Chapter 10: Childhood and Infancy

What Would You Do? 10-2: Read the scenarios carefully. Answer each question using complete sentences. 1-3 sentences for each question should be sufficient. Share with small group. Share with class. WWDSS? What Would Doctor Spock Say?

I. The World of the Child 1969 Conversation between a child psychologist and a four- year-old boy (Phillips, 1969). “Do you have a brother?” “Yes.” “What’s his name?” “Jim.” “Does Jim have a brother.” “No.” What does this tell us?

The World of the Child (continued) A. Although children resemble adults, their thought processes are quite different. B. Children are not able to look at something from another point of view other than their own.

II. Heredity Versus Environment Heredity: characteristics obtained directly from the genes. Environment: a person’s surroundings, which have an influence on a person’s characteristics and development. Nature/Nurture: contrasting views of how we gain certain characteristics; nature refers to heredity, and nurture to environment.

Heredity Versus Environment (continued) Things that do not depend primarily on learning are due to physical factors or NATURE. Things that are learned are due to the environment or NURTURE. D. We know that environment, or nurture, plays a large part in the development of most skills, but almost all of the time, the source of these skills is some combination of nature and nurture.

E. Focus on Heredity Genes are the basic units of heredity. Genes determine everything babies are born with including: Eye color and shape. Hair color and texture. Adult height. General body build

Focus on Heredity (continued) 3. Genes are carried on larger units, the chromosomes – units of heredity containing genes; 23 in reproductive cells and 46 in all other cells. a. Every kind of body cell contains 23 pairs of chromosomes, for a total of 46—every kind but one. b. The reproductive cells, the egg and the sperm, each contain only 23 chromosomes, one half of each pair.

Focus on Heredity (continued) C. At conception, the fertilized egg, or zygote– fertilized egg—then has the necessary number of 46, for proper development. 4. Although environment is critical to proper development, in recent years, studies show that heredity influences many of our abilities and behaviors. (continued list on the next page.)

Focus on Heredity (continued) a. Intelligence b. A child’s activity level c. How easily soothed an infant is d. His or her emotional response e. How he or she reacts to new or novel things in the environment f. Tolerance for alcohol 5. All of these can be inherited, but that doesn’t mean that the environment cannot change the outcome (e.g. A great runner).

F. Twin Studies 1. There are two types of twins. a. Dizygotic (fraternal) Twins—Twins who develop from two different eggs fertilized by different sperm; have different heredity like any other sibling or pair. b. Monozygotic (identical) Twins—Twins who come from one fertilized egg; have the same (identical) genes or heredity. 2. Most researchers today estimate that roughly 50% of our personality traits and intelligence are the result of genetic factors.

Twin Studies (continued) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRKbZtpBcgI Another great video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LaGbuQnBnQ

III. Developmental Patterns A. Developmental patterns show that each species has a fixed rate at which development proceeds. The speed with which it occurs seems to be related to the final potential and complexity of the particular species (e.g. baby and chimpanzee). B. Maturarion—the automatic, orderly, sequential process of physical and mental development.

Maturation (continued) 1. A child is programmed for certain activities to develop at certain ages: a. walking b. talking c. reasoning 2. Parents can’t teach these skills, they will come naturally. 3. Although it is important for parents to play with and talk to their babies because it is a good way to stimulate the infant’s brain.

Maturation (continued) 4. A good environment of good nutrition, stimulation, and safety is necessary for proper development, but it won’t speed up the process. 5. However, without it, the child’s mental growth can be slowed. So, what does this mean? Can a person help maturation along?

C. Growth Cycles 1. All of our parts do not develop at the same rate. 2. Growth Cycles—patterns of development in which some areas develop more rapidly and some more slowly, but all in a way preplanned by nature. a. At age eight, 95% of the basic structure of the brain has been completed. b. The body has 55% left to go. c. The reproductive system has more than 90% left to go.

Growth Cycles (continued) 3. There are differences between the sexes in these cycles, but both eventually reach the same level. a. Girls are more orderly and stable in their growth cycles. 1. babbling and word making 2. bone and muscle development b. Boys grow in spurts and mature more slowly.

D. Critical Periods 1. Imprinting—A process that occurs at a present time in development, when the brain is ready to receive and respond to a specific stimulus (e.g. duck story). 2. Imprinting occurs during a critical period—a specific time of development that is the only time when a particular skill can begin to develop or an association can occur.