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82 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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What does conception result from?
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Results from the union of two gametes, the egg and the sperm
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Egg
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Largest human cell, the only one visible to the naked eye, emits a signal that attracts sperm
Women are born with all the eggs they will have in their entire life |
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Sperm
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Travels about 6 hours, covering6 to 7 inches
Men continue to produce sperm throughout their life |
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Are men or women conceived more frequently and why?
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Approximately 120 to 150 males are conceived for every 100 females
This is because the sperm carrying the Y chromosome are lighter and therefore swim faster |
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Characteristics of fertilized egg
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Called a Zygote
has a full complement of human genetic material, half from each parent |
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What are the four major developmental processes that transform a zygote into an embryo and then into a fetus?
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1. Cell Division
2. Cell Migration 3. Cell Differentiation 4. Apoptosis (selective cell death) |
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Cell divison
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results in the proliferation of cells
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Cell migration
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the movement of cells from their point of origin to somewhere else in the embryo
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Cell differentiation
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transforms the embryo's unspecialized stem cells into about 350 different types of cells
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Apoptosis
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selective cell death also enables prenatal development
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Hormone's Role in human development
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plays a crucial role in sexual differentiation
all human fetuses can develop either male or female genitalia, depending on the presence or absence of testosterone this is also one of the many ways the fetus acts as an instigator in its own development |
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Placental Membrane
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a barrier against some, but not all, toxins and infectious agens
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Placenta
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permits the exchange of materials between the bloodstream of the fetus and tat of the mother
produces hormones |
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Estrogen
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Increases maternal blood flow to uterus
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Progesterone
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suppresses uterine contractions that could expel the fetus prematurely
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Amniotic sac
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a membrane filled with fluid in which the fetus floats, protective buffer
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Fetus up to and at 9 weeks
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prenatal development from the 4th week on is cephalocaudal
Nose mouth and palate are fully formed (5.5 to 8 weeks) All internal organs are present Nails After 5 to 6 weeks the developing organism moves spontaneously |
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Fetus at 16 weeks
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Activity level is quite consistent over time: prenatal-to-postnatal continuity
Fetal Rest Activity cycles become stable during the second half of pregnancy Circadian rhythms are apparent Near the end of pregnancy the fetus's sleep wake states are similar to those of a newborn |
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Fetus at 20 weeks
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The components of facial expressions are present - the fetus is capable of raising its eyebrows, wrinkling its forehead, and moving its mouth
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How long is full term? Explain
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TECHNICALLY full term is 40 weeks from the last period before conception
If you count from conception its 38 weeks |
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By 12 weeks after gestation what is present?
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most of the movements that will be present at birth have appeared
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How does movements at 12 weeks make the baby an active contributor to its own development
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swallowing amniotic fluid promotes the normal development of the palate and aids in maturation of the digestive system
Movement of the chest wall and pulling in and expelling small amounts of amniotic fluid help the respiratory system become functional |
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when are the sensory structures developed in the fetus and what is their role in development?
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the sensory structures are present relatively early in prenatal development and play a vital role in fetal development and learning
The fetus experiences tactile stimulation as a result of its own activity, and tastes and smells the amniotic fluid |
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When does the fetus respond to sounds?
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Responds to sounds from at least six months of gestation
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How are a newborn's preferences affected by its mothers habits while it was in the womb?
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Newborn infants have been shown to recognize rhymes and stories presented before birth
Newborns also prefer smells, tastes, an sound patterns that are familiar because of prenatal exposure Persistent effect of prenatal learning, up to 5.5 months |
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When is a baby able to recognize its mother's voice?
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by 30 weeks
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Teratogens
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Environmental agents that have the potential to cause harm during prenatal development
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What affects the severity of the effects of potentially harmful agents?
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Timing is a crucial factor in the severity of the effects
Many agents only cause damage if exposure occurs during a sensitive period in development |
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How many pregnancies end in miscarriage?
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15% to 20% of all known pregnancies end in miscarriage
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How many newborns in the US are born fully normal?
