Final Exam Study Guide Chapter 1 1 1 What is the field of child development Child development an area of study devoted to understanding constancy and change from conception through adolescence Common goal to describe and identify those factors that influence the consistencies and changes in young people during the first two decades of life Child development is interdisciplinary relating to more than 1 branch of knowledge Stimulated both by scientific curiosity and social pressures to better children s lives 1 2 how is child development typically divided into domains and periods Domains Physical changes in body size proportions appearance functioning of body systems perceptual and motor capacities and physical health Cognitive Changes in intellectual abilities including attention memory academic and everyday knowledge problem solving imagination creativity and language Emotional and Social Changes in emotional communication self understanding knowledge about other people interpersonal skills friendships intimate relationships and moral reasoning and behavior Domains are not really distinct they combine in an integrated holistic fashion Periods Prenatal Period most rapid time of change Infancy and Toddlerhood From birth to two years Dramatic changes in the body and brain Early childhood From 2 to 6 years Becomes longer and leaner motor skills refined children become more self controlled and self sufficient Middle Childhood 6 to 11 years Master new responsibilities and increasingly resemble those they will perform as adults Adolescence 11 to 18 years Initiates the transition to adulthood Emerging Adulthood Panning ages 18 to 25 years 1 3 Identify three basic issues on which child development theories take a stand Is the course of development continuous or discontinuous Continuous a process of gradually adding more of the same types of skills that were there to begin with Discontinuous A process in which new ways of understanding and responding to the world emerge at specific times Does one course of development characterize all children or are there man What are the roles of the genetic and environmental factors nature and possible courses nurture in development Nature vs Nurture Controversy Are genetic or environmental factors more important in influencing development Some theorists emphasize stability that children who are high or low in a characteristic verbal ability anxiety sociability will remain so at later ages they also stress heredity Other theorists stress plasticity open to change in response to influential experiences 1 6 Describe recent theoretical perspectives on child development Ecological Systems Theory views the child as developing within a complex system of relationships affected by multiple levels of the surrounding environment Most differentiated and complete account of contextual influences on Within nested layers of the environment microsystem mesosystem children s development exosystem and macrosystem Chapter 2 Chapter 3 2 1 Describe the role of theories hypotheses research questions and empirical evidence in the research process Research usually begins with a hypothesis a prediction about behavior drawn from a theory or when little or no theory exists on a topic of interest with a research question On the basis of hypothesis or question the investigator selects research methods and a research design 3 1 What are genes and how are they transmitted from one generation to the next Phenotype directly observable characteristics is a product of both genotype and environment Chromosomes rod like structures within the cell nucleus contains our heredity environment Along the length of these are genes segments of DNA that send instructions for making a rich assortment of proteins to the cell s cytoplasm Gametes sex cells are produced through a cell division process called meiosis Crossing over and chance assortment of chromosomes into gametes ensure that each gamete receives a unique set of genes from each parent Once sperm and ovum unite the resulting zygote starts to develop into a complex human being through cell duplication or mitosis If the sperm carries an X chromosome the child will be a girl If the sperm carries a Y chromosome the child will be a boy 3 3 Describe the Central Dogma of molecular biology and the process of gene regulation Central Dogma of Molecular Biology DNA RNA protein Gene Regulation First laid out as the sequence hypothesis o Switch stretch of DNA that controls when where and to what extent a gene is active Multiple switches typically control Genes o Regulatory Molecules AKA transcription factors Activate Deactivate genes by attaching to switches 3 4 Describe major chromosomal abnormalities and explain how they occur Down Syndrome most common chromosomal disorder It results from a failure of the twenty first pair of chromosomes to separate during meiosis The individual inherits three of these chromosomes rather than the normal two Sex Chromosomes 3 7 Cite factors that influence the impact of teratogens Varies with amount of length and exposure genetic makeup of mother and fetus presence or absence of other harmful agents and age of the organism at time of exposure Drugs tobacco alcohol radiation environmental pollution and maternal diseases are teratogens that can endanger the developing organism Born to users of heroin methadone or cocaine are at risk for prematurity low birth weight and physical defects and are born drug addicted Born to users of tobacco are often underweight may have physical defects and are at risk for attention learning and behavioral problems in childhood Alcohol Consumption can lead to fetal alcohol spectrum disorder Fetal Alcohol Syndrome involves slow physical growth facial abnormalities and mental impairments 3 12 Explain the various ways heredity and environment may combine to influence complex traits Behavioral genetics look at the contributions of nature and nurture to complex traits Researchers use kinship studies to compute heritability estimates which show that genetic factors contribute to such traits as intelligence and personality Gene Environment Interaction because of their genetic makeup individuals differ in their responsiveness to qualities of the environment Canalization the tendency if heredity to restrict the development of some characteristics to just one or a few outcomes Chapter 4 4 1 Explain the functions of newborn reflexes and describe changing states of arousal during infancy emphasizing
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