Nature and Nurture --- It Takes Two to Tango Flashcards
Developmental psychology
The branch of psychology that studies the changes—physical, mental, and behavioral—that occur from conception to old age and investigates the various biological, neurobiological, genetic, psychological, social, cultural, and environmental factors that affect development throughout the lifespan.
Heredity
the transmission of traits from parents to their offspring.
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)
One of the two types of nucleic acid found in living organisms; it is the principal carrier of genetic information in chromosomes and, to a much lesser extent, in mitochondria. Certain segments of the DNA molecules constitute the organism’s genes.
Chromosome
A strand or filament composed of nucleic acid (mainly dna in humans) and proteins (see chromatin) that carries the genetic, or hereditary, traits of an individual. The normal human complement of chromosomes totals 46, or 23 pairs (44 autosomes and 2 sex chromosomes), which are believed to contain a total of 20,000 to 25,000 genes
Genes
Specific areas on a strand of DNA that carry hereditary information.
Dominant allele
The version of a gene (see allele) whose effects are manifest in preference to another version of the same gene (the recessive allele) when both are present in the same cell.
Recessive allele
The version of a gene (see allele) whose effects are manifest only if it is carried on both members of a homologous pair of chromosomes.
Polygenic trait
An attribute that is determined by numerous genes rather than only one.
Maturation
The biological processes involved in an organism’s becoming functional or fully developed.
Does the same set of genes function throught the lifespan?
Genes can switch on (or off) at certain ages or developmental stages.
Readiness
A condition that exists when maturation has advanced enough to allow the rapid acquisition of a particular skill.
Environment
The aggregate of external agents or conditions—physical, biological, social, and cultural—that influence the functions of an organism, development, especially learning.
What is the difference in nerons of adults and newborns?
The brain of a newborn baby has fewer dendrites (nerve cell branches) and synapses (connections between nerve cells) than an adult brain.
How does number synapses fluctuate through the development of the individual?
A rapid increase in brain synapses continues until about age 4. At that point, children actually have more brain synapses than adults do. Then, after age 10, the number slowly declines, reaching adult levels at about age 16.
What happens with the brain of infants during the first 3 years?
During the first 3 years of life, millions of new connections form in the brain every day. At the same time, unused connections disappear. As a result, early learning environments literally shape the developing brain, through “blooming and pruning” of synapses.
Congenital problems
Problems or defects that originate during prenatal development in the womb.
Genetic disorder
Any disease or condition that is due to an abnormality of a gene or chromosome. Also called inherited disorder.
Teratogen
An agent that induces developmental abnormalities in a fetus.
Fetal alcohol syndrome
A group of adverse fetal and infant health effects associated with heavy maternal alcohol intake during pregnancy. It is characterized by low birth weight and retarded growth, craniofacial anomalies (e.g., microcephaly), neurobehavioral problems (e.g., hyperactivity), and cognitive abnormalities (e.g., language acquisition deficits); intellectual disability may be present.
What are the consequences for a baby if his mother had been smoking during pregnancy?
Smoking during pregnancy greatly reduces oxygen to the fetus. Heavy smokers risk miscarrying or having premature, underweight babies who are more likely to die soon after birth. Children of smoking mothers score lower on tests of language and mental ability.
Why do some experiences have more lasting effects than others?
Part of the answer lies in sensitive periods.
Sensitive period
A stage in development when an organism can most rapidly acquire a particular skill or characteristic.
Deprivation
In development, the loss or withholding of normal stimulation, nutrition, comfort, love, and so forth; a condition of lacking.
Reaction range
The limits environment places on the effects of heredity. The environment sets a range within which our hereditary potential is actually expressed.
What does reciprocal influnce mean?
A good example of such influences is the fact that growing infants influence their parents’ behavior at the same time they are changed by it.
Temperament
The basic foundation of personality, usually assumed to be biologically determined and present early in life, including such characteristics as energy level, emotional responsiveness, demeanor, mood, response tempo, behavioral inhibition, and willingness to explore.
Can temperament be changed over time?
Inherited temperaments are dynamically modified by learning.
Developmental levels
The stages into which the human lifespan is typically divided: (a) neonatal period; (b) infancy; (c) early, middle, and late childhood; (d) adolescence; and (e) early, middle, and late adulthood.
