1. A Topical Approach to Life-Span Development 6e John W. Santrock
Chapter 3:
Physical Development
and Biological Aging

2. Patterns of body growth
Cephalocaudal pattern =
Proximodistal pattern =
Growth rate affected by :

3. Figure 3.1 - Changes in Proportions of the Human Body During Growth
Fractions = head size as fraction of total body length

4. Height and Weight in Infancy and Childhood
Average ___ inches, ____ lbs at birth
Triple weight by ___ year
By age ___, reach ½ adult height, 1/5 adult weight
Early Childhood
Growth _____, trunk __________, body fat __________; patterns vary individually
Girls slightly _________ and __________ than boys
Girls have more ______ tissue, boys more __________
Middle and Late Childhood
Slower, consistent growth
Muscle mass and strength _________; bones _______
Body proportions change; boys stronger

5. Puberty: Physical growth & change
Growth spurt
Order for girls:
Age of onset:
Order for boys:

6. Puberty: Hormonal Changes
Hormones =

8. Endocrine glands & functions
Hypothalamus –
Pituitary gland –
Gonads =
Gonadotropins =

9. Endocrine glands  pubertal changes

10. Puberty: Hormonal effects
Hormones increase dramatically
Testosterone 
Estradiol 
Puberty onset affects social competence
Behaviors and moods can affect hormones

11. Timing of puberty: Psychological effects
Early maturation
Boys:
Girls:
Late maturation

12. Physical Changes: Early adulthood
Height
Muscle tone, strength
Joint functions
Elasticity

13. Middle adulthood: Physical Changes
40s-50s
Declines:
Increases:

14. Middle adulthood: Body Changes
Strength, joints, and bones

15. Middle adulthood: Body Changes
Cardiovascular system
Lungs

16. Middle adulthood: Sexuality changes
Climacteric —
Menopause —

18. Physical Changes: Late adulthood
Physical appearance
Circulatory system

19. Figure 3.6 - The Brain’s Four Lobes
Frontal
Attention, thinking, personality, intentionality or purpose
Motor cortex: voluntary movement
Occipital
Visual cortex
Parietal
Somatosensory cortex: Processing body sensations (sense of touch); spatial location
Link to motor cortex – body & movement control
Role in attention
Temporal
Auditory cortex: hearing
Language processing, memory

20. Functions of Cortical Lobes
Frontal
Motor cortex:
Parietal
Somatosensory cortex:
Occipital
Visual cortex:
Temporal
Auditory cortex:

21. Brain Physiology: Neurons
Neurons: Nerve cells that…

22. Figure The Neuron

23. Neuron Structures & Functions
Dendrites, cell body, axon
Myelin sheath and myelination
Neurotransmitters
Synapse

25. Neural circuits = groups of specialized neurons

26. Neural Growth in Infancy
Born with about __________ neurons
Rapid growth of:

27. Figure 3.12 - Dendritic Spreading

28. The Brain in Infancy Skills affected by: Blooming & pruning of:
Brain areas do not mature uniformly
Rapid growth of:
Motor control begins at about:

29. Figure 3.13 - Synaptic Density in Human Brain from Infancy to Adulthood

30. The Brain in Childhood
Brain and head continue to grow more rapidly than any other part of the body (See Fig. 3.13)
Greatest anatomical brain increases from ages:

31. Figure 3.14 - Growth Curves for Head and Brain and for Height and Weight

32. The Brain in Childhood Age 3 – 6: most rapid growth in:
Age 6 – puberty: most growth in:

34. The Brain in Adolescence
Growth in:
Corpus callosum –
Amygdala –
Prefrontal cortex –

36. The Brain in Adulthood General slowing of which functions?
Begins in middle age, accelerates with age
Brain loses _____% of weight from age
Shrinkage is not uniform; most in:

37. The Brain Can Adapt! How can we maintain functions & slow decline?
Remarkable repair capability
Neurogenesis: