Growth and change over time, including changes that are progressive (e.g., learning to walk or talk) and regressive (e.g., declines in cognitive functioning with age)
Development
Environmental substances or agents that negatively impact the developing organism during gestation, particularly during the period of the embryo
Teratogens
An egg is released from one of a woman’s two ovaries. The egg travels through the fallopian tube to the uterus, which has built up a thick lining in preparation for the implantation of the fertilized egg.
Ovulation
Can only occur during a short window around the middle of a woman’s menstrual cycle. Unprotected sexual intercourse must occur around the time of ovulation, as sperm can only survive in the female body for approximately five days
Fertilization
If fertilization does not occur…
The egg is expelled along with the uterine lining during the woman’s next menstrual cycle
Where does fertilization occur?
Fallopian Tubes
During prenatal development, the time from conception until approximately two weeks later, when the blastocyst implants into the uterine lining; a period of prenatal development mostly driven by genetic factors
Period of the Zygote
During prenatal development, the hollowed-out ball of cells that implants into the uterine wall, ultimately to become the developing organism and its support system
Blastocyst
A pregnancy that results from the implantation of the blastocyst into one of the fallopian tubes instead of the uterine wall
Ectopic Pregnancy
During prenatal development, the time from when the blastocyst implants into the uterine lining to approximately eight weeks after conception; the time during prenatal development when teratogens are most impactful
Period of the Embryo
The principle indicating that development occurs from the head to the tail, or from the top down, during prenatal development
Cephalocaudal Principle of Development
During gestation, development proceeds from the internal organs outward towards the extremities
Proximodistol Principle of Development
From nine weeks after conception to birth, classified as a period of growth and minor refinements
Period of the Fetus
Prescription medication that was used during the 1960s to help alleviate the symptoms of morning sickness experienced by pregnant people
Thalidomide
Transmitted to humans by mosquitoes or through sexual contact with an infected individual, was first associated with microcephaly, or smaller infant head sizes
Zika Virus
Refers to how the brain develops and how we gain cognitive skills such as information processing, problem solving, language learning, and more
Cognitive Development
Who stated the following?: “the growth of cognitive structures occurs when individuals encounter conflicting information that alters their existing perspectives on the world”
Jean Piaget
Occurs when individuals encounter information that is similar to what they have in their existing cognitive structures; when this new information is encountered, it is added to existing cognitive structures
Assimilation
The creation of new cognitive structures to house new information
Accommodation
According to Piaget, states in which cognitive structures agree with external realities
Equilibrium
According to Piaget, states in which cognitive structures do not agree with external realities
Disequilibrium
From ages 0-2, learns about the world largely through motor abilities
Sensorimotor
From ages 2-7, Can mentally represent the past, but experiences issues with animism and egocentrism, routinely fails at conversation tasks
Preoperational
From ages (7-11), reasons well about concrete events and routinely passes conservation tasks, still experiences difficulty thinking and reasoning abstractly
Concrete Operational
