Developmental Issues Nature versus Nurture Continuity versus Stages How is our development influenced by our heredity (nature) and by our experience (nurture)? Continuity versus Stages Is developmental change gradual and continuous or does it proceed through a sequence of separate stages? Stability versus Change Do we grow into older versions of our early selves or do we become new persons?

Germinal Period - Inner cells of zygote (fertilized egg) becomes the embryo. By 6 weeks the heart begins to beat and liver makes red blood cells. By 9 weeks the embryo is now a fetus. 7 WEEKS 18 WEEKS

GO TO http://www.pregnancycalendar.com/first9months/

Teratogens Agents (chemicals) that are capable of causing developmental abnormalities in utero are called teratogens. Some of these drugs are: Barbituates - sodium barbital, phenobarbital Anti-nausea - Thalidomide Anti-acne – Accutane Effects of Smoking

F.A.S. Consuming alcohol during pregnancy is the cause of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), a leading preventable cause of birth defects and mental retardation. FAS is a serious, lifelong condition that is characterized by: facial abnormalities growth retardation central nervous system deficits including learning and developmental disorders

What can a newborn do? Reflexes (ex: rooting) Turn heads in the direction of voices Prefer to look at objects 8-12 inches away Can distinguish mother’s odor/voice within days of birth Gaze longer @ a human face (given a choice)

Cognitive Development Habituation decreasing responsiveness with repeated stimulation newborns become bored with a repeated stimulus, but renew their attention to a slightly different stimulus

Infancy and Childhood Maturation biological growth processes that enable orderly changes in behavior sets the course for development while experience adjusts it At birth 3 months 15 months Cortical Neurons

COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT INFANCY AND CHILDHOOD PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT Motor Development Universal w/ individual differences. Nature or Nurture? Cerebellum Development Motor Development

Brain Development

Infancy and Childhood Impoverished environment Enriched environment Rats reared in an environment enriched with playthings show increased development of the cerebral cortex (Rosenzweig, et al., 1972).

Infancy and Childhood Plasticity the brain’s capacity for modification evidence for plasticity brain reorganization following damage especially in children experiments on the effects of experience on brain development

Infancy and Childhood Cognition Schema Assimilation Accommodation mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, and remembering Schema a concept or framework that organizes and interprets information Assimilation interpreting one’s new experience in terms of one’s existing schemas Accommodation adapting one’s current schemas to incorporate new information

Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development Object Permanence the awareness that things continue to exist even when not perceived Conservation the principle that properties such as mass, volume, and number remain the same despite changes in the forms of objects part of Piaget’s concrete operational reasoning Egocentrism the inability of the preoperational child to take another’s point of view

Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development Typical Age Range Description of Stage Developmental Phenomena Birth to nearly 2 years Sensorimotor Experiencing the world through senses and actions (looking, touching, mouthing) Object permanence Stranger anxiety About 2 to 6 years About 7 to 11 years About 12 through adulthood Preoperational Representing things with words and images but lacking logical reasoning Pretend play Egocentrism Language development Concrete operational Thinking logically about concrete events; grasping concrete analogies and performing arithmetical operations Conservation Mathematical transformations Formal operational Abstract reasoning Abstract logic Potential for moral reasoning

Cognitive Development Baby Mathematics Shown a numerically impossible outcome, infants stare longer (Wynn, 1992) 4. Possible outcome: Screen drops, revealing one object. 1. Objects placed in case. 2. Screen comes up. 3. One object is removed. 4. Possible outcome: Screen drops, revealing two object.

Erikson’s Theory of Psychosocial Development AGE (Yrs) STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT Birth to 1.5 Basic trust vs. Mistrust 1.5 to 3 Autonomy vs. Doubt 3-6 Initiative vs. Guilt 6-12 Industry vs. Inferiority 12-18 Identity vs. Role Confusion Yng. Adult Intimacy vs. Isolation Adult Generativity vs. Stagnation Older Adult Ego Integrity vs. Despair © 1999 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.

The Developing Child Testosterone Gender most important of the male sex hormones both males and females have it additional testosterone in males stimulates growth of male sex organs in the fetus stimulates development of male sex characteristics during puberty Gender characteristics, whether biologically or socially influenced, by which people define male and female

Y and X Chromosomes

Kholberg & Moral Development Preconventional (before 9), awards and punishment Conventional (early adolescence) – uphold laws and social rules Post-conventional – people have rights

Social Development Harlow’s monkey’s Attachment is the infant-parent bond Where does it come from? Body Contact Harlow’s monkey’s

Responsive Parenting Secure Attachment – 60% of infants – when mother leaves they are distressed and seek contact when she returns. Predictor of social competence Basic trust Insecure Attachment – Cling to mother; when she leaves they cry; when she returns, their indifferent. Deprivation of Attachment withdrawn Insecure and afraid aggressive Does Daycare Effect Attachment?

Social Development Critical period – optimal period when certain events must take place to facilitate proper development Imprinting – rigid attachment process (Konrad Lorenz)

Parenting Styles Authoritarian – impose rules and expect obedience Permissive – few demands and submissive Authoritative – demanding and responsive and open

Adoption Studies Why are children of the same family so different? Environmental factors have little effect on personality. Children are more similar to their biological parents. Greatest parental influence is on religious beliefs.

Heritability Extent to which variation among individuals is due to their differing genes. As environments become more similar, heredity becomes more likely to be the source of individual differences. If all other things (school, home, parents, etc.) are equal then heritability would increase. Would the heritability of a boy who grew up in the city and one that grew up in Pittsford be high or low?

Temperament Studies Inborn reactive excitability – easygoing, intense, fidgety, quiet, irritable, etc. Most emotional reactive newborns are most reactive 9-month-olds. Research shows stability throughout time.

Twin Studies Identical – one egg; clones Fraternal – separate eggs 60% chance of Alzheimers if you’re identical, 30% if fraternal. Separated identical twins have similar tastes, physical attributes, attitudes, personalities, interests, and fears.

Sexuality & Gender Differences 80% of adult video store customers are males Is it alright for two people who like each other to have sex after a short period of time? 53% of men said yes 30% of women said yes How often do you think about sex? Everyday? Several times a day? 54% of men said yes 19% of women said yes If someone came up to you and asked to have sex with you tonight would you do it? 75% or men agreed; Why wait till tonight? All women declined Why is there this double standard? Cultural or Nature? Evolutionary?

Aging and Memory Crystallized intelligence - accumulated knowledge which increases up to old age Fluid intelligence - ability to reason speedily decreases slowly up until 75 when rapid increases occur. Dementia – loss of brain cells Alzheimer’s strikes 3% of world pop. by 75 Memory, reasoning, and language deteriorate Deterioration of neurons that produce acetylcholine. Plaques found on neuron branches Estrogen supplements?