Bio Foundations
What molecule makes up genes and chromosomes?
DNA
What is a teratogen?
A harmful substance/factors that causes prenatal damage
What does, "we are born relatively unfinished" mean for brain development?
What is the difference between reflexes and motor skills?
Reflexes are involuntary, motor skills are voluntary and learned through experience.
What term describes the potential for development change across the lifespan?
Plasticity
What is the process that produces gametes with half the number of chromosomes?
Meiosis
What does cephalocaudal mean?
Growth occurs from the head downward; the head develops before the rest of the body.
What is synaptic pruning?
Getting rid of unused synapses/connections to improve neural efficiency.
Why do some reflexes disappear over time?
They are replaced by voluntary motor control as the brain matures.
What do we call the study of changes and continuities from "womb to tomb?"
Lifespan development
Describe the difference between genotype and phenotype
Genotype = genetic making
Phenotype = observable traits
What does proximodistal mean?
Growth proceeds from the enter of the body outward
What sense is least developed at birth?
Name one reflex that is present at birth.
Rooting, sucking, grasping, stepping, moro/startle
A child thinks all round fruits are apples until they learn about oranges. They adjust their idea of "fruit." What process does this illustrate?
Accommodation: Changing an existing schema to fit new information
What is the difference between dominant, recessive, and codominant inheritance?
Dominant masks recessive
Recessive is only expressed when both alleles match
Codominant means both expressed equally
Which prenatal stage (germinal, embryonic, fetal, neonatal) is most vulnerable to teratogens? Why?
Embryonic, because many organs and systems are developing.
Why is it that the first few years if life are often called a sensitive/critical period?
Because the brain is highly plastics at this age and produces a large number of synapses.
What is the difference between fine and gross motor skills? Can you provide an example of each?
Fine = small movements (e.g., grasping a toy)
Gross = large movements (e.g., crawling, walking)
True or false: Neurogenesis (the creation of new neurons) occurs at an early age and stops in adulthood
False! It continues into adulthood, but is much more efficient when you're young.
Why are males more likely to inherit X-linked disorders?
They have only one X chromosome, so recessive traits are expressed without a second copy to mask them
What is the "age of viability?"
It is when a fetus could survive outside the womb if born prematurely (~26 weeks).
The phrase "use it or lose it" is often used to describe how infants' brains change during early development. What does this phrase mean?
It refers to synaptic pruning. Unused neural connections are eliminated (pruned away), while frequently activated ones are strengthened by experience and kept.
Why do motor milestones (e.g., rolling, sitting, walking) tend to occur in the same order across cultures even when timing differs?
They depend on the maturation of the NS; biological sequencing is consistent, but experience and culture may affect timing.
What reflex do newborns display when the sole of their foot is stroked?
Babinski reflex