Pre-Natal, Infancy, and Childhood Development - Psychology lecture

Lecture 12: Pre-Natal, Infancy, and Childhood Development i. ii. iii. iv. v. vi. vii. viii. ix. x. Prenatal Development a. Conception i. A single sperm cell (male) penetrates the outer coating of the egg (female) and fuse to form one fertilized cell Monozygotic (Identical) Twins a. Infants will be same sex, have identical features, and possess the same part of 46 chromosomes Dizygotic (Fraternal) Twins a. A woman’s body is supposed to release an egg once in a monthly cycle, but sometimes more are released Prenatal Development a. Starts as one cell, then 2…4…8…16 b. Within 1 week i. Cells start to differentiate c. Within 6 weeks, organs form and function d. Fetus receives nutrients through placenta Teratogens a. Any substance that can reach the embryo or fetus and cause harm i. Alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, bacteria, viruses b. Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) i. Small, mis proportioned head ii. Lifelong brain abnormalities iii. Leading cause of mental retardation iv. If alcoholic, and drink during pregnancy, 4 in 10 chance babies will have FAS Habituation (Selective Looking) a. Decreasing responsiveness with repeated stimulation b. What do babies know (4 months) i. Focus on faces first ii. Can discriminate between shapes and colors iii. Even have a general understanding of number Physical Development a. Infants’ psychological development depends on their biological development Developing Brain a. The developing brain overproduces neurons (prenatally) i. Peaks at around 7 months (in womb) ii. Pruned before birth iii. Biggest change after birth is connections Maturation a. Growth in neural networks allow for orderly changes in behavior i. Allow you to walk, talk, and remember Cognitive Development a. Jean Piaget revolutionized our understanding of children b. Believed that our mind develops in stages xi. xii. xiii. xiv. xv. xvi. xvii. xviii. c. Development through schemas, assimilation, and accommodation Schemas (Schemes) a. Mental concept that organizes information b. Even as adults we use them i. Cats ii. Dogs iii. Buying ice cream iv. Love Assimilation and Accommodation a. Assimilate- interpreting new information in terms of our existing schemas b. Accommodate- adapting or adjusting our schemas to fit new experiences Sensorimotor Stage (birth-2) a. Take in world through senses i. Looking, hearing, touching, mouthing and grasping b. Gain object permanence i. Things exist, even when out of sight Preoperational Stage (2-6 or 7) a. Learns language, but doesn’t understand logic b. Lack the concept of conversation i. Quantity remains same despite changes in shape c. Children are egocentric i. Cannot take another’s viewpoint d. But they start to form a theory of mind i. Deas about our own and others mental states, and how feelings, perceptions, and thoughts can predict behavior Concrete Operational Stage (7-11) a. Gain mental operations that enable them to think logically b. Understand conversation i. Can mentally stimulate pouring liquid from one container to another c. Gain an understanding of mathematical transformations Formal Operational Stage (11 and up) a. Can think logically about abstract concepts b. Probably begins earlier that Piaget believed Reflections on Piaget’s Theory a. Highly influential i. Lots of empirical support b. Problems i. Contemporary beliefs support a much more continuous development ii. Underestimated the abilities of young children c. Implications i. Children construct their understandings through interactions with world Social Development a. Humans are social animals b. Infants develop intense bond with caregiver xix. xx. xxi. xxii. c. When children become mobile: i. Stranger anxiety: a fear of strangers that arises around 8 months Origins of Attachment a. Bodily contact b. Harlow et al (1971) i. Monkeys raised away from mothers ii. One “mother” provided food (but was wire), another was soft (but no food) iii. Preferred soft “mother” Attachment Differences a. Strange situation test i. 60% display secure attachment 1. Play comfortably when caregiver present 2. Distressed when caregiver leaves 3. Seek contact when caregiver returns ii. Others show insecure attachment (avoidant, ambivalent, disorganized) 1. Less likely to explore surroundings 2. Cry loudly when caregiver leaves 3. Continue to be distressed or indifferent when returns Deprivation of Attachment a. If a child isn’t able to form attachments, what happens? i. Withdrawn ii. Frightened iii. Unable to develop speech b. Most abusive parents report having been neglected or abused Child-Rearing Practices a. Authoritative style i. Children have highest self-esteem, self-reliance, and social competence