Developmental Psychology7-9% Of AP Psychology Exam

Development includes the processes and stages of growth from conception across the lifespan. Includes changes in physical, cognitive, moral and social behaviors.

Prenatal Development

Fertilization

Pre-Natal Developmen

t• Germinal Stage = 1-2

wks (Zygote)• Embryonic Stage = 2

months (heart, nerv syst, etc.)

• Fetal Stage = remainder of pregnancy(organs…)

Risks During PregnancyILLNESSES-RUBELLA

TERATOGENS-DRUGS

-ALCOHOL

Video: The Biology of Prenatal

Development

Take notes as you view the video:

Infancy

Physical DevelopmentGrowth Rate declines during infancy but is

faster than any other post natal periodNeo-Natal Reflexes (until about 4 months)

such as:Babinski (big toe moves toward the top

surface of the foot and the other toes fan out after the sole of the foot has been firmly stroked)

Startle ReflxGrasping, Stepping, Rooting, Pursing lips,

Withdrawal from pain

Cognitive Development

Preference for face-like patterns

6-12 mo = remember, recognize, & react

12 mo = reasoning & higher level cognitive functions

What are babies thinking? Ted Talks

Development of Knowledge Theory = Piaget

Building blocks of human dev = SCHEMAS Generalized mental

representationAssimilation = using

existing schemas & apply to new info

Accommodation = change schema

Four Stages1. Sensorimotor birth – 2 yrs2. Preoperational 2-7 yrs3. Concrete Operational 7-11 yrs4. Formal Operational 11 into adulthood

•Infant = Scientists!•learn about the world through senses and body movements

1 to 4 mo = Learn to combine two reflexes

4 to 8 mo = Improve hand-eye coordination

Step Four 8 to 12 months• Intentional behavior• They learn certain actions lead to certain

results• Imitates others• Love playing Peek-A-Boo• Learn Object Permanence

12 to 18 mo =• Trial and error:

Push a cracker off a high chair and watch it fall to the floor. Then does it again

• Can find hidden objects• Understands that objects exi

st independently

18 to 24 mo= Begin to experiment mentally as well as physically• They think about what they are going to do

before they do it

• Ages 2 to 7•Basic Mental operations start replacing sensorimotor activities as the primary way to learn•Make-believe play is used to create and express all kinds of mental images

I “eated” my apple

No, it’s ate

Then I “ated” my apple

Children learn mostly by language and mental images

Everyone views the world like I do

I don’t want to go to sleep! I’m not tired!

He hurt my feelings so I hit him!

Use feeling to

solve problems

rather than logic

•learning multiple classification– the ability to understand that an object may fit into more than one category•learning seriation—the ability top order groups of things by size, weight, or any common property

– For example arranging beads on a bracelet from smallest to largest

•They think the same amount of liquid is more when poured into a tall think glass.•To them taller means more!

My birthday is before Christmas

and after Halloween

•Children may not be aware of what is real and what is make-believe