Semester 1 revision

Hereditary refers to inherited genetic factors passed from biological parents to children that partly determine individual characteristics

Environment refers to external conditions such as biological factors that effect development

In adoption studies, children from families with one adopted child and one biological child are compared. 

These studies can include sibling pairs with one child adopted and the other reared by the biological parents. Comparions of these children are then analysed.

• Advantages:
• - Allows to compare how similar adopted children are to adoptive parents - would indicate the influence of nurture (environmental factors)
• - whether good parents can change bad genes

• Disadvantages:
• Adoptive agencies try to match the child's biological characteristic with adoptive parents

In a twin study, the development of indentical twins (a single fertilised egg that splits into two) is compared with the development of fraternal twins (seperate eggs and sperm but develop at the same time).

• Advantages: 
• Allows us to compare how similar twins are to each other - indicate the influence of nature (hereditary factors)

• Disadvantages:
• - Indentical twins looks the same, so they may be treated similary leading to similar personality traits - not entirely nature
• - Although home and parents are shared, doesn't mean upbringing was exactly the same

The biopsycholosoical approach proposes that health and illness outcomes are determined by the interaction and contribution of biological, psychological and social factors

Sensitive periods is an ideal time to be exposed to environmental stimuli for development to occur. (If exposure does not take place within this time, learning will be more difficult - is possible)

A critical period is a short time in a person’s lifespan to be exposed to certain environmental stimuli for development to occur. (If exposure does not take place at this time, then it is unlikely that this learning will be achieved).

Typical behaviours is behaviour of majority of people in a population or behaviour that is consistent with the way an individual normally behaves.

Atypical behaviours is behaviour that is not like the behaviour of the majority people in a population or is inconsistent with the way an individual normally behaves.

Adaptive behaviour is any behaviour that enables a person to adjust to the environment effectively

Maladaptive behaviour interferes with a person’s ability to adjust to the environment effectively.

Neurodiversity refers to variation in a person’s neurological development and functioning.

Psychologist can provide advice and strategies to support people with their mental health or psychological development.

Psychiatrist is a doctor who has received specialist training and can prescribe medication as a part of their treatment plan.

An acquired brain injury (ABI) refers to brain damage that occurs after birth.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI): a type of acquired brain injury that occur suddenly as a result of injury caused by an external force.

Non-traumatic brain injury (NTBI): brain injury that occurs slowly over time as a result of internal factors.

Neuroplasticity is the nervous system’s ability to change its structure and function as a result of experience and in response to injury.

Developmental plasticity is the most rapid development and changes in structure and function of the brain that occurs during infancy and adolescence, diminishing with age.

Adaptive plasticity occurs as a result of two processes that take place at the synapse between neurons - sprouting and rerouting

Sprouting is the growth of extra branches of dendrites or axons to establish new connections with other neurons

Rerouting is when active neurons in the brain seek new connections around the damaged neurons to enable recovery in lost functions.

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE): a progressive, degenerative and fatal brain disease associated with repeated blows to the head over a long period.

- damaged nerve cells caused by the blows to the head can create an abonormal clump of tau protein, making them dysfunctional and therefore contributing to CTE. 

- caues brain to move back and forth inside skull, damaging brain tissue and disrupting communication between cells.

• 1. Beneficence
• 2. Integrity
• 3. Justice
• 4. Non-maleficience
• 5. Respect

• 1. Confidentiality
• 2. Debriefing
• 3. Informed consent procedures
• 4. use of deception in research
• 5. Voluntary participation
• 6. Withdrawal rights

Primary data is any data we have collected ourselves.

Secondary data is any data that has been collected by someone else.

Quantitative data is numerical, it is recorded in the form of numbers (eg. a score on a test).

Qualitative data is non numerical, is includes descriptions or qualities that are often organised into themes (eg. descriptions or personal accounts of feelings, attitudes, experiences). It is often collected through questionaries or interviews.

Internal validity – How appropriate the investigation design, sampling and participant allocation is and whether there are extraneous or confounding variables affecting the results.

External validity – Whether the results of the research can be applied to similar individuals in a different setting.

Advantage: the data is rich and highly detailed. A case study can include the complexities that are encountered in the real world.