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90% of all newborns in the US are born fully normal
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How does cigarette smoking during pregnancy affect newborns?
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Cigarette smoking during pregnancy is linked to retarded growth and low birth weight
Linked to SIDS Linked to deficits in fine motor development |
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SIDS
(Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) |
Ultimate causes of SIDS are still unknown
Parents can reduce risk of SIDS by not smoking, putting babies to sleep on their backs rather than on their stomachs, using firm mattresses and no pillows as bedding for infants, and avoiding wrapping infants in lots of blankets or clothing |
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How does smoking affect the infant (mechanism of infliction)
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smoking create a lack of sufficient oxygen in the blood stream which inhibits/affects development
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Maternal Factors that affect growth
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Age
Nutrition Disease Stress Level |
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How does maternal age affect growth?
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Infants born to girls 15 years or younger are 3 to 4 times more likely to die before their first birthday than those whose mothers are in their 20s
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How does maternal nutrition affect growth?
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An inadequate supply of specific nutrients or vitamins such as folic acid can have dramatic consequences (e.g., growth of the fetal brain)
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How does maternal disease affect newborns?
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A variety of diseases including sexually transmitted diseases present hazards to the fetus
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How does maternal stress level affect newborns?
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Level of reported distress in pregnant women related to problems in their 4-yr-old children, including hyperactivity & inattention in boys, conduct problems in girls, and emotional problems in both
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How long after conception do contractions of the uterine muscles begin?
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Approximately 38 weeks after conception, contractions of the uterine muscles begin, initiating the birth of the baby
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What affects does the birthing process have on the newborns?
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Research on the birth process has revealed that many aspects of the birth experience, including squeezing in the birth canal, have adaptive value and increase the likelihood of survival for the newborn
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How can medications during labor possibly affect the child?
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Many obstetric medications slow labor, increasing the chance of oxygen deprivation and risk of brain damage
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What are a baby's crying patterns in the weeks following birth?
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Crying increases from 2 to 6 wks, then declines and also becomes more of a communicative act
With experience, parents become better at interpreting the characteristics of the cry itself |
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When is peak crying time for an infant throughout the day?
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Peak time: late afternoon/evening, maybe accumulation of excess stimulation from day
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What are the soothing techniques for a crying infant?
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Many effective soothing techniques, including swaddling (wrapping a baby tightly in cloths or a blanket), involve moderately intense and continuous or repetitive stimulation
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When are babies considered Low Birth Weight infants?
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Infants weighing less than 5.5 pounds (2,500 grams/ 8% of U.S. newborns) are low birth weight (LBW)
LBW infants born at or before 35 weeks after conception are described as premature |
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How does being a LBW infant affect development
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As a group, LBW babies experience more medical complications
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What are some interventions used for low birth weight infants?
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Extensive parent contact and more touch for infants in neonatal intensive care are widely used interventions
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Challenges of parenting a low birth weight infant
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Challenges parenting LBW : feelings of guilt and inadequacy, the stress of intensive care treatment, and the infants’ disorganized states, baby knowledge helps
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How is genetic material passed on from parents to infant?
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Genetic material is passed on as chromosomes—long, threadlike molecules made up of DNA
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Genes
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Genes are sections of chromosomes that are the basic units of heredity for all living things
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Y chromosome
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Y Chromosome means that the infant is male
A gene on the Y chromosome encodes the protein that triggers the formation of the testes, which subsequently produce testosterone |
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The Male Disadvantage
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The Y chromosome has only about a third as many genes on it as the X chromosome
Because many alleles on the X chromosome do not have a corresponding allele on the Y chromosome that could suppress the action, males are more likely than females to suffer a variety of inherited disorders caused by recessive alleles on the X chromosome (e.g., color blindness) |
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Polygenic Inheritance
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Polygenic inheritance: governed by more than one gene
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PKU
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Children with phenylketonuria (PKU)— a disorder that is related to a defective gene on chromosome 12—are unable to metabolize phenylalanine
With early diagnosis and a properly restricted diet, however, mental retardation resulting from PKU can be avoided |
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MAOA
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Young men who had experienced severe maltreatment were in general more likely to engage in antisocial behavior than those who had experienced none
However, the effect was much stronger for those individuals who had a relatively inactive MAOA gene |
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What do child development researchers mean by "the active child"
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Children are active creators of the environment in which they live
By virtue of their nature and behavior, they evoke certain kinds of responses from others They also actively select surroundings and experiences that support their interests, talents, and personality characteristics (e.g., blenders) |
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Why can the intense interests of an active child worry parents who aren't knowledgeable about development?
