Human Development PDF

What is Developmental Psychology? Developmental psychology is the study of change over time - in physiology, cognition, emotion, and...

What is Developmental Psychology? Developmental psychology is the study of change over time - in physiology, cognition, emotion, and social behavior Nature and nurture both play a role in development Human Development Emphasis on change, individual differences, experience, context © Young Money 1 2 Developmental Progression Periods of Prenatal Prenatal period: conception - birth Infancy: birth – 18 - 24 months Development Childhood: end of infancy – onset of puberty Adolescence: end of childhood – 18 - 21 years Zygote: conception - 2 weeks Adulthood: end of adolescence - death Embryo: 2 weeks – 2 months Fetus: 2 months – birth For your future self: Nova – Life’s Greatest Miracle http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/body/life-greatest- miracle.html 3 4 © 2024 Priscilla San Souci. This content is protected and may not be shared, uploaded, or distributed. 1  Critical Stages of Prenatal Development Hazards to Prenatal Development: Teratogens Teratogens - agents from the environment that may cause harm in a growing human organism. Sources – nature, industry, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, disease, behavior… The embryonic period is the most sensitive time of prenatal development. These photos by unknown authors are licensed under Creative Commons The embryonic period is the most sensitive time of prenatal development. 5 6 Hazards to Prenatal Development: Teratogens Teratogens - Alcohol Individual differences in susceptibility also influence Drinking alcohol can cause fetal alcohol syndrome the effect of exposure to teratogens. (FAS), the leading cause of intellectual disability in Sleeper effects that show up later in life sometimes the Western Hemisphere make identification of teratogens difficult. Outcomes – hyperactivity, attention problems, and various organ defects Children exposed prenatally to alcohol who do not have full-blown FAS may exhibit neurological impairments and hyperactivity. For optimal outcomes, there is no “safe” amount of alcohol that a pregnant woman can consume. 7 8 © 2024 Priscilla San Souci. This content is protected and may not be shared, uploaded, or distributed. 2  Identify the stages of prenatal development: 1. No new structures A. 1. Zygote 2. Embryo emerge; becomes 3. Fetus stronger & larger B. 1. Zygote 2. Fetus 2. Period when most 3. Embryo internal organs form C. 1. Fetus 2. Embryo 3. Zygote 3. From conception to 2 D. 1. Embryo 2. Fetus weeks 3. Zygote E. 1. Fetus 2. Zygote 3. Embryo 9 10 & 11 Brain Development By age 4, the human brain has grown to about 80 percent of adult size. Synaptic pruning- a process whereby the synaptic connections in the brain that are used are preserved, and those that are not used are lost. One factor that can diminish an environment is poverty. 12 © 2024 Priscilla San Souci. This content is protected and may not be shared, uploaded, or distributed. 3  Which of the following best describes the Synaptic Pruning development of synaptic connections? A. We develop all synapses as we need them B. We are born with the exact number of synaptic connections that we'll need C. An infant overdevelops synapses & maintains this larger number of synapses until adulthood D. An infant overdevelops synapses & then prunes away connections that are not needed as they develop 13 14 & 15 How does the environment influence development? Dynamic systems theory - Development is a self- organizing process; new behaviors emerge through consistent interactions between a biological being and their environment 16 © 2024 Priscilla San Souci. This content is protected and may not be shared, uploaded, or distributed. 4  Adolescence Adolescent Brain Development The onset of puberty marks the beginning of The adolescent brain undergoes a phase of adolescence reorganization Puberty – process leading to sexual maturity and the The frontal cortex of the brain is not fully developed ability to reproduce until the early 20s, so adolescents have a difficult Timing varies depending on biological and time thinking critically about the consequences of environmental influences their actions or planning The limbic system matures more quickly than the frontal cortex This disconnect results in teenagers being more likely to act on their impulses. 17 18 Adolescence & Identity Adolescence & Identity Erikson (1980) proposed a life-span theory of Sex refers to biological human development that emphasized age-related differences among psychosocial challenges and their effects on social males, females, and functioning across the life span. intersex Each stage is marked by a crisis that must be Gender refers to resolved socialization differences Gender identity – For Erikson, the central crisis of adolescence is personal beliefs about establishing a sense of identity. whether one is male, female, nonbinary, transgender, bigender/two-spirit, etc. 19 20 © 2024 Priscilla San Souci. This content is protected and may not be shared, uploaded, or distributed. 5  A Sense of Parenting Adolescents Identity Forms Parents continue to have an influence on adolescent behavior Ethnic identity – an Research shows that the best type of parenting is individual’s sense of flexible, taking into account the parents’ belonging to a racial personalities, child’s temperament, and specific or ethnic group situations. With this type of parental support, adolescence can be positive time of growth and change 21 22 Adulthood People in their 20s and 30s undergo significant changes as they pursue career goals and make long-term commitments in relationships, as in Although there is steady decline in overall health and the frontal lobes of the brain shrink getting married and throughout adulthood, people who engage in raising children. Aging physical and mental exercise tend to show less cognitive decline as they age. Marital satisfaction tends to decline after Most older people report being just as, if not the birth of a child. more, satisfied with their lives as younger people. 23 24 © 2024 Priscilla San Souci. This content is protected and may not be shared, uploaded, or distributed. 6