Psychology 1000 Lecture Notes - Lecture 24: Prenatal Development, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Konrad Lorenz

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 1000
• Professor: John Campbell

Document Summary

Changes in biological physical, psychological, behavioral processes as we age. There are 4 main issues: nature vs nurture. Extent to which our development is the product of heredity (nature) or the product of our environment (nurture). How do they interact: critical and sensitive periods. Critical period: an age range in which certain experiences must occur for development to proceed normally or along a certain path. Sensitive period: an optimal age range for certain experiences, but if those occur at another time, normal development is still possible: continuity vs discontinuity. Is development continuous and gradual, as when a sampling slowly grows into tree. Or is it discontinuous, progressing through qualitatively distinct stages, as when a creeping caterpillar emerges from its cocoon as a butterfly: stability vs change. Environmental influences that cause abnormal prenatal development: rubella (german measles, stds, alcohol, fetal alcohol syndrome.