HPS121 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Operant Conditioning, Sexually Transmitted Infection
HPS121 WEEK 1 NOTES
Week 1
Developmental psychology – examines biological, physical, psychological and
behavioural changes that occur as we age.
Four issues that guide developmental psychology:
1. Nature and nurture – the extent to which development is influenced by heredity (nature)
and the extent to which it is influenced by the environment (nurture), and how the both
interact.
2. Sensitive and Critical Periods – A sensitive period is an optimal age range for certain
developmental experiences, but if they occur at a different time, normal development is still
possible. A critical period is an age range during which certain developmental experiences
must occur for development to proceed normally or along a certain path.
3. Continuity vs Discontinuity – whether development is continuous and gradual or it is
discontinuous, progressing through qualitatively distinct stages.
4. Stability vs Change – whether our characteristics remain consistent as we age.
The 3 stages of Prenatal development:
Germinal stage – when the sperm fertilises a female egg. The fertilised egg is called a
zygote.
Embryonic stage – the embryo develops from the end of week 2 to approx. 2
months after conception. The placenta and umbilical cord (life-support structures)
develop at the start of this stage. The placenta allows nutrients to pass from the
mother’s blood to the umbilical cord. In turn, the umbilical cord contain blood vessels
which carry these nutrients and oxygen to the embryo and transport waste products
back from the embryo to the mother.
Foetal stage – the foetus develops from week 9 after conception until birth. Muscles
strengthens and other bodily systems develop. The foetus obtains age of viability by
week 27, where it is likely to survive outside the womb in case of premature birth.
The 23rd pair of chromosome determines the baby’s sex. A genetic female’s
chromosome contains two X chromosomes (XX), and a genetic male’s chromosome
contains an X and Y chromosome. The sperm determines the baby’s sex.
The Y chromosome contains the TDF gene, which triggers male sexual development. If
the Y chromosome doesn’t exist (in the case of a female) then it will trigger female
sexual development.
Teratogens – external agents that cause abnormal prenatal development. That is,
although the placenta prevents many harmful substances from reaching the embryo,
sometimes it fails to do so and thus negatively affecting prenatal development in the
embryo.
If the mother contracts a disease while pregnant, it may pass on to her child.
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Document Summary
Developmental psychology examines biological, physical, psychological and behavioural changes that occur as we age. Germinal stage when the sperm fertilises a female egg. Embryonic stage the embryo develops from the end of week 2 to approx. The placenta and umbilical cord (life-support structures) develop at the start of this stage. The placenta allows nutrients to pass from the mother"s blood to the umbilical cord. In turn, the umbilical cord contain blood vessels which carry these nutrients and oxygen to the embryo and transport waste products back from the embryo to the mother. Foetal stage the foetus develops from week 9 after conception until birth. The foetus obtains age of viability by week 27, where it is likely to survive outside the womb in case of premature birth. The 23rd pair of chromosome determines the baby"s sex. A genetic female"s chromosome contains two x chromosomes (xx), and a genetic male"s chromosome contains an x and y chromosome.
