Unit 10 Modules 25 30 1 Unit 10 Lifespan Development Module 25 Introduction to Lifespan Development In this unit we will investigate the fundamental complex and essential processed of human development Developmental Psychology the physiological behavioral cognitive and social changes that occur throughout human life which are guided by both genetic predispositions nature and environmental influences nurture o Does our development occur gradually over time or in strict stages o Do our childhood experiences have a stronger impact than later experiences in life o What roles do genetics and the environment play in our development We begin our study of development at the moment of conception and then consider prenatal development in the womb Next we focus on infancy and childhood We then consider the developmental changes that occur during adolescence and the beginning of adulthood and finally the preparations for and eventual facing of death Each stage of development has its unique physical cognitive and emotional changes that define the stage and distinguish it from the others Erik Erikson proposed a model of lifespan development that provides a useful guideline for thinking about the changes we experience Erikson believed each life stage has a unique challenge that the person who reaches it must face How the person resolves the challenge has an impact on his or her overall development Stage Age Range Main Challenge Positive Resolution of the Challenge Birth 18 months Trust vs mistrust The child develops a feeling of trust in his or her caregivers 18 months 3 years Autonomy vs shame doubt The child learns what he or she can and cannot control and develops a sense of free will 3 6 years Imitative vs guilt The child learns to be independent by exploring manipulating and taking action 6 12 years Industry vs inferiority The child learns to do things well or correctly according to standards set by others particularly in school Unit 10 Modules 25 30 2 12 18 years Identity vs role confusion The adolescent develops a well defined and positive sense of self in relationship to others 19 40 years Intimacy vs isolation The person develops the ability to give and receive love and to make long term commitments 40 65 years Generativity vs stagnation The person develops an interest in guiding the development of the next generation often by becoming a parent 65 death Ego integrity vs despair The person develops acceptance of his or her life as it was lived Robert Klark Graham was in part right nature does play a substantial role in development But nurture is also important we begin to be influenced by our environments even while still in the womb and these influences remain with us throughout our development We play an active role in shaping our own lives Our own behavior influences how and what we learn how people respond to us and how we develop as individuals Human development is a lifelong process we evolve and change as we age mature and experience our lives 1 Developmental psychologists are most concerned with which aspects of human development a Physiology cognition and social change 2 Which of the following intellectual issues would seem most relevant to developmental psychology a Nature vs nurture Module 26 Prenatal and Early Development Stages of Prenatal Development Conception when an egg from the mother is fertilized by a sperm from the father Ovulation when an ovum or egg which has been stored in one of the mother s two ovaries matures and is released into the fallopian tube Ovulation occurs about halfway through the woman s menstrual cycle and is aided by the release of a complex combination of hormones In addition to helping the egg Unit 10 Modules 25 30 3 mature the hormones also cause the lining of the uterus to grow thicker and more suitable for implantation of a fertilized egg If the woman has had sexual intercourse within 1 or 2 days of the egg s maturation one of the up to 500 million sperm deposited by the man s ejaculation which are traveling up the fallopian tube may fertilize the egg Although few of the sperm can make the long journey some of the strongest swimmers succeed in meeting the egg As the sperm reach the egg in the fallopian tube they release enzymes that attack the outer jelly like protective coating of the egg each trying to be the first to enter When one of the millions of sperm enters the egg s coating the egg immediately responds by blocking out all other challengers and pulling in the single successful sperm The zygote Most cells in your body have 23 pairs of chromosomes for a total of 46 The egg and sperm are different Each egg and each sperm has only one set of 23 chromosomes not a pair When fertilization occurs the 23 chromosomes from the egg fuse with the 23 from the sperm to create a zygote Zygote a fertilized egg or ovum With the full complement of 23 pairs of chromosomes The zygote continues to travel down the fallopian tube to the uterus Although the uterus is only about 4 inches away in the woman s body the journey is a substantial one for a microscopic organism Fewer than half of zygotes survive beyond this earliest stage of life If the zygote is still viable when it completes the journey it attaches itself to the wall of the uterus but if it is not it is flushed out in the woman s menstrual flow During this time the cells in the zygote continue to divide The original two cells become four those four become eight and so on until there are thousands eventually trillions of cells Soon the cells begin to differentiate each taking on a separate function The earliest differentiation is between the cells on the inside of the zygote which begin to form the developing human being and the cells on the outside which form the protective environment that provides support for the new life throughout the pregnancy Embryo zygote attaches to the wall of the uterus During the embryonic phase which lasts for the next 6 weeks the major organs are formed each beginning at the microscopic level with only a few cells The changes in the embryo s appearance continue rapidly from this point until birth While the inner layer of embryonic cells is busy forming the embryo the outer layer is forming the surrounding protective environment that helps the embryo survive the pregnancy This environment consists of three major structures Unit 10 Modules 25 30 4 Amniotic sac the fluid filled reservoir in which the embryo lives until birth It also acts as a cushion against outside