Human Development – Lecture (Chapter 11)
Developmental Psychology Some Questions …
What does the world look like to a newborn infant? Can they make any sense
of their surroundings?
o Come up with ways to help individuals who are not capable of
speaking
When do infants first recognize their mothers?
o Their fathers?
o Themselves (in a mirror)?
Why do many 1-year-olds seem so attached to their mothers/fathers and
wary of strangers?
Why do you remember so little about the first two years of your life?
How much influence do genes have on a child's behaviors?
Are boys really different from girls?
o Sexual motivation?
What's with twins anyway? Are they really different from the rest of us?
o Tends to asks difference from a behavioral or developmental
perspective
Critical Periods
Critical period concept suggests that the brain is set to acquire a function
during a limited period of time.
o Ie. Language individual from the age of 3-5 years old and put them
into a country with different language. The capacity of the 13-15 year
old that moves to another country will have a harder time.
o This is because of critical periods point in life where the brain is
able to learn and most receptive to learning a particular skill (in this
case language early in life)
If key experiences do not occur during a critical time period, the function
may not develop or may not be fully developed
o The case of Genie: a girl who was isolated until the age of 13.
Although Genie made some gains in language, her syntax never
approached normal levels. The case of Genie supports a critical
period for language acquisition (yet some point to her gains later in
life).
o Measles can cause mental retardation if contracted during certain
fetal periods. Measles can causes changes in IQ. The brain is more
receptive to damage at one point of fetal development
Developmental Methodology
Cross-sectional method
o Useful for assessing age differences
o Not useful for examining age changes o Cohort Effect - Whatever behavior we are collecting in this year, could
be very specific to the experiment that this generation is going on for
2015
o The problem is that each age group (cohort) has different life
experiences
Longitudinal method
o Follow the same individual over a period of time
o It is limiting because you are still focusing on that specific individual
when they are turning ages
Sequential studies
o **COMBINATION
o Takes into account a cross-sectional method as well as the
longitudinal method
o Ie. Collecting information from a group of 7 year olds in 2013, then
another group of 7 years old in 2014
o Still sampling from the 7 year old while revisiting the same question
Prenatal Development (before birth)
Prenatal period has 3 phases
Germinal period: 1st two weeks after conception
o Implantation, fertilized egg travels in the uterus and plants itself to
the uterus wall
o **Placenta formation important in nutrient uptake, waste
elimination, gas exchanges
Embryonic period: 3rd to 8th weeks of gestation (pregnancy)
o Vital organs (e.g., heart, spine, brain) begin to form
Fetal period: from 9 weeks to birth
o Sex organs develop during the 3rd month of gestation
o Age of viability (22 weeks to 26 weeks) (even if there is a premature
birth, the fetus is still able to survive outside of the uterus)
Infant Reflexes (inborn motor responses)
Reflexes are innate motor responses elicited by critical stimuli.
o Reflexes are adaptive
Examples of infant reflexes
o Rooting reflex: A touch on the cheek induces the infant to move its
mouth toward the source of the touch (helps guide feeding).
o Sucking reflex: Tactile stimulation of the mouth produces rhythmic
sucking.
Motor Development Can this individual meet a mild stone?
Shows that development is occurring in a healthy direction
Emotional Development
Temperament
o Mood, activity level, and emotional reactivity
***Mary Ainsworth (1913 - 1999): Attachment relationships depend on
sensitivity and responsiveness of caregivers to children’s needs
Came up with four kind of attachment relationships
o ***Secure: security, love, a
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