Module 17 Early Development

The Fundamental Question Is it nature or nurture? Current philosophy supports both: nature and nurture interact to regulate and influence our behaviours.

Prenatal Germinal – first 2 weeks Embryonic – 2-8 weeks post conception most birth defects and miscarriages occur here, as this is when all basic organs form Fetal – remaining time until birth

Fetal Stage Birth defects occur if developing stuctures are interfered with by: toxins, drugs or genetic malfunctions Usually, these will have less effect after the first 12 weeks

Teratogens Tera: meaning “monster” Cocaine and other drugs: low birth weight, poor feeding habits, and risk of lower IQ and psychological issues. Smoking increases low birth weight, early delivery, higher risk of ADHD, SIDS and respiratory illness Lead (from paint, industry or gasoline) leads to lower IQ and brain development issues. Even low levels of exposure are linked to low IQ, physical disabilities and antisocial behaviours as well as ADHD Air Pollution can also cause low birth weight, fetal growth deficiencies and delays in physical development

Alcohol Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) – heavy maternal drinking in first 12 weeks. Results in physical change, fewer brain connections, psychological and behvioral problems, deficits in memory and information processing Even small amounts of alcohol can lead to deficits in cognition, and there is now considered no safe level of alcohol

Motor Development Proximodistal principle – parst closer to the centre of the body develop before those farther away (trunk before arms) Cephalocaudal principle – parts closer to the head develop before those farther away (ie can lift head before can crawl) Maturation – developmental changes genetically or biologically programmed rather than learned through experience

More motor development Norms are the average ages at which children develop various skills Environmental stimulation can change the speed at which children engage in different skills, and these skills can be retarded by lack of stimulation

Temperament Relatively stable individual differences in mood and emotional behaviour, largely genetic Easy 40% Slow to warm up 15% Difficult 10% Undifferentiated 35% Temperament can be influenced (to some extent) by environment “fearful” or “fearless”

Attachment Fundamental emotional bond between child and caregiver Separation anxiety Secure attachment Insecure attachment RAD – reactionary attachment disorder http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ME2wmFunCjU&featu re=related Rage http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYqZQ3LW_bk&featur e=related

How to we study development? Longitudinal studies Cross-sectional studies

Cognitive development Jean Piaget (early-mid 20th c) Children operate on their environment Assimilation: use old methods or experiences to deal with new situations Accomodation: process where child changes old methods to deal with or adjust to new situations

Piaget’s stage theory Sensorimotor (0-2) Hearing, seeing, touching, smelling Object permanence (9 months) Pre-operational (2-7) - symbols, imagination, simple problem solving - Conservation problem Egocentric thinking (hide the basket)

Piaget, con’t Concrete (7-11) Conservation Classification Problem solving with concrete objects Formal (12+) Abstract and hypothetical problem solving Founded idea of stage theory, but has been further advanced and improved upon by many theorists

Criticisms of Piaget Four stages are not as rigid as he proposed Theory does not explain why stages occur (today, we can associate those changes with brain development, using modern techniques) Some children failed at tasks because they did not understand the instructions

New Information for Piaget Genetic factors Brain development