Developmental Psychology Overview
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Questions and Answers

What is synaptogenesis and when does it primarily occur?

Synaptogenesis is the formation of new synapses, which increases rapidly during the first year of life.

Explain synaptic pruning and its significance during early development.

Synaptic pruning is the elimination of unused synapses that occurs from ages 2 to 10, refining neural circuits and pathways based on experiences.

Define critical periods in brain development and their importance.

Critical periods are times of active brain growth when the brain is particularly sensitive to specific experiences, essential for adequately acquiring certain skills.

Identify two abilities that must be developed during critical periods and explain their relevance.

<p>Visual perception and language learning must be developed during critical periods, as they are foundational for later cognitive and social skills.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the concept of plasticity relate to critical periods?

<p>Plasticity refers to the brain's ability to change and adapt, which is heightened during critical periods, allowing optimal learning and development.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What happens to infants' phoneme discrimination abilities by 12 months?

<p>By around 12 months, babies lose the ability to discriminate between contrasting phonemes of different languages.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Discuss the role of infant-caregiver bonding during critical periods.

<p>Infant-caregiver bonding is crucial during critical periods for developing attachment, which influences emotional and social growth.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What implications does synaptic pruning have for a child's learning process?

<p>Synaptic pruning streamlines neural connections, allowing for more efficient learning based on individual experiences, which influences overall cognitive development.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are some psychological benefits associated with a lower risk of anxiety and depression?

<p>Individuals are less prone to substance abuse and self-destructive behaviors.</p> Signup and view all the answers

In which stage of Kohlberg's theory do moral judgments relate primarily to the consequences of actions?

<p>The Preconventional Stage.</p> Signup and view all the answers

During which stage of moral development do individuals start to respect laws and social norms?

<p>The Conventional Stage.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a key characteristic of the Postconventional Stage of moral development?

<p>Decisions are based on abstract principles like fairness and justice.</p> Signup and view all the answers

In Heinz’s Dilemma, why might someone argue against stealing the drug?

<p>Because it is against the law and could lead to jail.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are some examples of emotionally avoidant coping mechanisms?

<p>Workaholism and substance use.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How can hypervigilant behaviors negatively impact social and emotional development?

<p>They may lead to overusing health services and exhibiting frequent somatic complaints.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What did Harlow's attachment studies reveal about the need for contact comfort in young monkeys?

<p>Harlow found that young monkeys needed contact comfort to feel secure, as those without it exhibited fear and stress.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does Bowlby and Ainsworth’s attachment theory explain the formation of an 'internal working model' in infants?

<p>The theory suggests that infants form a unique bond with their primary caregiver, shaping their expectations about trust and reliability in social relationships.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What can be the long-term effects of persistent emotional neglect in childhood according to the information provided?

<p>Long-term effects include compromised growth, cognitive development issues, and increased risks for obesity, depression, and anxiety disorders as adults.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Explain the difference between nativism and empiricism regarding knowledge acquisition.

<p>Nativism posits that certain knowledge is innate, while empiricism argues that all knowledge is gained through experience.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What did Harlow observe about monkeys raised with only a wire mother?

<p>Monkeys raised with only a wire mother exhibited health issues, such as difficulty digesting milk and increased diarrhea.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why is exploring with a caregiver crucial for infants, based on Harlow's observations?

<p>Infants feel secure to explore their environment only when they have a reliable attachment figure to return to.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What role does early attachment play in the development of trust, according to Bowlby and Ainsworth?

<p>Early attachment influences whether individuals perceive others as trustworthy and reliable later in life.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do Harlow's findings relate to human emotional development?

<p>Harlow's findings suggest that humans, like monkeys, have a fundamental need for attachment to avoid psychological stress and promote healthy development.</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the context of emotional neglect, what mental health risks are associated with adult victims of child abuse?

<p>Adult victims of child abuse are at greater risk for mental illness, obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is one key implication of the attachment theory for understanding child development?

<p>One key implication is that secure attachments foster resilience and better emotional regulation in children.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary process by which children integrate new information into existing schemas according to Piaget?

<p>Assimilation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

During which stage of Piaget's cognitive development do children begin to understand the concept of conservation?

