Psychology 1000 Chapter Notes - Chapter 11: Prenatal Development, Fetus, Neural Darwinism

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 1000
• Professor: Dr.Mike

Document Summary

Psychology 1000: chapter 11: development over the lifespan. Major issues and methods: developmental psychology examines changes in biological, physical, psychological, and behavioural processes over age, four issues guide developmental research, nature and nurture, critical and sensitive periods. Critical period an age range during which certain experiences must occur for normal development. Sensitive period an optimal age range for certain experiences, but no critical range. Five developmental functions: no change an ability from birth remains constant over life span, continuous an ability that develops gradually and then remains constant, discontinuity an ability that progresses in stages. Inverted u-shaped function an ability that peaks at a certain age, then decreases: u-shaped function an ability that disappears temporarily. Rubella can severely damage nervous system (german measles) Stds cause brain damage, blindness, deafness and hiv positive status. Neural darwinism: 30-60% more neurons in an infant than in an adult, use them or lose them.