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01/08/2013
What Genes Do
Regulate protein production
o Building blocks of all cells/tissue in the body
Genotype: a persons genetic makeup
Phenotype: a persons actual features
o Dominant vs. recessive genes
Individuals not the sole product of their genes
o Epigenetics: complex interactions between genes and
environment
Epigenetics
Passive genotype-environment interaction
o Biological parents provide the rearing environment
Ex: parents provide a genetic basis for intelligence as
well as encouraging intellectual development
Evocative genotype-environment interaction
o Childs genotype elicits particular environments
Ex: Smiling babies elicit more social interaction,
reinforcing extrovert behavior
Active genotype-environment interaction
o Niche-picking
Ex: Good sensorimotor skills may lead child to play
sports >> in turn improves sensorimotor skills.
What is inherited?
Physical traits
o Height, weight, hair color, skin color, eye color, blood type,
many misc. physical features
o Environment still plays a role in phenotype of these traits
Eg nutrition/diet + genes >>height & weight
Psychological traits
o Behavioral genetics= study of the contributions of genes and
environment to psychological traits
Nature Vs. Nurture
Intelligence
Twin Studies
Twins
o Monozygotic= identical twins
Exact same genotype
o Dizygotic= fraternal twins (non identical)
Different genotype
Compare psych. Similarities between mono and diz twins
o Twins experience same environment
Only difference is genotype
o If mono twins are more similar then the genotype must play a
strong role in the trait
o If diz twins are just as similar as mono twins environment
must be the factor
EX DEPRESSION
o Identical twins: if one twin is depressed- 75% chance the
other one will be
o Fraternal twins: if one twin is depressed- 25% chance the
other one will be depressed
Adoption Studies
Children raised by adoptive parents
If the children share psych traits with biological parents >> genetic
basis for these traits
Mono twins raised in separate households:
o If similar psych traits >> genetic basis for these traits
o Conversely, if adopted children are more like their adoptive
parents >> environmental basis for these traits
Separated at Birth
Jim and Jim twins
o Separated at 4 wks, reunited at age 39
o Similarities:
Were part time sheriffs
Vacationed in florida
Married and divorced women named betty
Had dog named toy
Chewed nails
Sons had same name
Had headaches
Two female identical twins
o Separated at 6wks
o Reunited in their 50s
o Similarities
Identical nightmares
Images of doorknobs and fish hooks in mouths
and smothering
PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT
CONCEPTION
Sperm 23 chromosomes + egg 23 chromosomes
Fertilization occurs in fallopian tube
The Germinal period: 1st 2 weeks
AKA period of the zygote
Zygote = fertilized egg
Initially single cell
Repeated processes of cell division
o Number of cells increases at exponential rate
Mono twins can occur at this stage
o Cells are all identical early in the germinal period
PUT PICTURE HERE
EMBRYONIC STAGE
Aka period of the embryo
Cells become more specialized
o Body structures
o Internal organs
Beginning of embryonic stage
Three layers form in embryo
o Ectoderm: outer layer
Will become hair, skin and nervous system
o Mesoderm: middle layer
Will become muscles, bones, circulatory system
o Endoderm: inner layer
Digestive system
Cephalocaudal principle
Head develops before rest of body
o More rapidly
o Early stages: head is 50% of body length
o At birth head is 30% of body length
o Ectoderm
Early in third week a fold appears = neural tube
Will become the CNS
Neural Tube
Mantle Layer- source of differentiating cells
o Cells will become important parts of CNS
Neural tube defects
Ectoderm
4th week
o brain region closes in
o major neuron generation
o head area enlarges
o limb buds form
th
5 week
o functional nervous system
o brain wave activity present
o reflexive movement in response to touch
FETAL STAGE: weeks 9-38 (birth)
Aka period of the fetus
o End of first trimester + 2nd and 3rd trimesters
Major growth in all body organs
Weeks 17-20
o Fetus can move
o Growth of temporary body hair = lanugo
o Skin coated with protective substance = vernix
Third trimester
Physical Growth
Cephalocaudal principle and proximo-distal principle
o Infant born with very large head with respect to body
o head is near full size at birth
most neurons already exist at birth
Infant growth
o Grow about an inch per month in the first year
o Triple birth weight in first year
o 7lbs to 22 lbs
Heredity/genes
o Strong role for height
r= 0.9 for height for identical twins
r= 0.5 for height in fraternal twins
r= 0.7 between childs height and average persons
height
Mechanisms of Physical Growth
Hormones
o Pituitary gland secretes Human Growth Hormone (HGH)
o HGH causes liver to release somatomedin
Triggers muscles and bone growth
o Thyroid gland secretes thyroxine
Neuronal development
Anything that impairs thyroid function in early
years has significant effect on IQ
Increases metabolic rate
Role in obesity
Stimulates endocrine system generally
Stimulates pituitary gland and thus release of
HGH
Nutrition
o Need plenty
o 12lb 3month old needs 600 calories per day
50 calories per pound compared to 15 calories per
pound for adults
o breast feeding
mothers milk is best food for babies
sufficient nutrients
all natural = fewer contaminants than commercial
products
breast fed babies
get sick less often
fewer digestive problems
adjust to solid foods more easily
Sucking
Rooting
Palmar/grasping
Crawling/swimming
Stepping
Babinski reflex
Vision
Coordinating all of this
o Dynamical systems theory
Behavior arises out of a self-organizing system
Walking as a natural consequence of all these basic
subsystems coming online
Reaching
o 4months- successful reaching
still clumsy
many submovements
o past 4months
gradual smoothing in movements
Perception
Chemical senses: tastes and smell
Taste is fairly well developed at birth
o Infants sensitive to all 5 primary tastes: sweet, sour, salty,
biter, umami
o Taste preferences
Different responses to different tastes
o Change in nursing behavior
Smell is fairly well developed at birth
o Infants respond to different smells
o Distinguish and prefer own mothers breast milk
Place head between two pads
Pad on one side has mothers milk
Other pad has different womans milk
Child turns head toward mothers milk
Touch: moderately developed at birth
o Touch required to elicit reflexes
o Infants respond to soothing and caress, body heat
o Babies are born with touch mechanoreceptors in the skin
Receptors for pressure, movement, pain, temperature
Cognitive development
PIAGET
o Child as nave scientist
o Understanding physical world and how to interact with it
o Schema: a nave theory about how the world works
Children test their theories by playing and doing things
Assimilation: new info incorporated into schema