Study unit 6.1 Human development across the lifespan Flashcards
Prenatal period
Extends from conception to birth, encompassing nine months of pregnancy
Germinal stage
The first phase of prenatal development, encompassing the first 2 weeks after conception. Begins when a zygote is created through fertilization, within 36 hours rapid cell division begins, becoming a microscopic mass of multiplying cells. The mass slowly migrates across the fallopian tube to the uterine cavity. On the 7th day, the cell mass begins to implant intself in the uterine wall. This process takes about a week. At this point many zygotes are rejected.
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, taking place across thin membranes that block the passage of blood cells, keeping the fetal and maternal bloodstreams separate. It begins to form during the implantation stage.
Embryonic stage
The second stage of prenatal development, lasting 2 weeks until the end of the 2nd month. Most of the vital organs and bodily systems begin to form. The zygote is now called an embryo. Structures such as the heart, spine, and brain emerge gradually and cell division becomes more specialized. It is a period of great vulnerability because virtually all the basic physiological structures are formed. Most miscarriages occur at this stage and most major structural birth defects also result from problems during this stage.
Fetal stage
The third stage of prenatal development, lasting from 2 months through birth. The first 2 months brings rapid bodily growth, as muscles and bones begin to form. The embryo is now called a fetus. Becomes capable of physical movements as skeletal structures harden. Organs formed continue to grow and gradually begin to function (sense of hearing at 20-24 weeks). During the final 3 months, brain cells multiply at a brisk pace. A layer of fat is deposited under the skin to provide insulation, and the respiratory and digestive system mature.
Threshold of viability
23-25 weeks. The age at which a baby can survive in the event of premature birth.
Fetal alcohol syndrome
A collection of congenital (inborn) problems associated with excessive alcohol use during pregnancy, including microcephaly (small head), heart defects, irritability, hyperactivity, and delayed motor development. It is the most common cause of intellectual instability.
Motor development
The progression of muscular coordination required for physical activities, including grasping and reaching for objects, manipulating objects, sitting up, crawling, walking and running.
Maturation
Development that reflects the gradual unfolding of one’s genetic blueprint. It is a product of genetically programmed physical changes that come with age, rather than through experience and learning.
Developmental norms
Indicate the typical (median) age at which individuals display various behaviors and abilities. They are useful benchmarks and are group averages.
Attachment
The close emotional bonds of affection that develop between infants and their caregivers.
Separation anxiety
Emotional distress seen in many infants when they are separated from people with whom they have formed an attachment. The first manifistation is at around 6-8 months and typically peaks at around 14-18 months and then begins to decline/
Harry Harlow
The reinforcement theory of attachment came into question as a result of his studies of attachment in infant rhesus monkeys.
John Bowly
Infants are biologically programmed to emit behavior that triggers an affectionate, protective reponse from adults. Adults are programmed by evolutionary forces to be captivated by this behavior and to respond with warmth, love and protection. These characteristics would be adaptive in terms of promoting children’s survival.
Mary Ainsworth
Found that attachments fall into three categories: secure attachment, anxious-ambivalent attachment and avoidant attachment.
Secure attachment
Play and explore comfortably with their mother present, becomes visualy upset when she leaves, and are quickly calmed by her return.
Anxious-ambivalent (resistant) attachment
Appear anxious even when the mother is near and protest excessively when she leaves, but they are not particularly comforted when she returns.
Avoidant attachment
Seek little contact with their mother and are often not distressed when she leaves.
Receptive vs productive vocabulary
Toddlers can typically say between three and fifteen words by 18 months. However, they can comprehend more words spoken by others than they can actually produce to express themselves.
Vocabulary spurt
Begins at around 18 months, when toddlers realize that everything has a name.
Fast mapping
The process by which children map a word onto an underlying concept after only one exposure.
Overextenstion
When a child incorrectly uses a word to describe a wider set of objects or actions than it is meant to, usually appeares at 1 and 2 1/2.
Underextensions
When a child incorrectly uses a word to describe a narrower set of objects or actions than it is meant to.
Telegraphic speech
Consists mainly of content words; articles. prepositions, and other less critical words omitted. At the end of the 2nd year.
Overregularizations
When grammatical rules are incorrectly generalized to irregular cases where they do not apply. At the end of the 3rd year.
Sigmund Freud
The basic foundation of an individual’s personality is firmly laid down by age 5.
Erik Erikson
Events in early childhood leave a stamp on adult personality, however, personality continues to evolve over the entire life span.
Stage
A developmental period during which characteristic patterns of behavior are exhibited and certain capacities become established.
Stage theories assume that:
1) individuals must progress through specified stages in a particular order because it builds on the previous stage.
2) progress is strongly related to age
3) development is marked by discontinuities that usher in dramatic transition in behavior
Erikson’s stage theory
Each stage brings a psychosocial crisis involving transitions in important social relationships. Personality is shaped by how individuals deal with these crises. Each crisis is a potential turning point that can yield different outcomes.
