Overzicht van de psychologie
H9 Human development
Case of Genie: social relationships, activities & minimal language. Not coherent sentences.
Developmental psy = changes, over lifespan, in physiology, cognition, emotion, social beh.
§9.1 What factors shape infancy?
Prenatal period, infancy (till 18/24 months), childhood (till 11/14 y), adolescence (till 18/21 y),
adulthood
Genes set order & timing development. Effecten van ontwikkeling. Genetische invloed: zelfde
groeiperioden bij elk individu.
Zygote = sperm & egg (first cell). Implants in uterine wall (embryo) → organs & internal syst formed
Fetus (2 months) = growth of body & organs
Early brain growth important because:
Specific areas brain mature & become functional (myelination)
Regions brain learn to communicate through synaptic connections
Myelinated axons form synapses w/ other neurons.
Age 4: brain 80% of adult size. Size incr due myelination & new synaptic connections among neurons.
Preserving connections in order to function & pruning out others: ‘use it or lose it’ = synaptic pruning
→ adapt brain to environm.
Brain develops & mature through adolescence & beyond.
Nutrition affects brain development. Lack of stimulation → undermine brain development. Few
synaptic connections made. Less sophisticated, less able to process complex info, solve problems less
easier, less development advanced language skills.
Poverty infl brain development (before birth)
Teratogens = agents that harm embryo/fetus. Impair development in womb. (drugs, alcohol, bacteria,
viruses, chemicals)
Schildklierhormonen, stress, teratogenen van moeder. Vaak cognitief beschadigend. Roken, alcohol
gebruik van de vader → lichamelijke afwijkingen.
Physical effect obvious at birth, but disorders apparent when child is older.
Damage depends on when & how long exposed
Alcohol = fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Low birth weight, face/head abnormalities, disorders,
beh/cognitive problems.
Recreational drugs: premature birth, sudden death in infancy, newborn withdrawal (irritability, high-
pitched crying, tremors, vomiting, diarrhea, rapid breathing).
Men infl if they might father children: gene mutation, damaged sperm (drinking & smoking)
Newborns have motor reflexes that aid survival. Algemeen leervermogen
Grasping reflex = grasp mother. Offspring carried form place to place (ancestors)
Rooting reflex = turning & sucking object near mouth
Sucking reflex = shown when object found
Pave way for learning more-complicated beh patterns.
Each persons’ environm infl what happens throughout development (culture). Socialization exp &
parental goals
Dynamic system theory (Dynamisch evenwicht/game-of-life) = views development as self-organizing
process. New forms of beh emerge through consistent interactions between biological being &
cultural/environm contexts. Nature-nurture. Basis elementen (genen) met simpele mechanismen.
Complexe patronen als uitkomst v/d interactie v/d interactie. Cellen verdwijnen en ontstaan. Geheel