Prenatal Development

Question 1

What type of changes does developmental psychology study?

Answer 1

Biological, physical, psychological and behavioural processes as we age

Question 2

Define Cross-Sectional Design

Answer 2

A research design that simultaneously compares people of different ages at a particular point in time (example: the year 2015)

Question 3

What is a drawback to cross-sectional design

Answer 3

That different age groups (cohorts) grew up in different historical period.
So it is difficult to tell if performance on a test is due to aging or environmental factors

Question 4

Define Longitudinal Design

Answer 4

Research that repeatedly tests the same cohort as it grows older

Question 5

What is some drawbacks to longitudinal design?

Answer 5

Time consuming

Sample may shrink (as people move, die or drop out)

Question 6

Define Sequential Design

Answer 6

Repeatedly testing several age cohorts as they grow older
•Combines cross sectional and longitudinal designs
•Most time consuming and costly but is most comprehensive

Question 7

What are the three stages of prenatal development?

Answer 7

The germinal stage
The embryonic stage
The Fetal Stage

Question 8

What is characteristic of the germinal stage? How long does it last?

Answer 8

• First 2 weeks of development
• Begins when an egg and sperm fuse /egg is fertilized (zygote is formed)
• Mass of cells caused through division, attaches to uterus about day 10 to 14 after conception

Question 9

What is characteristic of the embryonic stage? How long does it last?

Answer 9

•From the second to eighth week after conception
• The cell mass is now called an embryo
•The placenta and umbilical cord is developed
•Cells divide rapidly and become specialized
º 2 cm long heart is beating, brain is forming, facial features can be recognized

Question 10

What is characteristic of the fetal stage? How long does it last?

Answer 10

• From the ninth week until birth
• The embryo is now called a fetus
• Muscles become stronger
• Bodily systems continue to develop

Question 11

What is the umbilical cord? `

Answer 11

Develops in weeks 2-3 after conception. It provides blood flow from the mother to the embryo to provide nutrients and oxygen and to expel waste products

Question 12

What is the Placenta?

Answer 12

It is located on the uterine wall. Contains membranes from nutrients to pass from the mothers blood to pass from umbilical cord

Question 13

At what age is age of viability? what doe it mean?

Answer 13

Week 28, the fetus is likely to survive outside of the womb

Question 14

Define TDF gene

Answer 14

Tesis determining factor

A gene on the y chromosome that triggers male sexual development

Question 15

What determines Sex? When?

Answer 15

the 23rd chromosome. If it is Y, XY makes a male
XX is a girl
•6 to 8 weeks TDF works to make testes

Question 16

What are androgens?

Answer 16

Secreted by the testes, they continue to direct a male pattern of organ development

Question 17

Define teratogen

•What are some examples?

Answer 17

environmental (non-genetic) agents that cause abnormal prenatal development
•Sexually transmitter diseases 
•Rubella (german Measles) 
•Alcohol 
•Mercury, lead and radiation

Question 18

Define fetal alcohol syndrome disorders

•What are some symptoms?

Answer 18

a range of mild to severe developmental abnormalities produced by prenatal exposure to alcohol
•Intellectual disabilities
•Poor social skills, impulsivity
•Attention and perceptual deficits

Question 19

Define Fetal alcohol syndrome

Answer 19

a severe group of abnormalities that result from prenatal exposure to alcohol
•Facial abnormalities and small malformed brains