Psychology--Ch.9.3

What is emerging adulthood and what are some factors that have contributed to this new stage of development?

Emerging adulthood is a relatively new period of lifespan development from 18 years old to the mid-20s, characterized as a transitional time in which identity exploration focuses on work and love. According to Arnett, changing cultural expectations facilitate the delay to full adulthood. People are spending more time exploring their options, so they are delaying marriage and work as they change majors and jobs multiple times, putting them on a much later timetable than their parents.

What is prenatal care and why is it important?

Prenatal care is medical care during pregnancy that monitors the health of both the mother and fetus. It's important to receive prenatal care because it can reduce complications to the mother and fetus during pregnancy.

What makes a personal quality part of someone's personality?

The particular quality or trait must be part of an enduring behavior pattern, so that it is a consistent or predictable quality.

menarche

beginning of menstrual period; around 12-13 years old

teratogen

biological, chemical, or physical environmental agent that causes damage to the developing embryo or fetus

The frontal lobes become fully developed ________.

by 25 years old

spermarche

first male ejaculation

newborn reflexes

inborn automatic response to a particular form of stimulation that all healthy babies are born with

temperament

innate traits that influence how one thinks, behaves, and reacts with the environment

attachment

long-standing connection or bond with others

adrenarche

maturing of the adrenal glands

gonadarche

maturing of the sex glands

prenatal care

medical care during pregnancy that monitors the health of both the mother and the fetus

embryo

multi-cellular organism in its early stages of development

emerging adulthood

newly defined period of lifespan development from 18 years old to the mid-20s; young people are taking longer to complete college, get a job, get married, and start a family

primary sexual characteristics

organs specifically needed for reproduction

secure base

parental presence that gives the infant/toddler a sense of safety as he explores his surroundings

uninvolved parenting style

parents are indifferent, uninvolved, and sometimes referred to as neglectful; they don't respond to the child's needs and make relatively few demands

authoritative parenting style

parents give children reasonable demands and consistent limits, express warmth and affection, and listen to the child's point of view

permissive parenting style

parents make few demands and rarely use punishment

authoritarian parenting style

parents place a high value on conformity and obedience, are often rigid, and express little warmth to the child

adolescence

period of development that begins at puberty and ends at early adulthood

secondary sexual characteristics

physical signs of sexual maturation that do not directly involve sex organs

mitosis

process of cell division

The child uses the parent as a base from which to explore her world in which attachment style?

secure

socioemotional selectivity theory

social support/friendships dwindle in number, but remain as close, if not more close than in earlier years

placenta

structure connected to the uterus that provides nourishment and oxygen to the developing baby

zygote

structure created when a sperm and egg merge at conception; begins as a single cell and rapidly divides to form the embryo and placenta

critical (sensitive) period

time during fetal growth when specific parts or organs develop

gross motor skills

use of large muscle groups to control arms and legs for large body movements

fine motor skills

use of muscles in fingers, toes, and eyes to coordinate small actions

conception

when a sperm fertilizes an egg and forms a zygote

What begins as a single-cell structure that is created when a sperm and egg merge at conception?

zygote

Which of the following is the correct order of prenatal development?

zygote, embryo, fetus

What are some known teratogens, and what kind of damage can they do to the developing fetus?

Alcohol is a teratogen. Excessive drinking can cause mental retardation in children. The child can also have a small head and abnormal facial features, which are characteristic of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). Another teratogen is nicotine. Smoking while pregnant can lead to low-birth weight, premature birth, stillbirth, and SIDS.

Describe what happens in the embryonic stage of development. Describe what happens in the fetal stage of development.

In the embryonic stage, basic structures of the embryo start to develop into areas that will become the head, chest, and abdomen. The heart begins to beat and organs form and begin to function. The neural tube forms along the back of the embryo, developing into the spinal cord and brain. In the fetal stage, the brain and body continue to develop. Fingers and toes develop along with hearing, and internal organs form.

Describe some of the newborn reflexes. How might they promote survival?

The sucking reflex is the automatic, unlearned sucking motions that infants do with their mouths. It may help promote survival because this action helps the baby take in nourishment. The rooting reflex is the newborn's response to anything that touches her cheek. When you stroke a baby's cheek she will naturally turn her head that way and begin to suck. This may aid survival because it helps the newborn locate a source of food.

Compare and contrast the four parenting styles and describe the kinds of childhood outcomes we can expect with each.

With the authoritative style, children are given reasonable demands and consistent limits, warmth and affection are expressed, the parent listens to the child's point of view, and the child initiates positive standards. Children raised by authoritative parents tend to have high self-esteem and social skills. Another parenting style is authoritarian: The parent places a high value on conformity and obedience. The parents are often strict, tightly monitor their children, and express little warmth. This style can create anxious, withdrawn, and unhappy kids. The third parenting style is permissive: Parents make few demands, rarely use punishment, and give their children free rein. Children raised by permissive parents tend to lack self-discipline, which contributes to poor grades and alcohol abuse. However, they have higher self-esteem, better social skills, and lower levels of depression. The fourth style is the uninvolved parent: They are indifferent, uninvolved, and sometimes called neglectful. The children raised in this parenting style are usually emotionally withdrawn, fearful, anxious, perform poorly in school, and are at an increased risk of substance abuse.

motor skills

ability to move our body and manipulate objects

cognitive empathy

ability to take the perspective of others and to feel concern for others

avoidant attachment

characterized by child's unresponsiveness to parent, does not use the parent as a secure base, and does not care if parent leaves

secure attachment

characterized by the child using the parent as a secure base from which to explore

disorganized attachment

characterized by the child's odd behavior when faced with the parent; type of attachment seen most often with kids that are abused

resistant attachment

characterized by the child's tendency to show clingy behavior and rejection of the parent when she attempts to interact with the child

The time during fetal growth when specific parts or organs develop is known as ________.

critical period

Using scissors to cut out paper shapes is an example of ________.

fine motor skills