PSYA02H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 4: Startle Response, Plantar Reflex, Habituation
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PSYA02H3 Full Course Notes
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Document Summary
The scientific study of biological, cognitive, social and personality development. A major issue in developmental psychology is the nature versus nurture question. Cross-sectional: different groups compared at one time. Longitudinal: same group compared at different times. Human conception begins when a sperm penetrates the membrane of an ovum: when the two combine, a complete set of genetic instructions is formed, half from the father and half from the mother. The fertilized egg that is formed from the union of the sperm and egg is called a zygote. Germinal: begins with the formation of the zygote and ends after about two weeks, when the outer portion of the zygote"s developing cluster of cells has attached itself to the uterine wall. Embryonic: from 2 weeks to about 2 months, the major structures and organs of the body begin to develop, and the embryo starts to resemble a human being.
