Development Development

Age-related changes in Age-related changes in behavior and mental behavior and mental

processes from conception to processes from conception to deathdeath

prenatalprenatal

It all counts, from the moment of It all counts, from the moment of conception onconception on

After about 8 weeks we change from After about 8 weeks we change from a a zygote, zygote, aa rapidly dividing mass of rapidly dividing mass of cells, cells, into:into:

A A fetus – fetus – a unique growing a unique growing organism dependent on Mom for all organism dependent on Mom for all nourishment, vulnerable to her vices nourishment, vulnerable to her vices and wantsand wants

Hormonal factorsHormonal factors

The prenatal release of hormones has a The prenatal release of hormones has a dramatic effect on our brains and , dramatic effect on our brains and , consequently, our sexualityconsequently, our sexuality

Right away, the release of Right away, the release of androgens androgens cause males to develop masculine cause males to develop masculine gonads gonads

Later, a female’s Later, a female’s hypothalamus hypothalamus during during puberty directs her puberty directs her pituitary gland pituitary gland to to release hormones which cause her release hormones which cause her menstrual cyclemenstrual cycle

Hazards aplentyHazards aplenty

Despite some protection from our Despite some protection from our mother’s mother’s placenta, placenta, a fetus can be a fetus can be devastated by toxins, drugs, and devastated by toxins, drugs, and certain diseasescertain diseases

Entire first three months is a Entire first three months is a critical critical period period when the fetus is exquisitely when the fetus is exquisitely sensitive to destructive agents and sensitive to destructive agents and malnutritionmalnutrition

Poor diets, bad habitsPoor diets, bad habits

An undernourished mother An undernourished mother “shelters” an undernourished fetus“shelters” an undernourished fetus

Infants with Infants with low-birthweightlow-birthweight have have much greater risk for later health much greater risk for later health and behavioral problemsand behavioral problems

Frequently their mothers have many Frequently their mothers have many high risk behaviors, including …high risk behaviors, including …

When mom drinks and/or When mom drinks and/or smokessmokes

A mother’s drinking can lead to A mother’s drinking can lead to fetal fetal alcohol syndrome alcohol syndrome which can cause which can cause lead to physical and mental deficitslead to physical and mental deficits

Smoking leads to a greater chance Smoking leads to a greater chance of early health disorders and of early health disorders and conduct disorder conduct disorder marked by trouble marked by trouble in school and elsewhere, and in school and elsewhere, and perhaps, criminal behaviorperhaps, criminal behavior

The miracle of resilienceThe miracle of resilience

But somehow, some kids who have But somehow, some kids who have everything going against them rise everything going against them rise above the chaos and thrive. above the chaos and thrive.

How?How? It’s called It’s called resilience – resilience – the ability to the ability to

overcome significant obstacles. overcome significant obstacles.

Special gifts give hopeSpecial gifts give hope

High intelligenceHigh intelligence A pleasing A pleasing temperament temperament A cohesive familyA cohesive family Special abilities and talentsSpecial abilities and talents Strong positive role Strong positive role

models/mentorsmodels/mentors Good schoolsGood schools Effective community outreach – Effective community outreach –

Head Start programsHead Start programs

Assessing capabilitiesAssessing capabilities

The The Apgar test – Apgar test – at 1 & 5 minutes, test:at 1 & 5 minutes, test: a) breathing,a) breathing, b) heart rate,b) heart rate, c) color,c) color, d) muscle tone, andd) muscle tone, and e) reflexese) reflexes

High predictive value for many qualitiesHigh predictive value for many qualities

visionvision

Initially, capabilities were down-Initially, capabilities were down-played as “ a buzzing confusion”played as “ a buzzing confusion”

Now we know betterNow we know better Infants quickly learn to attend to Infants quickly learn to attend to

human voices and can orient human voices and can orient towards objectstowards objects

As they crawl, they develop a fear of As they crawl, they develop a fear of heightsheights

Memory and learningMemory and learning

Infants respond differently to stimulus Infants respond differently to stimulus because of prior experience – they because of prior experience – they have have learnedlearned through through memorymemory

They can recognize their mom’s voice They can recognize their mom’s voice right away due to exposure in the right away due to exposure in the womb womb

At first, they can only control the At first, they can only control the muscles of their head, eyes and mouthmuscles of their head, eyes and mouth

With-in 2-3 months they can kick or With-in 2-3 months they can kick or flail in a certain way to move a mobileflail in a certain way to move a mobile

Cognitive developmentCognitive development

Dominated by the work of Dominated by the work of Jean Jean Piaget Piaget in the 1920’s and ’30’sin the 1920’s and ’30’s

A child prodigy in the study of fresh A child prodigy in the study of fresh water mussels, he quickly moved on water mussels, he quickly moved on to psychologyto psychology

Worked with Binet and Simon in Worked with Binet and Simon in administering IQ testsadministering IQ tests

Focused on children’s Focused on children’s mistakes, mistakes, not not their correct responsestheir correct responses

Basic termsBasic terms

Schemas – Schemas – basic behavior strategies, or basic behavior strategies, or organized ideas about our relation to the organized ideas about our relation to the environment that change with experienceenvironment that change with experience

