Psychology and Human Development

Psychology and Human Development SEMINAR QUESTIONS Lecture 1. The Interaction of genes and environment in Human Development. Lecture 2. Prenatal Development. Lecture 3. Infancy Development.

Questions for discussion: Lecture 1. 1. 1. Which changes are included in human development? 2. 2. What does developmental psychology study? 3. 3. What is the most important debate about human development? 4. 4. What is a gene? 5. 5. How many different genes are there in each human cell and how are they arranged? 6. 6. How is genetic template (potential) called? 7. 7. Describe two types of genes that are the same in all cells? 8. 8. How can genes affect our abilities? 9. 9. Describe environmental factors affecting us positively and negatively. 10. Which parents are more likely raise, children with higher self-esteem?

Lecture 2. 1. 1. What is prenatal development in general? Define 3 stages of physical development? 2. 2. When is Blastocyst formed? 3. 3. When does Blastocyst become an embryo? 4. 4. Describe 3 layers of an embryo. 5. 5. When do nervous system and brain begin to grow? 6. 6. Which is the most vulnerable and the fastest stage of prenatal development and why? 7. 7. What is the main purpose of fetal stage? 8. 8. Describe the most remarkable changes in fetal stage. 9. 9. How does fetus respond to external world? 10. Describe the affect of teratogens on babies.

Lecture 3. 1. 1. How is infancy defined? 2. 2. Give a short characteristic of neonates’ sensory abilities. 3. 3. What is the Maro reflex? 4. 4. Why are reflexes which neonate get at birth important? 5. 5. When can a baby sit without support? 6. 6. What is included in baby’s temperament? 7. 7. Why do first-born, later-born, and the only children differ in temperament? 8. 8. What is the primary function of attachment? 9. 9. Why are secure attachments important?

Reports: 1. 1. The interaction of gene and environment in human development. 2. 2. Heritability: explaining human differences in particular context. 3. 3. Capacities of the newborn: hearing, vision, taste, smell. 4. 4. Capacities of the new born: learning and memory.