PSY 202 Lecture 3: Human Development
Document Summary
Developmental psychology: study of age-related changed in behaviour and mental processes from conception to death. Ex: children come into the world with certain genetic predispositions often seek out and create their own environments. Hormones (males and spatial toys vs females and nurturing toys) Human development is almost always a two-way street. Logical error where you assume that if b occurs after a, then a must be the cause of b. One group who lived during one period can differ in some systematic way from another group who lived during a different period. Ex: 8 vs 80 year old"s computer knowledge. Heartbeat begins; brain starts developing, recognizable body parts form. Last 3 months: rapid growth of body and brain. Teratogens: environmental agents that can damage the developing fetus or embryo. Teratogens harm particular structures at a particular point in development. Causes birth defects, intellectual disabilities and neurodevelopment disorders. Even moderate amounts of alcohol during pregnancy can result in fetal alcohol.
