Prenatal Development Article Exploration Instructions

Prenatal Development Article Exploration Instructionsthe Purpose Of Th

The purpose of this assignment is to increase your knowledge of prenatal development and to help you learn to use scholarly research effectively. You will:

  • Locate and download a scholarly article from the online library;
  • Explore the content, identifying pertinent information; and
  • Write a clear and concise description of your experience.

In addition, you will gain experience in using a new software program (Adobe Reader).

Paper For Above instruction

Understanding prenatal development is fundamental to comprehending human growth and developmental psychology. This assignment provides an immersive experience by engaging with scholarly articles, fostering critical analysis skills, and enhancing research literacy. Through selecting, analyzing, and reflecting on a scholarly article, students deepen their understanding of the biological, psychological, and environmental factors influencing prenatal development. Additionally, this exercise illustrates the scientific process—formulating hypotheses, designing methodologies, analyzing results, and acknowledging limitations—and its crucial role in advancing developmental psychology.

In executing this assignment, the first step involves selecting an article related to prenatal development from a reputable, peer-reviewed source. For example, an article like:

Bosquet Enlow, M., Devick, K. L., Brunst, K. J., Lipton, L. R., Coull, B. A., & Wright, R. J. (2017). Maternal lifetime trauma exposure, prenatal cortisol, and infant negative affectivity. Infancy, doi:10.1111/infa.12176.

Once an article is selected, the student must download the PDF and validate that the source is scholarly, typically peer-reviewed, with clear methodologies and results relevant to prenatal development. The subsequent step involves a detailed examination of the article's content, where students highlight and comment on critical sections, including the journal information, article title, authors, objectives, hypotheses, key concepts, methodologies, results, conclusions, limitations, strengths, and recommendations for future research.

This critical engagement reveals the multifaceted nature of scientific studies—how research questions are addressed through specific methodologies such as longitudinal studies, experimental designs, or observational studies, while emphasizing the importance of scientific rigor, validity, and reliability. For instance, a study like:

Hepper, P. G., Wells, D. L., Dornan, J. C., & Lynch, C. (2013). Long-term flavor recognition in humans with prenatal garlic experience. Developmental Psychobiology, 55(5), 514-529. doi:10.1002/dev.21059

illustrates how sensory experiences in utero can have lasting behavioral effects, emphasizing the significance of the prenatal environment on later development.

After annotating the selected article comprehensively, students will write a brief reaction paragraph (250–400 words). The reflection should address what was learned about prenatal development, insights into scientific research methods, and how best to utilize scholarly resources. This synthesis fosters critical thinking, promotes awareness of research validity, and enhances scholarly resource use, which are essential skills for academic and professional success.

In the reflection, students might explore themes such as the impact of maternal stress, nutrition, or environmental exposures on fetal outcomes and discuss how empirical evidence guides developmental psychology theories. Additionally, they should consider how developing skills like critical reading, annotation, and source evaluation will improve their future academic pursuits.

In conclusion, this exercise builds foundational knowledge about prenatal development and research literacy. It demonstrates how scientific inquiry systematically explores complex developmental processes and underscores the importance of scholarly research in forming evidence-based practices. Ultimately, cultivating skills in critical analysis and effective resource utilization empowers students to become informed consumers and producers of scientific knowledge in the field of developmental psychology.

References

  • Bosquet Enlow, M., Devick, K. L., Brunst, K. J., Lipton, L. R., Coull, B. A., & Wright, R. J. (2017). Maternal lifetime trauma exposure, prenatal cortisol, and infant negative affectivity. Infancy. https://doi.org/10.1111/infa.12176
  • Chang, H., Yu, C., Chen, S., & Chen, C. (2015). The effects of music listening on psychosocial stress and maternal-fetal attachment during pregnancy. Complementary Therapies in Medicine, 23(4). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2015.03.007
  • Hepper, P. G., Wells, D. L., Dornan, J. C., & Lynch, C. (2013). Long-term flavor recognition in humans with prenatal garlic experience. Developmental Psychobiology, 55(5), 514–529. https://doi.org/10.1002/dev.21059
  • Hollams, E. M., de Klerk, N., Holt, P. G., & Sly, P. D. (2014). Persistent effects of maternal smoking during pregnancy on lung function and asthma in adolescents. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 189(4), 401-407.
  • Keiver, K., Bertram, C. P., Orr, A. P., & Clarren, S. (2015). Salivary cortisol levels are elevated in the afternoon and at bedtime in children with prenatal alcohol exposure. Alcohol, 49(1), 79–87.
  • Krisjanous, J., Richard, J. E., & Gazley, A. (2014). The perfect little bump: Does the media portrayal of pregnant celebrities influence prenatal attachment? Psychology & Marketing, 31(9), 758–773. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.20732

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