Development
orderly, adaptive changes that humans or animals go through
maturation
changes that occur naturally and spontaneously, eg physical development
social development
brought about through learning
What development of thinking, personality influenced by
motivation and interaction with the environment
Three questions across development theories
Continuity
improvement in an ability
Discontinuity
development of a new ability
sensitive periods
when person especially ready for or responsive to certain experiences
General principles of development
cerebellum
- higher cognitive functions
hippocampus
recalling new information
amygdala
directs emotions
thalamus
neurons
specialized nerve cells that accumulate and transmit info
- greyish - “grey matter”
axons and dendrites
connect other neuron cells
synapse
tiny space between neurons
synaptic plasticity
strength of synaptic connections - dynamic
glial cells
“white matter” - between neurons
cerebral cortex
temporal lobes of cortex
emotions, judgement, language - only developed at high school years
left-side of brain
language processing
right side
spacial - visual information & emotions (non-verbal)
adolescent development and brain
limbic system
emotions, reward-seeking, sensation-seeking, risk-taking, novelty