PSYCHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT Influences on how we grow and mature: Economic circumstance Heredity Developmental psychology is the branch of psychology

gy that studies the patterns f growth and change occurring throughout life. It also deals with the interaction between the unfolding of biologically determined patterns of behavior and a constantly changing dynamic environment. Nature-Nurture Interaction Nature- genetic inheritance Nurture our unique experiences and opportunities Although genetic plays a crucial role in development, the child environment has an equal, if not more impact on development. Environmental factors play a critical role in enabling people to reach the potential capabilities that their genetic background makes possible. Genetic factors not only provide potential for particular behaviors or traits to emerge, but also place limitations on the emergence of such behavior or traits Development is a process of growth and change brought about by an interaction of heredity and environment. Heredity and environment are entwined in an inseparable relationship called nature-nurture interaction.

It starts dividing and four about 10 days, when it reaches for about 150 divisions, the zygote implants itself in the lining of the uterus. At this point it becomes an embryo. All structures that are found in a newborn infant will begin to form. This occurs because the embryos cells specialize a process called differentiation. Placenta life support system and screens out many potentially dangerous substances called teratogens Heartbeat first behavior, appears when the embryo is about three weeks old and six inches long Fetus after the eight week of development Maturation Maturation is the unfolding of genetically programmed processes of growth and development over time. When the organisms are raised under adequate environmental conditions, their maturation follows a predictable pattern that includes systematic changes in bodily functioning and behavior that are influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Innate sensory and motor abilities Neonatal period (newborn period) time from birth to one month old Aside from their sensory abilities, babies are born with behavioral reflexes that sustain life and provide a biological foundation for later developments. Postural reflex Grasping reflex Sucking reflex The neonatal blueprint Infancy one to 18 months Infans means incapable of speech Babies are also born with innate sociability. They only not respond to, but also interact with their mothers. Developmental tasks of childhood Three greatest accomplishments in life: 1. Acquiring the native language 2. Developing the ability to think and reason 3. Forming relationships with the important people in life How children acquire language Babbling Beside their ability to perceive speech sounds, infants have tendency to produce sequences of sounds that they will later use in speaking. Innate language structures in brain According to the innateness theory of language, children acquire language not merely but imitating but by following an inborn program of steps to acquire the vocabulary and grammar of the languages in the environment. Children are born with mental structures built into the brain that make it possible to comprehend and produce speech. One such mechanism lies in the Brocas area, the motor speech controller in the cerebral cortex.

The start of life Prenatal development and growth of brain Life starts when a males sperm cell penetrates a females egg cell, marking the moment of conception. Basics of genetics Female born with immature ova and 1 of 5000 matures old every month and is released through menstruation starting puberty Male begins producing sperm cells at puberty. 1000 sperm/sec. for 24 hours a day for the rest of his life. Egg cell Sperm cell 23 chromosomes XX 23 chromosomes XY 46 chromosomes

Zygote XX female XY male Male development is triggered by a single gene on a Y chromosome, and without the presence of a specific gene, the individual will develop into a female.

The earliest stage of development Zygote fertilized egg

 Cognitive development Piagets approach: Schemes The interaction of assimilation and accommodation The stages of cognitive development Schemes Schemes are mental structures that enable the individual to interpret events and experiences. They are mental structures that guide thinking and the building blocks of developmental change. Assimilation and accommodation Assimilation is the metal process that modifies new information to fit existing schemes (with what is already known). Accommodation is a process of restructuring or modifying schemes to incorporate new information. Assimilation makes new information fit our existing views of the world, and accommodation changes our view to fit new information. Piagets stages of cognitive development: 1. The sensorimotor stage Birth to 2 years old The child begin to interact with the environment Children at this stage are capable of simple learning Mental representation. The ability to make internal mental representations of objects. Children can now form memories of objects and events that they retrieve later for use in thinking and problem solving. Object permanence. The child realizes that objects continue to exist even when they are out of sight. 2. The preoperational stage 2 6 OR 7 years old Ability to represent the object mentally Egocentrism, a self-centered focus, causes children to see the world only in terms of themselves and their own position. Animistic thinking, involves the belief that inanimate objects have life and mental processes. Centration, involves the inability to understand an event because the child focuses attention too narrowly, while ignoring other important information. 3. The concrete operational stage 7 11 or 12 years old Children understand that many things may stay the same, even when their superficial appearance change. 4. Formal operational stage 12 onwards

Ability for abstract and complex thought appears

Developmental challenges of adulthood Nature and nurture continue to produce changes in personality and mental processes throughout the life cycle. The transitions of adolescence. The first concrete indicator of the end of childhood is the significant growth spurt. This is also the onset of puberty, the period during which reproductive system matures. Between age 12 and 24 Adolescence bridges childhood and adulthood Puberty: male begins with the production of live sperm cells Female onset of menstruation Physical maturation By the end of the first or second year of the growth spurt, changes have occurred in the body proportions secondary sex characteristics primary sex characteristics as boys pass through puberty, they feel more positive about their bodies whereas girls more likely to have negative feelings. Puberty itself does not create psychological maladjustment; but becoming an adolescent means emerging as an adult, socially and sexually, and this takes some significant adjustment. Sexuality Masturbation is often considered an ac are activity to engage in only if no other sexual outlets are available. But despite the negative attitudes, most experts on sex view masturbation not only as healthy, legitimate and harmless sexual activity, but also a means of learning about ones sexuality. Homosexual feelings are much more difficult to resolve during adolescence, most of them are able to accept their sexual identities in the middle or late twenties. Sexual intercourse many people engage in this activity before age 17. Male no emotional attachment with his first sexual intercourse Female emotional involvement is important ingredient in sexual intercourse. Social identity and identity crisis The essential crisis of adolescence is discovering ones true identity amid the confusion of playing many different roles for different audiences in expanding social world. Resolving this identity crisis helps the individual develop a sense of coherent self. Failure to resolve this identity crisis adequately may result in a self0-image that lacks a stable core. Occupational choices Deciding on a vocational commitment is central issue of adolescent identity formation.

Anticipating the future mentally imagining its possibilities strongly influences adolescents motivation and abilities to plan and evaluate life choices. Socioeconomic background factors affect vocational interests and achievement. Developmental changes of adulthood Love and work Two basic needs of an adult : love and work Intimacy vs. isolation Intimacy the capacity to make full commitment - sexual, emotional, moral to another person. The individual must resolve the conflict between wanting to establish closeness to another person and fearing the risks and loses such closeness can entail. Failure to resolve this crisis leads to isolation and the inability to connect to others in meaningful ways. Generativity vs. isolation The next major opportunity for growth occurs in the generativity crisis of adult midlife. For those people who have successfully met the earlier challenges of identity and intimacy, generativity brings a commitment to make a contribution to family, work, society, or future generations. Those who have not resolve earlier crisis of identity and intimacy may experience a midlife crisis. Such people question past choices, becoming cynical and stagnant or reckless.