PSYC 1000 Chapter Notes - Chapter 10.1: Prenatal Development, Zygote, Egg Cell
Document Summary
Developmental psychology is the study of human physical, cognitive, social, and behavioral characteristics across the lifespan. A cross-sectional design is used to measure and compare samples of people at different ages at a given point in time. A longitudinal design follows the development of the same set of individuals through time. To account for both periods of slow and rapid growth, development is seen as a progression of abrupt transitions in physical or mental skills, interspersed with slower, more gradual change. Psychologists often describe this pattern of change as a series of stages. The transition from stage to stage involves rapid shifts in thinking and behaving, and fundamental shifts in the types of abilities a child can perform. A sensitive period is a window of time during which exposure to a specific type of environmental stimulation is needed for normal development of a specific ability.