<p>Concrete Operational Stage.</p> Signup and view all the answers

At what age range do children typically exhibit egocentric thinking according to Piaget's theory?

<p>2 to 7 years.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What critical cognitive skill develops in infants during the Sensorimotor Stage?

<p>Object permanence.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main characteristic of the Formal Operational Stage in Piaget's theory?

<p>Ability to think abstractly and reason hypothetically.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What change occurs in children's schemas as they develop according to Piaget?

<p>Schemas broaden through accommodation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the process termed when children modify their existing schemas to adapt to new information?

<p>Accommodation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What do Piaget's stages of cognitive development suggest about learning as children grow older?

<p>Learning becomes more complex and abstract.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of schemas in Piaget's theory of cognitive development?

<p>Schemas help children make sense of their experiences.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does Piaget mean by 'biological development' in relation to cognitive growth?

<p>Cognitive development is linked to physical maturation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does a child's reaction to caregiver separation correlate with their future emotional regulation?

<p>Children displaying secure attachment are better at emotion regulation in adulthood.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What behavioral indicators suggest a child has an ambivalent attachment style?

<p>Clinginess, dependency on the caregiver, and difficulty with autonomy indicate ambivalent attachment.</p> Signup and view all the answers

In what way do avoidant children respond to strangers when the caregiver is absent?

<p>Avoidant children tend to avoid the stranger and exhibit signs of anxiety.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How is a secure attachment linked to peer relationships during childhood?

<p>Securely attached children usually develop better peer relationships and interpersonal skills.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are the potential risks associated with a child exhibiting avoidant attachment behaviors?

<p>Children with avoidant attachment may suppress emotions and struggle with close relationships.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Describe the typical reunion behavior of securely attached children after separation from their caregiver.

<p>They are happy upon reunion and easily consoled by the caregiver.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What implications do early attachment styles have on adult interpersonal relationships?

<p>Early attachment styles significantly influence adult relationship dynamics and emotional health.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What emotional issues are ambivalently attached children prone to face later in life?

<p>They are more susceptible to mood disorders and emotional dysregulation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do securely attached children typically behave with strangers in the absence of their caregiver?

<p>They display openness and play normally, indicating lower anxiety levels.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What long-term effects can arise from a lack of emotional regulation during childhood?

<p>Individuals may experience interpersonal conflicts and difficulties in forming close relationships.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Developmental Psychology

  • Developmental psychology is the scientific study of changes and continuities in human behavior over time.
  • Many psychological characteristics (social, emotional, cognitive styles, personality, susceptibility to mental illness) originate in early development.
  • Traditionally, developmental psychologists focused on infants and children, but recent emphasis is on lifespan development ("womb to tomb").

Freud's Influence

  • Freud argued that the elements of the mind (psyche) originate in early childhood development.
  • He emphasized the critical importance of caregiver-child interactions.
  • Freud argued the foundation of personality and behavior are fixed in the first five years of life.

Questions Developmental Psychologists Ask

  • How do prenatal experiences affect brain development and later behavior?
  • What knowledge do humans possess at birth?
  • How do humans develop unique knowledge?
  • How do postnatal experiences influence cognitive, social, emotional, and moral behavior?
  • In what ways do humans continue to develop into adulthood?

Prenatal Development

  • Prenatal development spans from conception to approximately 40 weeks.
  • The nervous system begins developing during the third week of pregnancy.
  • Stages include zygote, embryo (3-8 weeks), and fetus (9-40 weeks).

Prenatal Brain Influences

  • Maternal stress (physical or emotional)
  • Maternal exposure to harmful chemicals (e.g., mercury, lead, or organics)
  • Maternal exposure to drugs (prescription and recreational)
  • Maternal infections (e.g., viruses)
  • Maternal malnutrition (e.g., vitamin deficiencies).

Teratogens

  • Teratogens are substances that harm a developing fetus.
  • Thalidomide is a known teratogen, causing severe birth defects when taken during pregnancy.
  • Bisphenol-A (BPA) is an industrial chemical used in plastics and epoxy resins. Studies have linked BPA to reproductive issues, cardiovascular problems, brain development issues and cognitive problems.

