PSYC 102 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Primitive Reflexes, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Fetus

• School: Simon Fraser University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 102
• Professor: Sherri Atwood

Document Summary

If the newborn head was adult-sized, it could not pass through birth canal. Humans need to adapt to wide range of environments throughout life span and the brain must be able to develop to meet these challenges. (if was wired fully would be too unchangeable, wouldn"t be able to adapt) The brain wires" mostly after birth in response to the environment: fivefold increase in dendrites that occurs in the first 2-years. But it"s temporary. : enables neurons to connect and communicate with other neurons. (there are connections, soon after too many conections, this is followed by pruning where unused neurons and misconnected dendrites die. More efficient neural communication: fragile x syndrome failure to prune. Infancy: of development that begins at birth and lasts between 18 and 24 months. Newborns have poor sight, but habituate to visual stimuli. Newborns can mimic facial expressions within the first hour of life.