Describe the growth of the brain during infancy. Discuss concepts of synaptogenesis, neuronal death, and synaptic pruning and highlight the role of experience in these processes.
Discuss the concepts of hemispheric specialization and lateralization.
Define experience-expectant processes and experience-dependent processes as environmental influences on brain development. Cite and discuss the evidence for the effects of the environment on brain plasticity.
Describe the course of motor development in the areas of reaching and grasping and walking.
Discuss the roles of experience and culture in the development of motor skills. Give examples and relate these to the psychological implications of locomotion.
Explain the principles that guide physical growth (i.e., cephalocaudal, proximal-distal), and discuss the general trends in rates of maturation.
Discuss the factors that may have an influence on height and weight.
Discuss increasing trend toward obesity for children, factors that may account for this, and issues involved in treating the disorder.
Discuss eating disorders (i.e., anorexia nervosa, bulimia). Explain how these disorders differ in their etiology, symptoms, and treatment. Describe reasons why these disorders begin to emerge in adolescence.
Describe the course of puberty for boys and girls. Include social and emotional changes as well as physical changes including the development of both primary and secondary sex characteristics.
Discuss the various determinants of onset in sexual maturation and note the evidence of secular trends toward earlier onset.
Identify possible outcomes of early and late maturation for boys versus girls.
