Intro to psychology Part 1: Developmental Psychology
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Course
Introduction To Psychology (PSY1004F)
Institution
University Of Cape Town (UCT)
This is a summary of a lecture series that cover developmental psychology. This elaborated on the different stages of life and the development that occurs at each
DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY:
LECTURE 1:
INTRODUCTION AND PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT:
What is development?
- Changes in the individual that occur between conception and death
3 broad domains:
- Physical- aging
- Cognitive- perception, learning. Problem solving
- Psychosocial- emotions, personality
- In many African cultures, development is marked rather by logical
milestone (learning to walk, smile) and social marker (getting married,
having children) rather than by chronological age.
- Many African theorists see beginning and end of life being linked
together in an ‘unbroken circle’.
- Most developmental psychologists agree that there are important
developmental tasks that children need to perform in order to develop.
- One of issues of developmental psychologists: figuring out which
developmental stages are universal, and which are specific to social
groups.
,Nature and nurture:
Is development due to biological factors (genes) or is it due to environment.
- Biological and environmental factors interact to shape development
- Is it biological or env that influence development? Study biological twins
who were separated after birth (they have same genes, however
brought up in different environments) (if they are more similar, then it
must be due to shared genes, If not similar then due to environment)
- Combined influence of nature and nurture (Oscar and brother Jack: even
though grown up in different countries- they had remarkable
similarities- both excelled at sports, but struggled maths. Oscar loyal to
Nazi’s, jack = Jewish hates Nazis)
Prenatal development:
The course of prenatal development
- Germinal stage (fertilization- 2 weeks): joining of man’s sperm to
woman’s egg to form a new cell called zygote. Zygote divides into a
number of identical cells through mitosis. As it is dividing, its moving
down woman’s fallopian tube to womb (3-4 days). Then changes shape
from ball of cells to fluid filled sphere called blastocyst. Blastocyst
initially floats freely in uterus but then implants itself into wall of uterus.
- Embryonic stage (2-8 weeks): organs and major body systems start to
form, this is when embryo is most vulnerable to environmental factor,
miscarriages most likely to occur.
- Foetal stage (8 weeks to birth): body systems that started to develop
during embryonic stage become bigger, more complex and more
efficient. Foetus grows around 20 times its initial size
Prenatal hazards: Teratogens
- Any disease, drug, or other environmental agent that can harm a
developing foetus
Alcohol and foetal alcohol syndrome:
What is FAS?
, A characteristic pattern of abnormalities associated with alcohol intake
during pregnancy:
- Poor growth- physically small and underweight
- Central nervous system damage – loss of intellectual abilities
- Characteristic facial features – wide eyes, short, flat nose, thin upper lip
Who gets FAS?
- South Africa has one of the highest prevalence of FAS in the world
- Infants born to heavy drinkers are at greatest risk, but no amount of
alcohol use in pregnancy is known to be safe
- 12% of SA in grade 1 have FAS; UK and Canada- 0.1%- 0.3% FAS
How can FAS be prevented?
- Avoid alcohol if you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant
- Educate communities
- Prenatal screening
- Improve maternal nutrition
- Work to reduce poverty
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