Nature and Nurture --- It Takes Two to Tango

Question 1

Developmental psychology

Answer 1

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.

Question 2

Heredity

Answer 2

the transmission of traits from parents to their offspring.

Question 3

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)

Answer 3

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.

Question 4

Chromosome

Answer 4

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

Question 5

Genes

Answer 5

Specific areas on a strand of DNA that carry hereditary information.

Question 6

Dominant allele

Answer 6

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.

Question 7

Recessive allele

Answer 7

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.

Question 8

Polygenic trait

Answer 8

An attribute that is determined by numerous genes rather than only one.

Question 9

Maturation

Answer 9

The biological processes involved in an organism’s becoming functional or fully developed.

Question 10

Does the same set of genes function throught the lifespan?

Answer 10

Genes can switch on (or off) at certain ages or developmental stages.

Question 11

Readiness

Answer 11

A condition that exists when maturation has advanced enough to allow the rapid acquisition of a particular skill.

Question 12

Environment

Answer 12

The aggregate of external agents or conditions—physical, biological, social, and cultural—that influence the functions of an organism, development, especially learning.

Question 13

What is the difference in nerons of adults and newborns?

Answer 13

The brain of a newborn baby has fewer dendrites (nerve cell branches) and synapses (connections between nerve cells) than an adult brain.

Question 14

How does number synapses fluctuate through the development of the individual?

Answer 14

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.

Question 15

What happens with the brain of infants during the first 3 years?

Answer 15

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.

Question 16

Congenital problems

Answer 16

Problems or defects that originate during prenatal development in the womb.

Question 17

Genetic disorder

Answer 17

Any disease or condition that is due to an abnormality of a gene or chromosome. Also called inherited disorder.

Question 18

Teratogen

Answer 18

An agent that induces developmental abnormalities in a fetus.

Question 19

Fetal alcohol syndrome

Answer 19

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.

Question 20

What are the consequences for a baby if his mother had been smoking during pregnancy?

Answer 20

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.

Question 21

Why do some experiences have more lasting effects than others?

Answer 21

Part of the answer lies in sensitive periods.

Question 22

Sensitive period

Answer 22

A stage in development when an organism can most rapidly acquire a particular skill or characteristic.

Question 23

Deprivation

Answer 23

In development, the loss or withholding of normal stimulation, nutrition, comfort, love, and so forth; a condition of lacking.

Question 24

Reaction range

Answer 24

The limits environment places on the effects of heredity. The environment sets a range within which our hereditary potential is actually expressed.

Question 25

What does reciprocal influnce mean?

Answer 25

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.

Question 26

Temperament

Answer 26

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.

Question 27

Can temperament be changed over time?

Answer 27

Inherited temperaments are dynamically modified by learning.

Question 28

Developmental levels

Answer 28

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.