sequence of age related changes that occur as a person progresses from concption to death

biological and behavioral changes

prenatal, childhood, adolescence, adulthood

first 2 weeks after conception

placenta forms during implantation

allows oxygen and nutrients t pass from mother's bloddstream to fetus

allows wastes to pass from child to mother

keeps fetal and mother's bloodstream separate

2 weeks- 2 months after conception

most vital organs and bodily systems develop

2 months until birth

muscle and bone formation leads to movements

organs begin to function

22-26 weeks

baby can survive outside of mother

leads to:

birth defect, schizophrenia, heart disease, diabetes, obesity

many drugs are able to pass through placenta

leads to:

miscarraige, premature birth, stillbirth, SIDs, ADHD, lower intelligence, antisocial and delinquent behavior, fetal alcohol syndrome

8 month old fetus has twice as many neurons as adults

produces 100000s more each minute

then they die as brain is shaped by enviorment

as we age, brain gets bigger

also get more interconnections

synaptic pruning

following habituation to one stimulus,the tendency for a second stim. to arous new interest

often used to test wether infants can discriminate between stim.

prograssion of muscular coordination

cephalocaudal trend

proximodistal trend

both maturation and learning

cultural difs in rate of development

close emotional bonds between infants and caregivers

Infants biologically programmed to emit behavior that triggers affectionate, protective response from adults

adults programmes to respond with warmth , love and protection

emotional distress when infants are separated from people to who there attached to

preferance for mother ususally begins at 6- 8 months

peaks around 14-18 months

play and explore comfertably with mother present

become upset when mom leaves, calmed by return

mothers usually sensitive and responsive to childs needs

anxious when mothers are near

become upset when mothers leaves, not calmed by mothers return

Seek little contact with mothers

not very distressed when mother leaves

Insecure Attachment

(Anxious Ambivalent or Avoidant)

mothers are relatively insenitive or inconsistent

infants who are particularly difficult

8 months- many children appear to understand familiar words

10-13 months- sounds that correspond to words

18 months- 3-50 words, receptive vocab larger than productive vocab, nouns before verbs in western cultures

around 2 years

early sentences (give doll)

mainly content words

developmental period during which charactersitic patterns of behavior are exhibited and certain capacities become established

individuals progress through stages in order

progress through stages related to age

deveplopment is marked by dramatic transitions

eight psychosocial crises relating to transition in social relationships

perosnality shaped by result of crises

idealized description of typical development

does not apply to all

interactions with enviorment and maturation gradually alter the way that children think

thought processes go through 4 major stages

birth- age 2

coordinate sensory input and motor input

symoblic thought

object permanence

age 2-7

improved use of mental images

conservation not understood

flaws in thinking:

centration, irreversability, egocentrism, animism

age 7-11

reversability

decentration

decline in egocentrism

gradual mastery of conservation

heirarchical classification

begins at 11

can apply operations to abstract concepts

systematic problem solving

childs development is feuled by social interactions with people who provide guidance

culture influences cognitive growth

language plays central role in fostering cognitive development

marks begining of adolescence

growth spurt- may be triggered by leptin

sexual functions reach maturity

neurons become myelinated

decreased gray matter

synaptic pruning

ages 18-25

feel inbetween adolescence and adulthood

"new" period becuase of delayed marriage, longer education, financial barriers to independence

optimism about future

self focused

not experienced in all cultures

average age has increased

difficult transition associated with different expectations

common problems:

work and marriage balance, finances

more difficult transitions for females than males

marital satisfaction decreases

empty nest syndrome

loss and shrinking of active neurons

Dementia

Alzheimers, Parkinsons, Huntingtons, AIDS, etc

some decline in fluid intelligence in speed

little decline in crystalized intelligence

declines seen in episodic and working memory more than procedural and semantic memory