Human development

Prenatal - Newborn Development

Conception

• Sperm penetrates an ova– Zygote– Complete set of genetic instructions– <50% of zygotes survive

Prenatal development

• Germinal period (zygote) - first 14 days

– Zygote implants on day 10

• Embryonic period - 3rd through 8th

weeks

• Fetal period - 9th week through birth

– Fetus is born ~week 37

Prenatal behavior

• Neurons are present, not connected

• Prenatal reflexes strengthen neural connections– Sensory reflexes– Facial expressions– Response to sound and light

Prenatal development

• Genes and environment influence development

Genetic Sex Determination

• The 23rd pair of chromosomes determines sex.– The ova carries an X chromosome– The sperm sometimes carries an X

and sometimes carries a Y chromosome.

Genetic Inheritance

• Additive genes

• Nonadditive (Dominant-recessive) genes

Environmental influence

• Teratogens – Outcomes

– Timing of exposure

– Predicting outcomes?

Newborn behavior

• Sensory behavior– Sight– Sound– Smell

• Reflexes - innate behaviors– Rooting– Crying– Palmer– Moro

Infancy - Childhood

0-12 years

Physical development

• Brain development– Neural connections

– Motor development

– Cognitive development

Cognitive development

• Thinking, remembering & intellectual capacity

• Based on experience

• Schemas– Assimilation– Accommodation

Cognitive development

• Piaget’s theory of cognitive development– Sensorimotor stage

• 0-2 years

– Preoperational stage• 2-6 years

– Concrete operational stage• 6-12 years

– Formal operational stage• 12 years-adult

Cognitive development

• Sensorimotor stage– Object permanence– Some abstract thought

Cognitive development

• Preoperational stage– Representational thought

• Imagination

– Lacks logical thought• Conservation

– Obstacles to logical thought• Egocentrism• Centration• Static reasoning• Irreversibility

– Theory of Mind

Cognitive development

• Concrete operational stage– Logical principles develop

• Classification• Identity• Reversibility

– Lacks hypothetical thought

Cognitive development

• Formal operational stage– Reasoning abilities develop

• Abstract thought• Hypothetical contemplation

Social development

• Attachment

• Development of bonds– Bodily contact and

tactile comfort• Harlow

Social development

• Development of bonds– Familiarity

• Lorenz’s imprinting studies

• Critical period• Human bonding

Social development

• Attachment styles– Secure attachment

– Ambivalent-insecure attachment

– Avoidant-insecure attachment

Social development

• Parenting styles– Permissive parenting

– Authoritarian parenting

– Authoritative parenting

Adolescence - emerging adulthood

Teens - mid-twenties

Physical development

• Onset of puberty– Gap between physical maturity and

independence

• Release of hormones from hypothalamus– Weight– Height– Muscles

Physical development

• Sexual development– Primary sex structures

• Menarchy• Spermarchy

– Secondary sex structures

• Timing varies among individuals– Early developers– Late developers

Physical development

• Brain development continues– Frontal cortex

• Sleep and circadian rhythms

Cognitive development

• Formal operational thought– Abstract thought, hypothetical reasoning– Social awareness

• Adolescent thought patterns– What I am thinking

• Egocentric thought

– What others are thinking• Imaginary audience

– Ideal situations

Cognitive development

• Intuitive thought

• Analytical thought– Together support adolescent ideals and

passions

Cognitive development

• Kohlberg’s development of moral reasoning– Preconventional morality

– Conventional morality

– Postconventional morality

• Varies based on culture and gender

Social development

• Identity formation– Solidification of beliefs– Multiple selves

• Acceptable false self• Pleasing false self• Experimental false self

Social development

• Parents– Generation gap– Conflict

• Peers– Friendship– Peer-pressure– Romantic attraction

• Sequence of attraction• Cultural variables

Social development

• Emerging adulthood (18-25 years)– Independence is delayed– Parents are the main source of support

Adulthood

Biopsychosocial development continues until death

Physical development

• Physical performance - peaks and declines– Motor abilities– Sensory abilities

• Reproductive capacity– Females– Males

Cognitive development

• Brain function slows– Cognitive abilities diminish with age

• May be prevented with exercise!

– Fluid intelligence

• Memory declines– Recall memory vs. recognition memory– Crystallized intelligence

Social development

• Social clock– Culturally determined

Social development

• List 5 of your own major accomplishments.

• List 5 of your own major goals.

• Count how many from both lists are related to relationships and career.

Social development

• “A healthy adult is one who can love and work” - Freud

• Adulthood is characterized by commitments– Love– Work

Social development

• Love and intimacy– Gateways to attraction

• Attractiveness• Availability• Absence of exclusion criteria• Frequent exposure

– Romantic relationships are based on:• Passion• Intimacy• Commitment

Social development

• Work and productivity

• Two major sources of generativity in adulthood:– Work– Parenthood