PSYC 1010 Chapter Notes -Prenatal Development, Umbilical Cord, X Chromosome

• School: York University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 1010
• Professor: Heather Jenkins

Document Summary

Module 13 - developmental issues, prenatal development, and the newborn. Developmental psychology - study of the changes in biological, physical, psychological & behavioral processes (studies physical, cognitive, and social development across lifespan) Focuses on 3 major issues: nature & nurture (is it the environment or heredity?) Critical period = age where experiences must occur. No change - remains constant = straight horizontal line. Stages - discontinuous stages = staircase line. Inverted u shape line - emerges early, peaks, diminished with age. U shape line - emerges early, disappears, re-emerges. Researchers who see development as a function of experience tend to see development as continuous and gradual. Researchers who focus on biological maturation see spurts of growth and other changes that make one stage of development very different from another. Three different types of development: cognitive, moral, and psychosocial - have been running in parallel. As people grow older, personality gradually stabilizes.