Unit 9: Developmental Psychology Mr. McCormick A.P. Psychology
Essential Question How do people develop physically, cognitively, socially, and morally throughout the lifespan?
Unit 9 (A): Prenatal Development and the Newborn Mr. McCormick A.P. Psychology
Developmental Psychology What is Developmental Psychology? What aspects of human development do developmental psychologists study?
Issues of Developmental Psychology Details Nature/Nurture How do genetic inheritance (our nature) and experience (the nurture we receive) influence our behavior? Continuity/Stages Is development a gradual, continuous process or a sequence of separate stages? Stability/Change Do our early personality traits persist through life, or do we become different persons as we age.
Nature Vs. Nurture “Nature is all that a man brings with him into the world; nurture is every influence that affects him after birth.” –Francis Galton, English Men of Science, 1874
How does conception occur? When does “life” begin? How does conception occur?
Conception A single sperm cell (male) penetrates the outer coating of the egg (female) and fuses to form one fertilized egg
Prenatal Development Zygote: The fertilized egg Enters a two-week period of rapid cell division and develops into an embryo
Prenatal Development Embryo: The developing human organism from about two weeks after fertilization until the second month
Prenatal Development Fetus: The developing human organism from nine weeks after conception to birth
Controversies of Fertility and Conception Some women harvest their eggs to conceive later in life, building a career before having children. What are the pros and cons of having children later in life? What societal implications will this practice produce? What should become of unused frozen embryos? Explain. Should human cloning be allowed? Why or why not?
Prenatal Development: Abortion Until when is abortion legal in the US? Abortions are legal in the first 24 weeks of pregnancy (6 months) At what point are fetuses viable (can survive outside of the womb)? Typically 24-28 weeks (6-7 months) Youngest child to survive premature birth in the US: 21 weeks, 6 days (5.5 months) The Unborn Victims of Violence Act (“Laci and Connors Law”) was passed in 2004 A “child in utero” is recognized as a legal victim, if he or she is injured or killed through violent crime
What kind of complications can occur during prenatal development?
Prenatal Development: Complications Teratogens: Agents, such as chemicals and viruses, that can reach the embryo or fetus during prenatal development and cause harm E.g. HIV, Nicotine Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS): Physical and cognitive abnormalities in children caused by a pregnant woman’s heavy drinking Can include noticeable facial misproportions
Prenatal Development: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)
“I felt like a man trapped in a woman’s body.. The Competent Newborn “I felt like a man trapped in a woman’s body.. Then I was born!” -Comedian Chris Bliss
Video Clip: Testing Competency in the Newborn How are vital signs tested in newborns? What types of things do medical doctors test for?
Video Clip: Reflexes in the Newborn What types of reflexes are newborns born with? Why do they have such reflexes?
The Competent Newborn Infants are born with reflexes that aid in survival, including rooting reflex which helps them locate food.
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.
Newborns’ Preference for Faces When shown these two stimuli with the same elements, newborns spent nearly twice as many seconds looking at the face-like image (Johnson and Morton, 1991)
Review What is Developmental Psychology? How does conception occur? Discuss the three stages of prenatal development: Zygote Embryo Fetus What types of reflexes are newborns born with?
Homework Unit 9 Key People: Unit 9 FRQ: Research Study Response # 17: “Discovering Love” (Pgs. 126-134) (F) 2/3/12 Unit 9 Quiz: “Developmental Psychology” (T) 2/6/12