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For many parents, the origin of these preschool passions is totally obscure, and occasionally worrisome, because they do not realize how common these intense interests actually are
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Behavior Genetics
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The science concerned with how variation in behavior and development results from the combination of genetic and environmental factors
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what do behavioral geneticists believe about interests?
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Behavioral geneticists believe that most traits of interest are multifactorial
They are affected by many environmental factors as well as by many genes |
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The Family Study
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The mainstay of modern behavioral genetics research
A trait of interest is measured among groups of people who vary in genetic relatedness Correlations between the measure of the trait in individuals with different relationships are examined to see if they are higher for individuals who Are genetically more similar (twin studies) Share the same environment (adoption studies) |
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Glial Cells
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Provide a variety of critical supportive functions for neurons:
Form a myelin sheath around certain axons, providing insulation that increases the speed and efficiency of information transmission |
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What is gray matter made up of?
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The brain’s gray matter is made up of cell bodies and dendrites
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What is white matter made up of?
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The brain’s white matter includes neuronal axons and the myelin sheath around them
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What is the relationship between gray and white matter?
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“Gandolf”: gray is less mature while white is more mature
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Function of frontal lobe
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Organizes behavior and is responsible for planning
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Function of parietal lobe
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Governs spatial processing and integrates sensory input with information in memory
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Function of occipital lobe
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Primarily associated with processing visual information
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Function of temporal lobe
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Involved in memory, visual recognition, and the processing of emotion and auditory information
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Cerebral Hemispheres
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The cortex is divided into two separate halves which communicate through a dense tract of fibers
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Corpus Callosum
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Dense tract of fibers through which the two cerebral hemispheres communicate
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Cerebral Lateralization
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The two hemispheres are specialized for different modes of processing, a phenomenon referred to as cerebral lateralization
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Right Hemisphere Processing
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Right hemisphere processes in a holistic manner, better for spatial formation
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Phenomenon of left handed people
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Lefties’ brains are less clearly lateralized
Possibly due to being forced to adapt to a "right handed world" |
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Neurogenesis
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The proliferation of neurons through cell division, is largely complete by about 18 weeks after conception
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What proportion of your neurons were present before you were born?
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Almost all of the roughly 100 billion* neurons you possess have been with you before you were born
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Brain Maturation - adolescence
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The brain undergoes explosive changes in adolescence that are akin to those in the first few years of life
Gray matter increases dramatically in adolescence and then begins to decline |
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What is the increase in gray matter during adolescence attributed to?
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This second wave of synapse production and pruning may be linked to the impulsive, irrational behavior, which is characteristic of adolescence
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What happens as your brain matures to the proportion of gray and white matter?
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As your brain matures gray matter is replaced with white matter
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How is experience related to the capacity of the brain?
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The capacity of the brain to be affected by experience
Experience plays a central role in determining which of the brain’s excess synapses will be pruned (synaptic pruning) and which will be maintained "Use it or Lose it" |
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Experience-expectant: vulnerability and plasticity
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If the expected experience is not available, as in the case of congenital cataracts, development will be impaired
ERP recordings revealed that deaf individuals’ response to peripheral visual stimuli are several times stronger than those of hearing people (e.g. securely attached explorers) |
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What is a key element in experience-expectant plasticity?
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TIMING
There are a few sensitive periods when the human brain is particularly sensitive to particular kinds of external stimuli |
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Near Infrared Spectroscopy
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Uses near-infrared light rays (same technology as pulsometer) and sensors to study brain function by collecting changes in blood flow
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