Developmental Psychology: Nature vs. Nurture

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Questions and Answers

What was the purpose of raising a child in isolation in Ancient Egypt?

To prove the dominance of Egyptian culture

To determine the child's ability to learn multiple languages

To see what the child's first words would be (correct)

To test the effects of nutrition on language development

Which of the following describes 'Controlled-Rearing' studies?

Controlled experiments focusing exclusively on genetic influences

Observational studies without any environmental manipulation

Experiments where subjects are exposed to all experiences without restriction

Studying the impacts of different environments on animal behavior (correct)

What was the outcome for the children raised in isolation by Psammetichus II?

They communicated through sign language

Their first words were a Phrygian term for bread (correct)

They spoke fluent Egyptian as their first words

They developed a new language

In the context of the child abuse case known as Genie, what significant aspect of development was neglected?

Social interaction with peers Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of psychology does 'Nature' refer to in the nature vs. nurture debate?

The impact of genetics and biological makeup Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary concern for pregnant women when changing cat litter?

Risk of toxoplasmosis transmission Signup and view all the answers

What are potential symptoms of toxoplasmosis in affected individuals?

Visual damage and fluid in the brain Signup and view all the answers

How has the understanding of nature versus nurture influenced psychology?

The emphasis has shifted historically between genetic and environmental influences Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the key research designs used to study heredity and environmental influences?

Family studies Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes a non-shared environmental effect?

Unique experiences of an individual within the same family Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant implication of toxic stress on the brain?

It can lead to lifelong detrimental effects on brain development Signup and view all the answers

Which historical figure is most notably linked with the first modern theory of inheritance?

Gregor Mendel Signup and view all the answers

What is one potential question raised by advancements in genetic testing?

Should we test for genes of particular traits in ourselves and our infants? Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary structure formed during the germinal phase of development?

Blastocyst Signup and view all the answers

During what phase does cell differentiation primarily take place?

Embryonic phase Signup and view all the answers

What term describes the process by which cells become more specific and take on different functions?

Cell differentiation Signup and view all the answers

Which type of cells remain identical during the zygote stage?

Stem cells Signup and view all the answers

What phenomenon describes the travel of fetal cells throughout a woman's body?

Microchimerism Signup and view all the answers

What process is responsible for the removal of cells that are no longer needed during development?

Cell death Signup and view all the answers

What important structure forms from the top layer of differentiated cells in the embryo around day 22?

Neural tube Signup and view all the answers

What term describes cells that have the ability to transform into any other cell type in the body?

Stem cells Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of genes do identical twins share?

100% Signup and view all the answers

What does the heritability coefficient (H) measure?

The variability in a trait attributable to genetic influences Signup and view all the answers

In an adoptive-twin study, what is primarily compared?

The similarity between identical twins who grew up together and those reared apart Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following was reported to have strong heritability according to the Minnesota Twin Study?

Political affiliation Signup and view all the answers

What is NOT true about heritability and traits?

All traits have specific genes linked to them Signup and view all the answers

What role does the environment play in relation to genetics?

It can compensate for detrimental genes. Signup and view all the answers

According to Lamarck's theory, how are traits passed down to offspring?

By being developed through inner needs and experiences. Signup and view all the answers

Which factor was linked to shorter life expectancy in descendants of those who experienced food scarcity followed by abundance?

Epigenetic changes. Signup and view all the answers

What does the epigenome control?

The expression of existing genes. Signup and view all the answers

How does perception differ from sensation?

Perception is about organizing and interpreting sensory information. Signup and view all the answers

In terms of sensory processing, which of the following is considered 'high-level' processing?

Categorization of objects. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about monozygotic twins is accurate?

They are equally similar whether reared together or apart. Signup and view all the answers

How does the plasticity of the brain relate to recovery from damage?

Recovery is most effective during synaptic pruning. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Developmental Studies

Developmental studies can be used to test predictions about how different experiences influence our psychology and phenotype.
Controlled-rearing studies, like the "Genie" case, study how deprivation early in life can affect development.
The ancient Egyptian experiment involved raising children in isolation to determine their first words.
Cat studies investigate how being raised in darkness affects depth perception and fear of heights.

Nature vs. Nurture

The debate considers the relative contributions of genetics and environment to our characteristics.
Germinal, embryonic, and fetal phases are critical periods of development.

Germinal Phase

Starts with conception and lasts for the first 2 weeks.
The fertilized egg divides rapidly through mitosis.
A hollow, spherical structure called a blastocyst forms.

Major Developmental Processes

Cell division, migration, differentiation, and death play critical roles in development.
Cell migration occurs not only within the embryo but also to various tissues in the mother's body.
This maternal microchimerism might contribute to the development of certain tissues, such as breast milk and blood production.

Embryonic Phase

Occurs from the 3rd to 8th weeks after conception.
Cell differentiation becomes crucial, as cells specialize into various functions.
Stem cells can differentiate into any cell type in the body, demonstrating their importance in this phase.
The neural tube, crucial for brain development, forms around 22 days after conception.
Toxic stress can have long-lasting detrimental effects on brain development.

Genes and Heritability

Heritability refers to the proportion of variation in a trait that is attributable to genetic influences in a population.
Twin studies, adoption studies, and DNA testing are tools used to study heritability.
Family studies examine the correlation of traits between individuals with different degrees of genetic similarity.
Shared and non-shared environments can influence trait variation.

Epigenetics

Epigenetics explores how environmental factors can change gene expression.
The epigenome can be inherited across generations, suggesting how experiences can have long-term impacts.
Smoking and malnutrition during pregnancy can alter the epigenome and affect descendants.

Heredity

Identical twins reared apart show high similarity in traits, indicating the significant influence of genetics.
However, environment also plays a role, as twins reared together often display differences.

Perception

Perception is the process of organizing and interpreting sensory information.
Vision is an illusion that relies on our brains making educated guesses about the world.

Sensation

It's the low-level processing of information from the senses.
It provides input to perception, which then interprets the data.
Perception involves constructing a unified interpretation of sensory inputs.

Infant Perception

Infant perception is remarkable, suggesting innate abilities and the importance of early experiences.
Studies have shown the presence of depth perception in infants, despite their limited visual experience.

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Description

Explore the fascinating intersection of nature and nurture in developmental psychology. This quiz covers critical phases of development, including the germinal phase, and studies that examine how experiences can influence psychological and physical traits. Challenge your knowledge of key concepts and experiments that shape our understanding of human development.