Developmental: Puberty and Earliest Development

I chose chapter 12 “Development” because I think it is very an interesting topic. The growth of the human body is not only amazing, but also the basics of genetics, the earliest development, infancy and childhood, and the changing adolescent. The first topic I will be discussing is genetics. “Genes are the parts of the chromosomes through which genetic information is transmitted”(Feldman). Genes are a part of chromosomes, rod shaped structures that contain all basic hereditary information. Each chromosome contains thousands of genes that are made up by each parent. There are 23 pairs of chromosomes that come from each parent. The twenty-third chromosome determines the sex of the baby. If the twenty-third chromosome is x than the child will be a girl, if the twenty-third chromosome is y than the sex of the baby is a boy. It is also known that genes are partially causes of characteristics that the child will have for the rest of his or her life. “Some genes even control the development of systems common to all members of the human species-the heart, circulatory system, brain, lungs, so forth; others shape the characteristics that make each human unique such as facial configuration, height and eye color”(Feldman). Overall the basics of genetics is what makes up the human body in a matter of personality and the look of the human.

The next topic to discuss is The Earliest Development. When an egg becomes fertilized by the sperm resulting in a zygote. “The zygote starts out as a microscopic spec and eventually evolves to a fetus and then outcomes a baby”(Feldman). The process of fetal growth is normal about 95 percent of the time, but the other 5 percent of the time results in children with birth defects. Although birth defects are a major tragedy but most are still manageable in every day life and the children can still continue on with their lives. A major factor in an infants life is the prenatal environmental influences. While the mother is eating for two. The main afflunenes are the mother nutrition. If the mother eats unhealthy or even not enough the baby can come out with birth defects or even unhealthy due to its weight. Another major influence a mothers illness. “If a mother becomes ill or catches a disease such as rubella, syphilis, diabetes, and high blood pressure can cause serious and even deathly to the baby”(Feldman).

Another major topic to discuss is the infancy and childhood. When a baby is born they are referred to as an infant or a neonate. When an infant of born he or she is born with reflexes. Many reflexes infants form naturally as an infants ongoing maturation. The physical development provides the most sign of growing. According to learningseed.com, “They begin to explore their world and reach different milestones along the way. Learn how a baby’s brain develops and what activities help stimulate healthy brain growth. Also learn the importance of proper nutrition and sleep in the first

year.”(Ryan, Kathleen O). I agree with that statement mainly because I have seen it happen with a baby of my own. It is truly amazing how much it seems babies mature in a month let alone even a night.

Personally to me the most interesting topic is “the changing adolescent”. “The physical changes that occur at the start of adolescence result largely from the secretion of various hormones, and they affect virtually every aspect of an adolescent's life. Weight and height increase rapidly because of growth spurt that typically begins around age ten for girls and age twelve for boys”(Feldman). The cause of this is puberty. “Puberty is the period during which adolescents reach sexual maturity and become capable of reproduction”(Merriam-Webster). I believe I was thirteen when I had hit puberty and it seemed as if it had happened over night. The age of puberty has changed rapidly over the past century most likely due to better nutrition and health care. The Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development holds that “moral reasoning, the basis for ethical behavior, has six identifiable developmental stages, each more adequate at responding to moral dilemmas than its predecessor. These stages 1. Obedience and punishment orientation(How can I avoid punishment?)2. Self-interest orientation(What's in it for me?) 3.Interpersonal accord and conformity(Social norms) 4. Authority and social-order maintaining orientation

(Law and order morality) 5. Social contract orientation6. Universal ethical principles. (Lawrence_Kohlberg's_stages_of_moral_development)
These stages can be grouped into three levels of two stages each: pre-conventional, conventional and post-conventional. A very intelligent theory that is backed up with multiple studies and stages cannot be skipped. Although this report has not described every part of human development it has discussed quiet a bit of the infant to teen years of development. In conclusion this report the reader should have learned the basics of genetics, the earliest development, infancy and childhood, and the changing adolescent. I hope that after reading this many will find it not only as interesting to learn more about, but also learned as much as I did from the report.