Developmental Psychology Conception, Infancy, and Childhood

Agenda Grades Conception and Development Infancy

The Conception Lottery The odds of your sperm meeting your egg 1egg Only about 1 out of 5000 get released. 200 million sperm released The odds of you surviving the first two weeks: Less than half. Think about this the next time you feel unlucky.

Pregnancy (Module 28) Zygote Embryo Fetus Fertilized Egg Conception – Two Weeks Rapid cell division Embryo Attaches to uterine wall Outer cells become placenta; Inner cells become embryo Two weeks – 9 weeks Organs develop Fetus 9 weeks onward Organs can be formed enough to survive during 6th month.

Environmental Effects In Utero Zygote  Embryo  Fetus Sounds Nutrition and Health Psychological State Increased Stress -> Increased Emotionability Teratogens Environmental agents that produce birth defects Drugs, Alcohol, Nicotine Viruses

Babies and Bacon The Blank Slate According to Bacon’s theory, what should babies be able to do at birth? Babies are more complicated than assumed For example: Nursing Technology

Early Reflexes Reflexes Startle Rooting Grasping Sucking Aid survival

Newborn Senses Abilities and Preferences Smell Hearing Vision Taste Aid in survival, security-seeking, creating social bonds Smell Prefers mother Acquired within days Hearing Vision Prefer novel stimuli and faces (especially the mother’s) Taste Sweet and Sour

Cognitive Development All neurons are essentially present at birth. 23 billion Neural Networks Memory Emphasis at birth: Walking Talking Memory (specifically automatic memory) Emphasis from 3-6: Frontal Lobe

Organizing Information Schemas Assimilation Interpret new information based on schemas “Dog” Accommodation Change schemas based on new information Children vs Adults Dogs, Cars, Schemas in Self and Groups

Theory of Cognitive Development Jean Piaget Children’s understanding of the world follows a predictable pattern Knowledge acquired Nature of understanding Stages of cognition Maturation through interaction with environment Build upon one another Order is universal, Timing varies Process is more continuous than stage-based

Sensorimotor Stage Birth – Two years Experience the world through senses and actions Neural Development Interest in new stimuli Object Permanence Peek-a-boo Marker Around 9 months

Sensorimotor Stage Underestimated infant thought Life lived, not thought about Notices inconsistencies, unusual actions Physics Doll, Car Visual Cliff

Preoperational Stage 2-7 years Children begin representing their environment using words and images Language usage Begin using intuitive reasoning Principle of Conservation

Preoperational Stage Egocentrism Difficulty taking others’ perspectives Thinking and communicating from his/her point of view Telephone example “There are two boxes. Sue puts the ball in the left box and leaves the room. Sam takes the ball and puts it in the right box. Which box will Sue look in when she returns?” Importance of language

Formal Operational Stage 6-12 years Children can think logically about concrete events Mastering arithmetical operations Reversibility 4+4=8, 8-4=4 Analogies, Figures of Speech Enjoy wordplay jokes Lack of abstract thinking

Formal Operations 12-Adulthood Characterized by abstract thought If x=y and y=z, what can you say about x and z? Pendulum Problem Thinking about hypothetical situations. Not everyone fully develops formal operations Even fewer use this thinking frequently

Socio-Affective Development Social Needs vs Biological Needs Harlow’s Monkeys Wire vs. Cloth Attachment Emotional bond between child and caretaker Most important attachments are formed during early childhood. Caretaker as a “base”

Attachment Styles Measuring Attachment Ainsworth’s Strange Situation Mother and toddler in a waiting room with toys Watch while together Watch while separated Watch when reunited Securely Attachment Avoidant Attachment Ambivalent Attachment

Attachment Effect of Attachment? Attachment and Culture Predicts Adult Attachment Hazan and Shaver Secure – Seek and desire close relationships Anxious-Ambivalent – Wants relationships but is uncomfortable being close to people. Dismissive Avoidant – Comfortable without many close relationships Fearful Avoidant – Desires relationships, but fears bad outcomes Predicts several well-being outcomes Attachment and Culture Where do you think secure is the most common? Asia, North Germany exceptions