PSYC 102 Chapter Notes - Chapter 5: Autism Spectrum, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Childhood Amnesia

• School: UBC
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 102
• Professor: Simon Lolliot

Document Summary

Developmental psychology - a branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive and social change throughout the life span. Nature vs nurture : how genetics interacts w/ experiences in development. Continuity and stages : what parts of development are gradual vs abrupt. Researchers see development as a slow continuous shaping process. Some characteristics such as temperament is very stable. Zygote : the fertilized egg; enters 2 week period of rapid cell division and develops into an embryo. Embryo: the developing human organism from about 2 weeks after fertilization through the second month. Fetus: developing human organism from 9 weeks after conception to birth. Teratogens can have effect on baby in prenatal development (harm) Fetal alcohol syndrome : physical and cognitive abnormalities in children from mother heavy drinking. As newborns we prefer sights and sounds that facilitate social response. Habituation : decreasing responsiveness with repeated stimulation. Johnson and morton - showed newborns preference for faces.