A Close-Up View of YouChapter 1

Your Life Path

Your birth marks the beginning of your path in this world

Life Span – your path from birth to death

Each person’s life path is unique although it might be similar to others, no one will have a life path just like another person’s life path

Heredity

You start your life path with genes you receive from your parents

Gene – the basic unit of heredity

Your unique pattern of genes is defined as you DNA

Your DNA is so distinctive it can be used as a form of identification

Growth Stages

DeathOlder Adult Years

Adult Years

Young Adult Years

Teen Years

Elementary Years

ChildhoodBirth

Life Path

Your life path will cross other people’s life path

Direct Influences – actions and words

Indirect Influences – not being invited to a party

You will also influence people directly and indirectly

Changes over Your Life Span

Developmental task – a skill that society expects of individuals at various stages of life

Accomplishing these tasks successfully helps you become an adult

Understanding and Accepting Yourself

One developmental task of a teen is to figure out “Who am I?’

Self-identity – a sense of individualityExploring the answer to this question will help you feel you have worth and value

Accepting who you are will make it easier for others to accept you as you are

Developing Mature Relationships

ParentsDecreasing dependence and increasing independence

Learning to live independently will help teens prepare for an occupation

Preparing for Change

Change is a part of normal life, although many fear change

In order to prepare for change you need to use these skills1. Gather Information

• Learn as much as you can

2. Develop Skills to Adjust

3. Managing the Change• Example: Budgets and schedule

Heredity

Heredity is the sum of the qualities that were passed from your ancestors through your parents to you

Hair color

Facial features

Height

The way you feel

The way you behave

Genes

A person normally inherits 23 rod-shaped particles called chromosome from each biological parent. The chromosome carry hereditary information from each biological parents. The child will get a total of 46 chromosome from their biological parent.

Genes determine all the inherited characteristics or traits

Physical Characteristics

Because of inherited genes you physical appearance may be similar to a brother, sister or other family member

Dominate Genes determine the nature of a certain trait in a person. A dominant gene always overrules a recessive gene

Example: Curly hair and brown eyes

Recessive genes determine the nature of the trait only when two of them are present. The child must receive one recessive gene form each parent

Example: Blond hair and blue eyes

Punnett Square

Punnett Square determine what possible gene pairs may result from combining two genes

Brain Development and Intelligence

Intelligence – your capacity for mental activity

Your ability to learn, understand, reason and think

How Your Brain Functions

Your are born over 100 billion nerve cell called neurons

Neurotransmitter are chemicals that allow messages to to be carried between neurons

Chemicals produced in the synapses can be affected by heredity and environment

How Your Brain Grows and Develops

Parts of the brain that are not used are trimmed back, and those nerve cells die off – use it or lose it

The critical time for learning to take place is called a window of opportunity. If the window is missed, the cells die off and the related development does not take place

Hereditary Diseases

Certain diseases and disabilities are inherited

Some people are carries of a disease. This means they can pass the disease to their children but never have it themselves. A person who has a recessive gene for a disease may not show ANY symptoms of the disease

Defective genes affect a person when they are inherited in pairs. This is why marriage between blood relatives is discouraged. Children of these marriage have a higher chance of inheriting pairs of defective genes, which may result in birth defects and even death.

Genetic Counseling

Genetic counselors help people understand how hereditary diseases and disabilities are passed on.

Your Family Tree is a list of your blood relatives for several generations. By tracing your family tree, you can identify conditions that could be hereditary in your family.

Medical Research Vs. the Right to Privacy

Potential Problems regarding medical research and an Individual’s Right to Privacy1. Misuse of medical information could lead to

discrimination

2. A person with a high chance of a future serious illness may not be able to find employment

3. An insurance company may choose not to insure a person based on that individual risk of having a costly illness

Environment

Your environment includes everything in your surrounding

Example: family, friends, home and school

Both heredity and environment influence personal development

The Influence of the Family Environment

The family is usually the major human influence in a person’s life

Most families want to provide a nurturing environment

Children feel secure and protected

Physical needs met

Learning opportunities

A child needs met on giving and receiving love

In such an environment, family members can grow and develop to maturity

The Prenatal Environment

The prenatal environment is the child’s surrounding before birth. The way a woman cares for herself during pregnancy will affect her baby.

Eating properly

Avoiding drugs and medications

Family in the Early Years

Safe environment

Feel love and secure

Provide experience which stimulation their intellectual development

Provide task for children do by themselves Picking up toys

Getting dress

Making bed

Family in the Teen Years

Families can help a teen move to independence by:1. Encouraging teens to develop friendships

2. Paying tuition to go to college

3. Allowing to express negative feelings in a family meeing

o Development task of teen1. Developing mature relationships

2. Preparing for marriage and family living

3. Preparing for an occupation

Family Structure

The structure of a family can influence many areas of a child’s life

Not all family structures will look the same

It is important the family fulfills it functions and meets the needs of each family members

Siblings

Siblings is a brother or sister

Being the first, the last, middle or only child can make a difference in a child’s development

Sibling Position

First ChildParents are usually idealistic with their first child

High expectations

Given more responsibility in the family

May be required to set example and care for younger children

May develop skills such as:Making decision

Organizing task

Supervision others

Youngest Child

Often receives a lot of attention

Many times older siblings will complete task that the youngest child could do because of this youngest child may be slow to develop self- help skills and how to express themselves

In some families, expectations for the youngest child are lower from older to younger also they might provide fewer limits and responsibilities

Middle Child

Not given the responsibility as the oldest child or the same attention as the youngest child

Some become pacemaker

Some middle children put extra effort into their work to outdo an older sibling, others respond by choosing unacceptable activates that will get attention

Only Child

May take longer to resolve conflicts with playmates

Spend more time one on one with adultsThis can cause immature actions and attidues

Your Cultural Heritage and Society

Families are strongly influenced by its cultural heritage

Cultural Heritage is learned behavior that is passed from generation to generation

Holidays

Foods you eat

Religious traditions or ceremonies

Families pass on their customs and traditions to their children

The School Environment

Experiencing new situations and becoming more self-reliant

Families needed to give encouragement to help adjust to their new environment

A quality school environment provides a setting that encourages students to learn and grow

Teachers help students with praise and encouragement

Then Influence of Peers

Peers are the people who are the same ageShare common experiences as they are in the same age group

Peers can also influence the plans you make for future

As teen spend time with their friends, they learn to develop close relationships

This is important because it prepares you adult for marriage

Your Community’s Influence

Your community is part of your environment

Example housing, schools, parks and recreation programs

Resources availableJobs

Clean air and healthful environment

Available shopping

Religious Institutions

Technology and the Environment

Technology is a powerful element in today’s environment

Technology influence:Food you eat

Clothes you wear

Car you drive

Work you do

The Influence of Media and Electronic Entertainment

Media – television, radio, newspaper, magazines and the internet; used to communicate with large groups of people and in many cases provide entertainment as well

The creators of media and entertainment can influence the public – sometimes without people realizing it is happening

The Effects of Advertising

Advertising strongly influences how you spend your money. It is designed to stimulate sales of good and services by giving you information about the item.

Advertisers constantly try to persuade you to choose their products over others

Stress, Violence, and the Global Environment

Some stress is positive because it prompts a person to act

Extreme or long-term stress can have a negative effect on your growth. It can put the body in a state know as fight or flight

The Environment in the Adult Years

A person’s job

Marriage and Parenting

Responding with Resiliency

Scientists are constantly learning new things bout the brain and the human body’s amazing ability to respond with resiliency. That means the body adjust to setbacks and makes changes to service and reach its maximum growth and development.