Sunday, April 6, 2014 - , , , , , 1 Talk Back(s)

Developmental Psychology

                                           Developmental Psychology: From birth to death
Nature                                                 Vs.                                       Nurture
The way you were born                                                          The way you were raised.

Prenatal Development: Conception begins with the drop of an egg and the release of about 200 million sperm.

  • The sperm seeks out the egg and attempts to penetrate the eggs surface.
Once the sperm penetrates the egg- we have a fertilized egg called...the Zygote
  • 1st stage of prenatal development lasts about 2 weeks and consists of rapid cell division.
                                                       Zygotes
  • Less than half of all zygotes survive first two weeks.
  • About 10 days after conception, the zygotes will attach itself to the uterine wall
  • The outer part of the zygote becomes the placenta (Which filters nutrients).
After 2 weeks, the Zygote develops into an...Embryo
  • Last about 6 weeks
  • Hearts begins to beat and organs begin to develop
                                                         Fetus
  • After 9 months
  • The fetus by about the 6th month, the stomach and other organs have formed enough to survive, outside of the mother.
  • At this time, the baby can hear (and recognize) sounds and respond to light.
Teratogens: Chemical agents that can harm the prenatal environmental.
  1. Alcohol (FAS)
  2. STDs
  3. HIV
  4. Herpes
Healthy Babies:
  • Turn head towards voice.
  • See 8-12 inches from their face.
  • Gaze longer at human like objects right from birth.
Reflexes: inborn automatic responses
  1. A baby's tendency when touched on the cheek to open its mouth and search for the nipple.
  2. Grasping
Maturation: Physical growth, regardless of environment.
Puberty: The period of sexual maturation during which a person becomes capable of reproducing.

Primary Sexual Characteristics: body structures that make reproduction possible.
  1. Penis, testes
  2. Vagina, Eggs
Secondary Sexual Characteristics: non-reproductive sexual characteristics.
  1. Widening of the hips
  2. Deep voice
  3. H
  4. Development of Breast
Landmark for Puberty:
1. Menarche for girls (period)
2. Spermanche: first ejaculation for boys

Physical Milestone: Menopause

Stages of Death/ Grief by Elizabeth Kubler-Ross's
1. Denial
2. Anger
3. Bargaining
4. Depression
5. Acceptance



Posted by Chisom A. at 10:13 PM

1 Talk Back(s):

David C. April 7, 2014 at 10:38 AM

Therein comes the argument of when a fertilized egg is to be considered a human. I believe it to be at conception, because even if the life-form is not fully human, it has the capability to become one.

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