Psychology / Unit 7: Development
7.2 Prenatal and Early Development
Notes
- Prenatal stages: zygote (fertilized egg), embryo, fetus. Teratogens like alcohol, tobacco and certain drugs can harm development; fetal alcohol spectrum disorders are one example.
- Newborns have reflexes: rooting (turning toward touch on the cheek), sucking, grasping.
- Maturation is biological growth that follows a set sequence (sit, crawl, walk). Critical periods are times when experience is needed for normal development.
- Attachment: Harry Harlow's monkeys preferred a soft cloth "mother" over a wire one that gave food, showing that comfort matters. Mary Ainsworth's Strange Situation classified infants as securely or insecurely attached. Secure attachment is linked to caregivers who respond reliably.
- Diana Baumrind described parenting styles: authoritarian (strict), permissive (few rules), authoritative (firm yet warm, linked to positive outcomes).
Practice
In Harlow's monkey studies, infant monkeys spent more time with the cloth mother than the wire mother that gave food. This suggests:
The results showed that comfort, not just feeding, drives attachment.
A parent sets clear rules, explains the reasons and is warm and responsive. This is which parenting style?
Firm but warm parenting is authoritative.
A baby turns her head and opens her mouth when her cheek is stroked. This is the:
Rooting helps infants find food.
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