Initially, infants have few schemasInitially, infants have few schemas Responses associated with nursingResponses associated with nursing Soon, behaviors linked with eating foods Soon, behaviors linked with eating foods

emergeemerge Eventually, schemas for concepts like Eventually, schemas for concepts like

mother mother and and father father developdevelop

Assimilation & Assimilation & accommodationaccommodation

Assimilation – Assimilation – applying old schemas applying old schemas to new objects or conceptsto new objects or concepts

Accommodation – Accommodation – adjusting old adjusting old schemas or developing new ones to fit schemas or developing new ones to fit new informationnew information

Equilibration – Equilibration – the cyclic balancing the cyclic balancing of assimilation and accommodationof assimilation and accommodation

More basicsMore basics

From his observations, Piaget argued From his observations, Piaget argued that children reason and think in a that children reason and think in a much much different manner from adultsdifferent manner from adults

A difference of A difference of quality quality not not quantityquantity Also, he proposed that cognitive Also, he proposed that cognitive

development progressed through 4 development progressed through 4 discrete, all-or-nothing discrete, all-or-nothing stagesstages

Also, the child’s Also, the child’s individual individual experience experience was keywas key

The four stagesThe four stages

Sensorimotor - Sensorimotor - from birth from birth to 1 ½to 1 ½

Preoperational – Preoperational – from 2 to 7from 2 to 7 Concrete operational – Concrete operational – from from

7 to 107 to 10 Formal operational – Formal operational – from from

10 on10 on

sensorimotorsensorimotor

Marked by simple motor responses to Marked by simple motor responses to sensory stimulisensory stimuli

““Making interesting things happen, Making interesting things happen, again and again and again …”again and again and again …”

Learning the basic laws of physics by Learning the basic laws of physics by hands-on interactions with the hands-on interactions with the environmentenvironment

Lacks Lacks object permanence, object permanence, language, language, and self-recognitionand self-recognition

preoperationalpreoperational

Has mastered Has mastered object permanence, object permanence, developed some language, and self-developed some language, and self-recognitionrecognition

Cannot Cannot perform perform operations – operations – reversible mental processesreversible mental processes

Also, lacks the concept ofAlso, lacks the concept of conservationconservation

Limited by Limited by egocentric thinkingegocentric thinking

Concrete operationalConcrete operational

Now understands Now understands conservation – conservation – that that objects preserve properties such as objects preserve properties such as number, length, mass, etc. despite number, length, mass, etc. despite superficial changessuperficial changes

But still pulls up short in the ability to But still pulls up short in the ability to grasp grasp abstract abstract or or hypothetical ideashypothetical ideas

Some cultures never get beyond this Some cultures never get beyond this stagestage

Formal operationsFormal operations

At around 12 to 14 most of us can At around 12 to 14 most of us can understand and use abstract ideas understand and use abstract ideas and form hypothesisand form hypothesis

Post-conventionalPost-conventional

Some of us usually, in our late teens, Some of us usually, in our late teens, and when we become exposed to a and when we become exposed to a wide array of ideas and other ways wide array of ideas and other ways of life begin to look of life begin to look beyond our beyond our culture culture and drastically change our and drastically change our conceptions of the worldconceptions of the world

For example, change religions or For example, change religions or political viewspolitical views

Since piagetSince piaget

Later research revealed that children’s Later research revealed that children’s abilities fluctuate depending on the abilities fluctuate depending on the situationsituation

In other words, distinctions between the In other words, distinctions between the stages are blurredstages are blurred

Children can often understand advanced Children can often understand advanced concepts if presented in simple waysconcepts if presented in simple ways

Abilities differ between children of the same Abilities differ between children of the same ageage

Children can be in two stages at onceChildren can be in two stages at once

temperamenttemperament

““Moms are always right!”Moms are always right!” Some children are easier to raise Some children are easier to raise

than othersthan others

Beginning in 1970, 141 children Beginning in 1970, 141 children from 85 families were followed from from 85 families were followed from 2-3 months of age into adulthood2-3 months of age into adulthood

Temperament patternsTemperament patterns

Four broad groupings emergedFour broad groupings emerged

Easy – Easy – 40%40%

adaptable, respond well to adaptable, respond well to virtually any parenting strategyvirtually any parenting strategy

these children “make” good these children “make” good parentsparents

A real challengeA real challenge

Feisty – Feisty – 10% (thank God)10% (thank God)

characterized by irregular characterized by irregular rhythmsrhythms

do not adapt well to changesdo not adapt well to changes

negative mood and attitudenegative mood and attitude

requires parents with a high requires parents with a high degree of consistency and patiencedegree of consistency and patience

if not – TROUBLE!if not – TROUBLE!

Another patternAnother pattern

Intermediate – 15%Intermediate – 15%

“ “slow to warm up”slow to warm up”

low energy levelslow energy levels

slow to adaptslow to adapt

shyshy

will do fine if allowed to develop will do fine if allowed to develop at their own paceat their own pace

And thenAnd then

Unclassifiable – 35%Unclassifiable – 35% this large group doesn't’ fit any this large group doesn't’ fit any

of the other categoriesof the other categories

ConclusionConclusion traits such as mood and activity traits such as mood and activity

level are stablelevel are stable Genetic based but interacts with Genetic based but interacts with

environmentenvironment