PSYCH 7A Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Secondary Sex Characteristic, Normative Social Influence, Longitudinal Study

• School: UC-Irvine
• Department: Cognitive Sciences
• Course: PSYCH 7A
• Professor: John Hagedorn

Document Summary

Lecture 4: zygote- an egg that has been fertilized by a sperm cell, placenta- keeps potentially harmful substances from reaching the embryo or fetus, embryo/fetus- 2nd week the placenta forms and organs form. At 9th week, it looks like a human: teratogens- harmful substances that can reach the embryo or fetus. Include: viruses, drugs, and many other chemicals: fetal alcohol syndrome (fas)- alcohol consumption during first 3 months can result in fetal. [-small, disproportioned heads; -underdeveloped brains; -severe retardation] fas is the leading cause of mental retardation: reflexes- newborns have very little control over their motor skills. Reflexes help them get through first few months of helplessness. Insecure: less likely to explore environment, may even cling to mother; mother leaves they either cry or are indifferent to her leaving: adolescence- lasts from puberty until adulthood, puberty- time where sexual maturation occurs. Starts around 11 for girls, 13 for boys (lasts about two years).