Postnatal Brain Development

  • Humans are born with essential reflexes for survival (e.g., sucking).
  • The postnatal brain develops rapidly during the first year and beyond.
  • Synaptogenesis (formation of new synapses) rapidly increases during the first year of life. Synaptic pruning (elimination of unused synapses) occurs from age 2-10 and beyond, refining neural circuits and pathways.
  • This developmental plasticity creates critical periods for the development of psychologically-relevant functions and behaviors.

Critical Periods

  • Critical periods are periods of active brain growth and plasticity, when the brain is highly sensitive to stimulation and experiences.
  • Certain skills must be acquired during critical periods for appropriate development (e.g., visual perception, motor learning, language learning).
  • Experiences during these periods can have crucial effects (e.g., infant-caregiver bonding, attachment).

A Critical Period for Language Development

  • Babies lose the ability to discriminate between contrasting phonemes of different languages by about 12 months of age.

Cognitive Development

  • Jean Piaget's Constructivist Theory. Children develop age-specific schemas to understand the world, first by assimilating information into existing schemas, and then accommodating new schemas as needed.
  • Piaget's stages of cognitive development:
    • Sensorimotor (0-2 years): Infants experience the world through direct sensory and motor contact. Object permanence develops during this stage.
    • Preoperational (2-7 years): Symbolic thinking develops, but logical reasoning is limited. Egocentrism is present.
    • Concrete operational (7-12 years): Logical reasoning about concrete objects develops; understanding of conservation and theory of mind emerges.
    • Formal operational (12+ years): Abstract reasoning and hypothetical thinking develop.

Object Permanence

  • Piaget believed that infants lack the ability to understand that objects continue to exist when they are out of sight (object permanence).
  • This understanding develops during the sensorimotor stage.

Modern Challenges to Piaget

  • Recent studies suggest cognitive abilities, such as object permanence, develop earlier than Piaget believed.
  • Infants have a basic understanding of the physical world (e.g., objects are solid, objects move through contact).
  • Some researchers argue that infants might have innate forms of knowledge.

Babies & Numbers

  • Infants show a preference for impossible outcomes in simple numerical tasks, suggesting an innate understanding of numerical quantities.

Nature vs. Nurture

  • Plato (nativism): Certain kinds of knowledge are innate.
  • Aristotle (empiricism): All knowledge is acquired through experience.

Social & Emotional Development: Attachment

  • Harry Harlow's studies with monkeys demonstrated the importance of contact comfort.
  • Monkeys raised with only a wire mother exhibited signs of distress and difficulty with social interactions.

Bowlby & Ainsworth's Attachment Theory

  • A unique bond forms during the crucial infancy period between the infant and caregiver.
  • This bond is fundamental in shaping the child's internal working model of the social world.
  • Attachment styles may influence later social development greatly.

Ainsworth's Attachment Styles

  • Secure attachment (responsive caregiver): Meaningful and trusting relationships develop.
  • Ambivalent attachment (inconsistent caregiver): Anxious or clingy relationships may develop.
  • Avoidant attachment (unresponsive or rejecting caregiver): Distant and critical relationships may develop.

The Strange Situation

  • A method to assess attachment styles in infants.
  • Infant's behaviors toward the caregiver and stranger are crucial indicators of attachment style.

What Does a Child's Behavior Predict?

  • Secure, ambivalent, and avoidant attachment styles are associated with different developmental trajectories in social and emotional development.

Social & Emotional Development: Prosocial & Moral Behavior

  • Kohlberg's theory of moral development outlines three stages:
    • Preconventional: Moral judgments based on rewards and punishments.
    • Conventional: Moral judgments based on societal norms and rules.
    • Postconventional: Moral judgments based on abstract principles and justice.
  • Haidt's "Moral Foundations Theory" proposes that moral decisions are often intuitive rather than rational, and relies on innate 'moral sense'. The Trolley Dilemma highlights the emotional component of moral judgments.
  • Recent work suggests infants may have an innate sense of right, wrong, and fairness.

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Psych 100 F24 Lecture 8: Development, PDF

Description

Explore the key concepts of developmental psychology, focusing on the changes and continuities in human behavior throughout the lifespan. This quiz will cover Freud's influence and the questions developmental psychologists seek to answer regarding early experiences and their impact on behavior.

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