1. LECTURE #1

2. “As we journey through life—from womb to tomb—when and how do we develop? Virtually all of us began walking around age 1 and talking by age 2. As children we engaged in social play in preparation for life’s work. As teenagers, we all smile and cry, love and loathe, and occasionally ponder the fact that someday, life will end.”

3. 1) Nature and Nurture: how does our genetic inheritance (aka our nature) and our experience (aka our nurture) influence our development? 2) Continuity and Stages: is development gradual or does it occur in sequential stages? 3) Stability and Change: Do our personality traits persist through life or do they change?

4. Maturation: The orderly sequence of biological growth processes.

5.  Zygotes: a fertilized egg.  About ten days after conception the zygote attaches to the mother’s uterine wall. The inner cells of the zygote become the embryo.  After nine weeks that embryo becomes a fetus.  At six months that fetus is responsive to sound.

6.  The placenta transfers nutrients and oxygen from mother to fetus. A healthy and well- nourished mother helps form a healthy baby- to-be.  The placenta also screens out many potentially harmful substances but sometimes harmful things slip by such as viruses and drugs. We call these harmful things teratogens.

7.  About 1 in 800 infants suffer visible effects of FAS. Marked by a small, misproportioned head and lifelong brain abnormalities.  There is not a specific amount of alcohol that one can say leads to FAS.

8.  Habituation is defined as a “decrease in responding with repeated stimulation.” A novel stimulus gets attention when first presented. But the more often the stimulus is presented, the weaker the response becomes.

9.  Babinski Reflex: toes flare out and then curl back in when the bottom of the foot is stroked.  Moro Reflex: Arms are thrust out and the back is arched in response to surprise or a sudden noise or movement.  Plantar Reflex: Toes curl in when the ball of the foot is pressed.

10.  Swimming Reflex: If submerged in water for a short time, babies hold their breath and pump their arms and legs.  Stepping Reflex: Infants move feet up and down as if they are walking when held up over a surface.