Question

Developmental Psychology

ISBN 0495601713 This is the book we are using

Writing Assignment 2

After reading Chapters 3, 4, 5, and 6, please answer the following questions following the writing guidelines set forth in the syllabus.

1. Scarr and McCartney proposed three ways in which genotypes might influence the environments children experience, producing reciprocal effects on development. Define and give an example of each type of genotype/environment correlation.
2. List and briefly describe the three periods of prenatal development, noting the event that marks the beginning of each period.
3. Contemporary research indicates that the short-term effects of perinatal complications such as low birth weight can typically be overcome by “environment”; discuss what aspects of environment have been found to be effective in this respect.
4. Research indicates that very young infants (zero to two months) have a number of “preferences” with regard to characteristics of visual stimuli; list at least four such characteristics.
5. Summarize “techniques” in soothing a fussy baby, assuming that you do not know the baby very well.
6. Discuss the probably impact of “early” physical maturation during adolescence for boys and for girls.

Answer 1

1. Scarr and McCartney proposed three ways in which genotypes might influence the environments children experience, producing reciprocal effects on development. Define and give an example of each type of genotype/environment correlation.

Sandra Scarr and Kathleen McCartney have proposed a model which establish that genotypes could determine an response to a environment. These genotype-environment correlations could make an effect on human development. Scarr and McCartney established three types of gene-environment correlations.

Passive: In this type, It's important the rearing environment of the children because its reflects the parents' genes. Given that environment is often provided by children's parents, It would be genetically suitable for the child. For example, imagine a child that inherited a psychopathology from his parents. Depending on his environment provided by the parents, the child could reflect or express that psychopathology.

Evocative: In this case, the environment would respond to individuals based on the expressed genes of the infant. They express social and physical responses from the environment through the evocative interaction.Evocation could influence the experiences and development of the child.Using the same example of psychopathology, the environment reacting to a child (friends, school or family) could evoke the child's psychopathology depending on how the environment percibe and react.

Active: In this type, child is able to choose actively to interact with some specific environments which correlates with his genotypes. This active choose is based on motivational and personality aspects of their genotype. For example, If a child suffers anxiety, He will interact with those environments which could calm his anxiety. This es very common in children with behavior problems at school because they are trying to control their anxiety affecting his environment.