Psychology: Lifespan Development

prenatal period

stage of development between conception and birth

3 stages of prenatal development

germinal stage, embryonic stage, fetal stage

germinal stage

conception, zygote, blastocyst, amniotic sac, placenta, umbilical cord, teratogens, fetal alcohol syndrome

zygote

a single celled fertilized eggs

blastocyst

bundle of cells that will implant in the uterine wall

amniotic sac

regulates exchange of fluids, cushions against environmental shock and temperature changes

placenta

passes oxygen and nutrients from parent to embryo/fetus, gets rid of waste

umbilical cord

tube with blood vessels that carries blood between embryo/fetus and placenta

teratogens

agents that can cause harm to prenatal organism (chemicals, viruses)

fetal alcohol syndrome

physical and cognitive symptoms in children of parent who drank heavily during pregnancy

embryonic stage

3rd-8th week; called an embryo; organogenesis; sexual differentiation begins; most common for misscariages

organogenesis

all major organ systems are formed

fetal stage

from 2nd month to birth; fetus; rapid growth occurs; maturing organ systems (lungs are last); development of senses and brain

infant reflexes

born with reflexes that are automatic, involuntary, unlearned; rooting, sucking, swallowing

developmental norms

median age at which people display behaviors or abilities

infant to child physical development

rapid growth over first 5 years and then slow and steady growth until puberty

infant and child cognitive development

born with some abilities and develop basic understanding; language development progresses; generally increase and improve

temperament

a person's innate characteristic emotional reactivity and intensity

easy temperament

chill/happy/social; slow to warm up, sensitive

difficult temperament

emotional/anger/frustration/no change

basic trust

sense that the world is a predictable and trustworthy place

Harlow's monkeys

wire mother has milk, cloth mother has no milk; monkey bonds with cloth mother

secure attachment

strong, healthy bond; most infants; calms down quickly

anxious/ambivalent attachment

don't trust the caregiver

avoidant attachment

bond is lacking

adolescence

transition between childhood and adulthood

menarche (girls)

first menstrual period

semenarche (boys)

first ejaculation

secondary sex characteristics

sexual differences that have no essential reproductive function

growth spurt

rapid increase in height coincides

adolescence: brain development

neurons gain myelin sheath; brain prunes unused neurons and connections; amygdala matures early, prefrontal cortex matures late (age

adolescence: cognitive development

better at seeing other's perspectives, better at thinking abstractly, reasoning about hypothetical situations, identity development

identity achievement

active exploration and chosen identity

identity moratorium

active exploration and not chosen identity

identity foreclosure

no exploration and chosen identity

identity diffusion

no exploration and no chosen identity

adolescence: emerging adulthood

new stage from 18-25ish; found in most industrialized countries; identity exploration, instability, self focus

adult physical development

peak in early adulthood, declines starts in 30s-40s, sensory decline in late adulthood

adult cognitive development

abilities to stay steady, intelligence increases; processing slows down later in adulthood; offset by being active

adult social and emotional development

satisfying work/career, positive relationships with others

fluid intelligence

information processing abilities (logical reasoning, remembering lists, reaction time)

crystallized intelligence

abilities to draw upon experience and knowledge (vocabulary, number problems, understanding texts)

developmental milestones

approximate ages at which children should reach specific normative events (walking, crawling, writing)

continuous development

development is a cumulative process with gradual improvements on existing abilities

discontinuous development

development takes place in unique stages

pre-conventional morality

obedience and punishment: behavior driven by avoiding punishment; individual interest: behavior driven by self interest and rewards

conventional morality

interpersonal: behavior driven by social approval; authority: behavior driven by obeying authority and conforming to social order

post-conventional morality

social contract: behavior driven by balance of social order and individual rights; universal ethics: behavior driven by internal moral principles