Week 11 - Human Development Flashcards
What is Developmental Psychology?
Study of how behaviour changes over time
The impact of genes on behaviour depends on what?
The environment in which the behaviour develops and how the individual responds to that environment
Explain the Nature via Nurture debate in regards to human development
The tendency of individuals with certain genetic predispositions to seek out and create environments that permit the expression of those predispositions
Genetic predisposition can drive us to do what?
Select and create particular environments, leading to the mistaken appearance of a pure effect of nature\
eg extroverts may deliberately engage with others like themelves
Explain Gene Expressions
Environmental influences may actually turn genes on and off throughout our lives
eg rabbit situation where gene is only active at temperatures in the range if 15-25
What is an implication of Gene Expressions
Children with genes that predispose them to anxiety may never become anxious unless a highly stressful event could trigger these genes to become active
What are Epigenetic’s?
The study of heritable changes in gene expression (active vs inactive) that do not involve changes to the underlying DNA sequence, a change in phenotype without a change in genotype - which in turn affects how we cells read genes
The study of external modifications to gene expression that turn genes on/off
What do Behavioural Epigenetics provide?
A mechanism through which acquired behavioural and psychological characteristics might be inheritable
What is the Lamarck Hypothesis?
An organism can pass characteristics that it acquired during its lifetime to its offspring. It is also known as the inheritance of acquired characteristics
What is a Cross-Sectional Design?
A design in which researchers examine people who are of different ages at a single point in time (snapshot approach)
Compared at the same time
What is the main problem with cross-sectional designs?
Cohort Effects: Effects due to the fact that groups lived during one time period, called cohorts, can differ from other cohorts
What is a longitudinal design? Advantages/Disadvantages
Psychologists track the development of the same group of people over time
Help provide causal information as each person serves as his or her own control
However,
time consuming
expensive
What are the 2 things to be cautious of in developmental research?
Assuming that an observed correlation is due to causation (post hoc ergo propter hoc)
Development and experience have bidirectional influence on each other eg parents influence their children’s behaviour which in turn influences parents reaction
What are the 4 stages of physical development?
Prenatal and Infant
Toddler and preadolescent
Adolescent
Adult
When does the prenatal period of development begin and end?
With conception and ends at birth
What is a fertilised egg called?
A zygote
A developing baby is called a what until the 8th week of pregnancy?
Embryo
What is a developing baby called after the 8th week?
Fetus
What are 4 obstacles to healthy prenatal development?
Low birth weight
Premature birth
Exposure to hazardous environmental influences
Biological influences resulting from genetic disorders or errors in cell duplication during cell division
What is the viability point (the point in pregnancy at which infants can typically survive on their own?
25 weeks
What are low birth weight babies defined as?
less than 2.5kgs
What are teratogens?
Environmental factors that can affect prenatal development negatively
eg cigarette smoking, chicken pox, x-rays
What do reflexes do?
Fulfill important survival needs
eg sucking reflex which is an automatic response to oral stimulation
Toddler and preadolescent Movement milestones include
sitting up, crawling, standing unsupported
Girls typically develop what skills more quickly?
Fine motor skills eg drawing, stringing beads
Boys typically develop what skills more quickly?
Gross motor skills eg jumping and climbing
What age does the brain start to experience growth? To what size and whats the affect?
8-9, to adult size and enables children cognitive capacity to increase
Adolescence begins with what?
the onset of sexual maturity (puberty) which is marked by dramatic bodily changes and intensification in sexual interest
What are primary characteristics?
Directly related to reproductive organs and external genitalia eg penis and scrotum growth, ovary growth
What are secondary characteristics?
Not directly related to reproductive organs and external genitalia
eg facial hair, deeper voice, enlarged breasts and hips