Download Module 45 Notes

Developmental
Issues, Prenatal
Development, and the
Newborn
Module 45
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Developmental Issues, Prenatal
Development, and the Newborn
Prenatal Development and
the Newborn

Two Major Developmental Issues

Conception and Prenatal Development

The Competent Newborn
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Prenatal Development and the Newborn
BIG QUESTION: How, over time, did we come
to be who we are? From zygote to birth,
development progresses in an orderly, though
fragile, sequence.
People used to think that babies began life as a
“blank slate” with an empty brain and no
abilities. We now know that they are born with
innate abilities.
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ISSUES IN DEVELOPMENT
1.
Nature vs. Nurture:
1.
2.
3.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMQXAvnwQx
A
Continuity and Stages
1.
Experience and learning emphasis on continuity of
development
2.
Biological emphasis on stages of development
Stability and Change
1.
Temperament tends to be stable
2.
Social attitudes tend to change
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Conception
A single sperm cell (male) penetrates the outer
coating of the egg (female) and fuses to form
one fertilized cell.
Lennart Nilsson/ Albert Bonniers Publishing Company
Lennart Nilsson/ Albert Bonniers Publishing Company
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Prenatal Development
Prenatal Period: the 9 months between conception and
birth. A zygote is a fertilized egg with 100 cells that
become increasingly diverse. At about 14 days the
zygote turns into an embryo (a and b).
Biophoto Associates/ Photo Researchers, Inc.
Lennart Nilsson/ Albert Bonniers Publishing Company
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Embryonic Stage

During this stage-the genetic plan determines how all
the organs will begin to form.

Differentiation: embryo’s cells begin to specialize.

Before differentiation, embryonic stem cells are
capable of forming into any organs of the body.

Which is the root of what controversy?
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Prenatal Development
At 9 weeks, an embryo turns into a fetus (c and d).
Teratogens are chemicals or viruses that can enter
the placenta and harm the developing fetus.
Lennart Nilsson/ Albert Bonniers Publishing Company
Lennart Nilsson/ Albert Bonniers Publishing Company
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Prenatal Development of
the Brain

Brain grows new neurons at 250,000 per minute.

By birth, it has produced 100 billion.

As the new brain cells are produced, they
actually migrate out of the neural tube and then
extend their axons and dendrites to make
connections with other newly formed neurons.

**How they do this is part of ongoing research.

*the basic plan for wiring the brain—must be
contained in the genetic code.
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Teratogens: Prenatal
Toxins

Although the placenta screens out some
potentially dangerous substances, many
can pass through-including viruses like
HIV, certain drugs, and other chemicalsheroin, nicotine, alcohol.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)-symptoms
can include mental retardation, poor
motor coordination, impaired attention,
and hyperactivity.
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The Competent Newborn
Neonatal Period
Infants are born with
reflexes that aid in
survival, including
rooting reflex which
helps them locate food.
Ex. Rooting, grasping,
postural reflex
https://youtu.be/vdiCe
p6OStA
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Habituation

Defined: a decrease in responding with repeated
stimulation.

A novel stimulus gets attention when first presented but
the more often its presented, the weaker the response
becomes.

This seeming boredom with familiar stimuli gives us a
way to ask infants what they see and remember.
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Recovery

Following Habituation to one stimulus, the tendency for
a second stimulus to arouse new interest—often used to
test whether infants can discriminate between stimuli.
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Novelty Preference
Procedure

Used it to ask 4 month olds how they recognize cats and
dogs.

1. first showed pictures of cats and dogs

2. Found that after looking at a series of cats or a
series of dogs, they looked at hybrid.

Shows that they focus on face first-not body.
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The Competent Newborn –Neonatal
Period
Offspring cries are important signals for parents to
provide nourishment. In animals and humans such
cries are quickly attended to and relieved. why?
Because it’s a behavior parents are predisposed to find
highly unpleasant and very rewarding to relieve.
Lightscapes, Inc. Corbis
Carl and Ann Purcell/ Corbis
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