Development Through the Lifespan

Developmental Psychology: Studies physical, cognitive and social changes through the life span.

Prenatal Development and the Newborn From zygote to birth, physical development progresses in an orderly sequence.

Infancy & Childhood Physical Development You are born with the most brain cells you would ever have! You are born with the most brain cells you would ever have! Neural networks multiply as we grow & gain abilities Neural networks multiply as we grow & gain abilities Association areas for thinking, memory, and language are last areas to develop Association areas for thinking, memory, and language are last areas to develop Maturation - gradual unfolding of genetically-programmed physical changes Maturation - gradual unfolding of genetically-programmed physical changes

Infant Reflexes Rooting reflex Babinski reflex Moro reflex Grasping reflex

Habituation

Infants & Habituation Infants look longer at novel stimulus Infants look longer at novel stimulus Look less at familiar stimuli Look less at familiar stimuli

Motor Development Experience has little effect on motor development; it is mostly due to our genes & maturation Experience has little effect on motor development; it is mostly due to our genes & maturation

Maturation & Infant Memory Infantile amnesia Infantile amnesia – Conscious memory at age 3 ½ (Bauer, 2002) As we develop language, the way in which we organize memories change. As we develop language, the way in which we organize memories change. A 5-year-old has a sense of self and an increased long-term memory, thus organization of memory is different from 3-4 years. A 5-year-old has a sense of self and an increased long-term memory, thus organization of memory is different from 3-4 years. Infants do show evidence of some memory. (Rovee-Collier)

Temperament Temperament = infant’s individual style & frequency of expressing needs/emotions Temperament = infant’s individual style & frequency of expressing needs/emotions Difficult babies Difficult babies Emotional, difficulty in adapting to new situations, easily fussy/reactive to stimuli (noise, temperature, jostling, etc.) Emotional, difficulty in adapting to new situations, easily fussy/reactive to stimuli (noise, temperature, jostling, etc.) Easy babies Easy babies Less reactive, able to adapt to situational changes Less reactive, able to adapt to situational changes Slow-to-warm up babies Slow-to-warm up babies Take time to warm up to new environments/people Take time to warm up to new environments/people

Attachment & Familiarity Familiarity forms during critical period & leads to attachment Familiarity forms during critical period & leads to attachment Imprinting  forms attachment during critical period in early life Imprinting  forms attachment during critical period in early life Konrad Lorenz (1937) Konrad Lorenz (1937) Goslings were imprinted to him because he was the first being they knew Goslings were imprinted to him because he was the first being they knew Attachment is instinctual in animals Attachment is instinctual in animals

Infants & Social Development Attachment – bond between infant & caregiver Attachment – bond between infant & caregiver Stranger 8 months (Bowlby) Stranger 8 months (Bowlby) Showing anxiety towards someone new means they have an attachment to someone familiar (care-giver) Showing anxiety towards someone new means they have an attachment to someone familiar (care-giver)

Attachment & Body Contact Harry Harlow (1971) Harry Harlow (1971) Attachment forms through comfort, contact – NOT merely providing nourishment Attachment forms through comfort, contact – NOT merely providing nourishment

Deprivation of Attachment What happens when circumstances prevent a child from forming attachments? In such circumstances children become: 1.Withdrawn 2.Frightened 3.Unable to develop speech Harlow’s studies showed that monkeys experience great anxiety if their terry- cloth mother is removed.

Mary Ainsworth & Strange Situation

Ainsworth’s Types of Attachment Secure (60%) Secure (60%) – Play & explore happily on their own – Distressed when caregiver leaves – Readily greets caregiver upon return Insecure (30%) Insecure (30%) – Less likely to explore – Avoid or ignore caregiver (avoidant) – Very upset when caregiver leaves, but alternate between greeting/rejecting upon their return (ambivalent) Disorganized Disorganized

Temperament & Attachment Sensitive parents have securely attached infants Sensitive parents have securely attached infants Heredity (Rothbart, 2007) Heredity (Rothbart, 2007) Nurturing, sensitive parent (Van den Boom, 1990, 1995) Nurturing, sensitive parent (Van den Boom, 1990, 1995) Even children of abusive parents develop attachment Even children of abusive parents develop attachment

References Kaplan, H. Development (PPT file). Retrieved from AP Psychology Commune web Site: Myers, D.G. (2011). Myers’ psychology for AP. Holland, MI: Worth Publishers.