UNIT 9 DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY Essays - Human Development

UNIT 9: DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY INTRODUCTION OBJECTIVE 1: State the three areas of change that developmental psychologists study, and identify three major issues in developmental psychology. Scientists who study physical, cognitive, and social changes throughout the life cycle are called _____ DEVELOPMENTAL __ __ ____ PSYCHOLOGISTS ___. One of the major issues in developmental psychology concerns the relative importance of genes and experience in determining behavior; this is called the ______ NATURE _ _____/______ NURTURE ____ issue. A second developmental issue, _____ CONTINUITY ______/_____ STAGES _____, concerns whether developmental changes are gradual or abrupt. A third controversial issue concerns the tendency of personality and whether development is characterized by more ____ STAGES _______ over time or by change. PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT AND THE NEWBORN OBJECTIVE 2: Describe the union of sperm and egg at conception. Conception begins when a woman's ____ OVARY_ _______ releases a mature________ EGG __________. The few ______ SPERM __________ from the man that reach the egg release digestive ____ ENZYMES____ ______ that eat away at the egg's protective covering. As soon as one sperm penetrates the egg, the egg's surface ______ BLOCKS _________ all other sperm. The egg and sperm _____ NUCLEI ________ fuse and become one. OBJECTIVE 3: Define zygote, embryo and fetus , and explain how teratogens can affect development. Fertilized human eggs are called ____ ZYGOTES__ _______. During the first week, the cells in this cluster begin to specialize in structure and function, that is, they begin to _____ DIFFERENTIATE ______. The outer part of the fertilized egg attaches to the _____ UTERINE _______ wall, forming the ___ PLACENTA __________. From about 2 until 8 weeks of age, the developing human, formed from the inner cells of the fertilized egg, is called a(n) ____ EMBRYO ________. During the final stage of prenatal development, the developing human is called a(n) ______ FETUS _______. Along with nutrients, a range of harmful substances known as ___ TERATOGENS ____ can pass through the placenta. Moderate consumption of alcohol during pregnancy ____ CAN AFFECT ______ (usually does not affect/can affect) the fetal brain. If a mother drinks heavily, her baby is at risk for the birth defects and mental retardation that accompany ______ FETAL _____ ___ ALCOHOL ______ ____ SYNDROME ___. OBJECTIVE 4: Describe some abilities of the newborn, and explain how researchers use habituation to assess infant sensory and cognitive abilities. When an infant's cheek is touched, it will vigorously search for a nipple, a response known as the ____ ROOTING _______ _______ REFLEX _______. American psychologist __ WILLIAM JAMES ___ believed that the newborn experiences a "blooming, buzzing confusion." This belief is _____ INCORRECT __ __ (correct/incorrect). Give some evidence supporting the claim that a newborn's sensory equipment is biologically prewired to facilitate social responsiveness. NEWBORNS REFLEXIVELY TURN THEIR HEADS IN THE DIRECTION OF HUMAN VOICES. THEY GAZE LONGER AT A DRAWING OF A HUMAN FACE THAN AT A BULL'S-EYE PATTERN. THEY FOCUS BEST ON OBJECTS ABOUT 8 TO 12 INCHES AWAY, WHICH IS ABOUT THE DISTANCE BETWEEN A NURSING INFANT'S EYES AND THE MOTHER'S. WITHIN DAYS, THEY RECOGNIZE THEIR MOTHER'S SMELL AND VOICE. To study infants' thinking, developmental researchers have focused on a simple form of learning called ____ HABITUATION _____, which involves a ______ DECREASE ________ in responding with repeated stimulation. Using this procedure, researchers have found that infants can discriminate ____ COLORS ____, _____ SHAPES _______, and ___ SOUNDS _______; they also understand some basic concepts of ___ NUMBERS _____ and ____ PHYSICS _____. INFANCY AND CHILDHOOD OBJECTIVE 5: Describe some developmental changes in a child's brain, and explain why maturation accounts for many of our similarities. The developing brain ______ OVER _________ (over/under) produces neurons, with the number peaking at ____ 28 WEEKS _____ (what age?). At birth the human nervous system ______ IS NOT _________(is/is not) fully mature. Between 3 and 6 years of age, the brain is developing most rapidly in the ____ FRONTAL _________ lobes, which enable __ RATIONAL _____ ___ PLANNING ___. After puberty, a process of ____ PRUNING___ ______ shuts down some neural connections and strengthens others. Biological growth processes that enable orderly changes in behavior are called ___ MATURATION ____. OBJECTIVE 6: Outline four events in the motor development