sudden muscle weakness.
What characterizes Nightmare Disorder?
Recurrent, distressing, and vivid nightmares that evoke strong negative emotions and often cause the dreamer to wake up
Nightmares typically occur during REM sleep and can result from stress, trauma, or certain medications.
What are Night Terrors?
Intense, abrupt episodes of fear and agitation during sleep, often accompanied by screaming and lack of recollection upon waking
Night terrors are most common in children and typically happen during Non-REM sleep.
What is Sleep Apnea?
Recurrent pauses in breathing during sleep that can lead to disrupted sleep and excessive daytime sleepiness
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy is a common treatment.
Define Insomnia.
A common sleep disorder characterized by difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or experiencing non-refreshing sleep
Treatment often includes improving sleep hygiene, cognitive-behavioral therapy, or medication.
What is Fatal Familial Insomnia?
A rare inherited disease leading to severe sleep disturbances and eventually death, characterized by a complete inability to sleep
Individuals with FFI experience a rapid decline in cognitive functioning.
What is Developmental Psychology?
The study of changes in human behavior and cognition across the lifespan, from pre-birth until death.
What are the three main periods of Prenatal Development?
- Germinal Stage
- Embryonic Stage
- Fetal Stage
What occurs during the Germinal Stage?
The first phase of prenatal development, encompassing the first two weeks after conception, marked by rapid cell multiplication and implantation of the zygote into the uterine wall.
What is the role of the Placenta?
A structure that allows oxygen and nutrients to pass into the fetus from the mother’s bloodstream and bodily wastes to pass out to the mother.
Describe the Embryonic Stage.
The second stage of prenatal development, lasting from two weeks after conception until the end of the second month, during which vital organs and bodily systems begin to form.
What is embryology?
The study of embryonic development, where the terms for embryonic brain regions originate.
What characterizes the Fetal Stage?
The third stage of prenatal development, lasting from two months through birth, marked by the formation of muscle and bone and significant rapid bodily development.
What are teratogens?
External agents, such as drugs or viruses, that can harm an embryo or fetus and lead to developmental abnormalities.
What is Malnutrition?
A condition resulting from an inadequate or unbalanced diet, which can lead to birth complications and neurological deficits.
List some drugs that can lead to teratogenic effects.
- Cannabis
- Alcohol
- Tobacco
- Cocaine
- Opioids
- Methamphetamine
What is Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)?
A collection of congenital problems associated with excessive alcohol use during pregnancy, leading to malformities such as small head and heart defects.
How can stress during pregnancy affect development?
Severe chronic stress can lead to negative outcomes, including stillbirth and below-average cognitive development, due to the release of harmful hormones.
What diseases can cross the placental membrane?
- Rubella
- Measles
- Chickenpox
- Syphilis
- HIV
What is the ‘lead-crime’ hypothesis?
The theory suggesting that lead exposure from leaded gasoline was related to higher crime rates.
What is Infancy?
The initial stage of human development characterized by early physical and sensory-motor milestones, typically spanning from birth to approximately two years of age.
Define Maturation.
Development that reflects the gradual unfolding of one’s genetic blueprint, occurring as a result of genetics and time rather than experience.
What is the significance of motor development during infancy?
Motor development is the progression of muscular coordination required for activities, typically increasing during infancy.
What marks the transition from Infancy to Childhood?
Key developmental milestones such as motor development, language development, cognitive development, social development, and growing autonomy.
What happens during Adolescence?
The transitional stage of development between childhood and adulthood, marked by the maturation of sexual functions and brain development.
What is Gerontology?
The multidisciplinary study of aging and the processes and problems associated with growing old, including physical health and cognitive function.
What are the eight stages of Erik Erikson’s psychosocial development theory?
- Trust vs. Mistrust
- Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt
- Initiative vs. Guilt
- Industry vs. Inferiority
- Identity vs. Role Confusion
- Intimacy vs. Isolation
- Generativity vs. Stagnation
- Integrity vs. Despair
What are the 8 stages of Erikson’s stage theory?
- Trust vs. Mistrust
- Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt
- Initiative vs. Guilt
- Industry vs. Inferiority
- Identity vs. Role Confusion
- Intimacy vs. Isolation
- Generativity vs. Stagnation
- Integrity vs. Despair
Each stage represents a critical period in human development with specific psychosocial challenges.
What is the main criticism of Erikson’s stage theory?
Relied very heavily on case studies of single individuals
This reliance limits the generalizability of findings and overlooks considerable variation in human development.
Who is Jean Piaget?
Swiss psychologist known for cognitive development theory
He initially studied biology and later focused on child psychology.
What are the four main stages of Piaget’s cognitive development theory?
- Sensorimotor stage
- Pre-operational period
- Concrete-operational period
- Formal-operational period
Each stage marks a significant transition in cognitive abilities.
What characterizes the sensorimotor stage?
Infants explore the world primarily through senses and motor skills
Object permanence develops during this stage.
What is the A not B error?
Child’s tendency to reach for a hidden object in a previously successful location (A) rather than a new location (B)
This demonstrates a temporary difficulty in understanding object permanence.
What are key shortcomings of the pre-operational period?
- Lack of conservation
- Irreversibility
- Egocentrism
- Centricity
- Animism
These shortcomings affect children’s thinking and understanding of the world.
What is conservation in the context of Piaget’s theory?
Understanding that physical quantities remain the same despite changes in shape
Children in the pre-operational stage do not comprehend conservation.
What is egocentrism in Piaget’s cognitive development theory?
Limited ability to share another person’s viewpoint
This characteristic is prominent in the pre-operational period.
What does the concrete-operational period mark in cognitive development?
Beginning of the ability to perform mental operations
Children can now mentally manipulate and reorganize their thoughts.
What is the formal-operational period characterized by?
Ability to apply mental operations to abstract concepts
Adolescents develop hypothetico-deductive reasoning during this stage.
What does Theory of Mind (ToM) refer to?
Ability to understand and attribute mental states to oneself and others
This includes beliefs, intentions, and emotions.
At what age do children typically begin to understand that others may have beliefs different from their own?
About 4-5 years of age
This marks a significant milestone in the development of Theory of Mind.
What is false belief in the context of Theory of Mind?
Understanding that other people can believe things which are not true
This concept usually develops at about 4 years of age.
