PSYC 100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Lev Vygotsky, Prenatal Development

• School: McGill University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 100
• Professor: Jens C Pruessner

Document Summary

Prenatal development: women born with eggs, men produce sperm at puberty. Zygote: fertilized eggs enter 2 week period of rapid cell division and develops into an embryo. 10 days after conception, attaches to mothers uterine wall, where cell becomes embryo. Embryo: developing human organism from 2 weeks after fertilization through 2nd month. Fetus: developing human organism from 9 weeks after conception to birth. Placenta: formed as zygote outer cells attach to uterine wall, transfer nutrients and oxygen from mom. Teratogens: agents, eg. chemicals and viruses, that can reach the embryo or fetus during prenatal development cause harm. Fetal alcohol syndrome (fas): or fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, physical and cognitive abnormalities in children caused by a pregnant woman"s heavy drinking, eg. noticeable facial disproportions. As infants gain familiarity with repeated exposure to visal stimulus, their interest wanes and they look away sooner. Novelty preference procedure: babies focus on face first, born preferring sights and sounds that facilitate social responsiveness.