Physical Development

February 28, 2018

 Physical Development

 Development begins at conception (sperm cell

penetrates the ovum  zygote)
 Zygote normally contains 46 chromosomes (23
from each parent)
 Each chromosome consists of different thousands
strands of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) or genes.
 Genes are the biological basis for the development
of the zygote  individual person
 Physical Development
 Hereditary Disorders (inherited defects caused by
abnormal genes and chromosomes)
 Ex.Huntington’s Disease: a progressive disease
causing a degeneration of nerve cells in the brain.
Symptoms consists of functional impairment in
motor, cognitive, and psychiatric aspects.
 Ex.Down’s Syndrome: child inherits an extra 21st
chromosomes
 Current research trends point to possible genetic
link with various mental disorders.
 Brain Development
 Last 3 prenatal months and the first 2 years after
birth are periods of brain growth spurt
 Neurons: the basic unit of the brain and the
nervous system; cells that receive and transmit
neural impulses.
 Glia: a nerve cell that nourish the neurons and
eventually covers them with a waxy substance
called myelin.
 Myelin: are insulating sheaths which make
transmission of impulses more efficient.
 Brain Development
 During the brain growth spurt, a lot of
connections (synapse) between neurons are
formed (called synaptogenesis).
 Note: an infant has more neurons and neural
connections than adults do.
 Role of plasticity: cells are highly responsive to
the effects of experience.
 Brain Development
 Ex. head circumference (rough indicator of brain
size) of children from high SES and whose
mothers earned college degrees were larger than
those lower in SES and mothers who had no
degrees.
 At birth, the most highly developed areas of the
brain are the lower brain centers (subcortical):
responsible of states of consciousness, reflexes, and
vital functions (digestion, respiration, elimination)
 Brain Development
 Surrounding the lower brain are the cerebrum and
cerebral cortex : linked with bodily movements,
perception, and intellectual activities.
 Cerebrum: 1st to develop: primary motor areas
(simple motor activities ex. arm movement)
 : primary sensory areas ( controls
sensory process: vision, hearing, smelling, and
tasting)
 Brain Development
 MYELINATION / MYELINIZATION
 : The process of where neurons are enclosed in
waxy myelin sheaths that will facilitate the
transmission of neural impulses.
 : the transmission allows the brain to communicate
more efficiently with the different parts of the
body.
 Brain Development
 MYELINAZATION:
 parallels the development with the maturation of
the rest of the nervous system
 Ex. when pathways between sense organs and the
brain are well myelinated, infants sensory
responses are working
 when pathways between skeletal muscles and
the brain are mylenated, infants begin complex
motor activities
 Brain Development
 : mylelinization also enhances the prefrontal
cortex ( being able to respond to social and
emotional situations)
 : Note: myelinization occurs very rapidly in the
first few years of life, some areas of the brain (ex.
frontal cortex) are not completely myelinated until
the mid late teens or early adulthood (ex. being
able to concentrate for a long period of time)
 Brain Development
 CEREBRAL LATERALIZATION
 Cerebrum: consists of two halves (hemispheres):
left and right
 Brain lateralization begins during the prenatal
period and continues to develop and become more
differentiated by childhood.
 Young children often show better recovery from
brain injury than adolescents and adults because
those neural circuits that have died are replaced by
reserved connections.
 Development in Adolescents
 Brain Development:
 Note: periods of dramatic change include not only
prenatal and early postnatal but also adolescence.
 What developments occur in this period?
 1. Synaptic changes:
 There is a major reduction in the number of
synapses (called synaptic pruning)
 Development in Adolescents
 Hypothesis: it reflects a restructuring of
connections with very little activity, hence
economizes brain energy
 : many forms of mental retardation are
associated with unusually high density of synapses
 Development in Adolescents
 2. Myelinization:

Mylenization in this period contributes to the

development of executive functions of the brain
including faster information processing
 Development in Adolescents
 3. Changes in the volume and level of
activity in different brain regions, and
hormonal interactions with brain
structures:
 : there is increase in white cortical matter(due to
myelinization) and a corresponding decrease in
gray matter in frontal and prefrontal regions -
decrease volume
 by the end of adolescence there is
improvement in prefrontal executive
functions, including response inhibition
and organization and planning skills.
 : neurotransmitter systems in the brain
also do not reach full maturity until
adulthood.
 Development in Adolescents
PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS OF
PUBERTY
Some Research:
 Boys’ body image are more positive than girls
(Rosenblum & Lewis, 1990), and they are much
more likely than girls to welcome their weight
gains (Richards et al, 1990)
 Teenage boys also hope to be tall, hairy, and
handsome, and they may become preoccupied with
body image related to physical and athletic prowess
 Impacts of Puberty
 Boys who mature early enjoy a number of social
advantages
 Girls who mature early may be at a disadvantage
(Aro & Taipale, 1987)
 Boys are somewhat more positive about their first
ejaculation than girls are about menarche
 Some girls, and fewer boys develop such poor body
images that they become afflicted with eating
disorders.
 Impacts of Puberty
Discussion
 Is the research findings similar to your experience
/in the Philippine setting?
 What causes the gender difference in body image?
 Do you think there have been changes in attitudes
about premarital sex 20 years ago and the present
period? How about sexual practices that protect
the adolescents from unwanted pregnancy and
sexually transmitted infections?
FACTORS INFLUENCING EARLY SEXUAL INVOLVEMENT

 early maturers from low-income families, having

difficulties in school, friends are sexually active,
have been involved in alcohol or substance abuse (
Bingham & Crocket, 1996)
 : other positive influence: perception of high levels
of warmth, love, caring, and connection with
parents, as well as parental disapproval of teen sex,
have been linked with delay of sexual activity
among teenagers (Resnick et al., 1997).
END