1. Developmental Psychology A branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive and social changes throughout the lifespan.

2. Prenatal Development Conception begins with the drop of an egg and the release of about 200 million sperm. The sperm seeks out the egg and attempts to penetrate the eggs surface.

3. Once the sperm penetrates the egg, we have a fertilized egg called…….. The Zygote The first stage of prenatal development. Lasts about two weeks and consists of rapid cell division.

4. The Zygote Stage Less than half of all zygotes survive first two weeks. About 10 days after conception, the zygote will attach itself to the uterine wall. The outer part of the zygote becomes the placenta (which filters nutrients).

5. After two weeks, the zygote develops into an embryo Embryo

6. The Embryo Stage Lasts about 6 weeks. Heart begins to beat and the organs begin to develop.

7. By nine weeks we have something that looks unmistakably human… A Fetus

8. The Fetus Stage By about the 6 th month, the stomach and other organs have formed enough to survive outside of mother. At this time the baby can hear (and recognize) sounds and respond to light.

9. Progress Before Birth: Prenatal Development 3 phases –germinal stage = first 2 weeks conception, implantation, formation of placenta –embryonic stage = 2 weeks – 2 months formation of vital organs and systems –fetal stage = 2 months – birth bodily growth continues, movement capability begins, brain cells multiply age of viability – when the baby could survive if born prematurely –Sometime between 21 and 28 weeks, depending on the individual fetus’ developmental progress. A 50% survival chance begins around 24 weeks.

10. Figure 11.1 Overview of fetal development

11. Environmental Factors and Prenatal Development Maternal nutrition –Malnutrition linked to increased risk of birth complications, neurological problems, and psychopathology Maternal drug use –Tobacco, alcohol, prescription, and recreational drugs –Fetal alcohol syndrome Maternal illness –Rubella, syphilis, mumps, genital herpes, AIDS, severe influenza –Prenatal health care –Prevention through guidance

12. Teratogens harmful agents to the prenatal environment

13. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Physical and cognitive abnormalities in children caused by a pregnant women’s heavy drinking. Severe cases symptoms include facial disproportions.

14. Reflexes and Motor Skills in the Healthy Newborn These are swift and automatic movements that occur in response to external stimuli. Infants have more than twenty reflexes, including the grasping, rooting, and sucking reflexes. As muscle strength increases, infants try out various methods of crawling until they find the most efficient one. For example: –Rooting Reflex – a baby’s tendency, when touched on the cheek, to open mouth and search for a nipple (see here at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyVLD0hl0XY – 18 seconds in ) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyVLD0hl0XY –Moro Reflex – “the startled reflex” (see here at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTz-iVI2mf4) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTz-iVI2mf4

15. Vision Newborns have 20:300 sight. (Go to http://www.midwesteyecenter.com/procedures.php to see what they see). http://www.midwesteyecenter.com/procedures.php They prefer to look at objects that have contour, contrast, complexity, and movement. They also prefer to look at objects 8 to 12 inches away (the approximate distance between a nursing infant’s eyes and the mother’s). Newborns will gaze longer at human-face-like images.

16. Other Senses Within two to three days after birth, infants can hear soft voices and differentiate tones. They turn their heads towards human voices. They prefer to hear speech, especially speech that is high-pitched, exaggerated, and expressive. At 3 weeks, the newborn prefers its mother’s voice over any others. Newborns have a good sense of smell and taste and show a preference for the smell of their own mother’s milk. Within days of birth, the newborn distinguishes its mother’s odor.

17. The Competent Newborn Offspring cries are important signals for parents to provide nourishment. In animals and humans such cries are quickly attended to and relieved. Carl and Ann Purcell/ Corbis Lightscapes, Inc. Corbis

18. An evolutionary explanation for cuteness? An explanation of attachment was proposed by John Bowlby, a prominent British psychoanalyst. Citing Harlow’s findings and Konrad Lorenz’s research on imprinting, Bowlby asserted that attachment has a biological basis. According to Bowlby, infants are programmed by evolution to exhibit endearing behavior—such as smiling, cooing, and clinging— that triggers an affectionate, protective response from adults. Think about it – if babies weren’t cute and sweet, would we behave the same way towards them?

19. For more information, watch… … a series of videos on pbs.org that trace human development, where many of the scenes were filmed inside the womb. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/mira cle/program.htmlhttp://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/mira cle/program.html