05. Developing Through the Life Span Flashcards
developmental psychology
a branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive, and social development throughout the life span
cross-sectional study
research that compares people of different ages at the same point in time.
longitudinal study
research that follows and retests the same people over time
what three issues do developmental psychologists study?
nature and nurture; continuity and stages; stability and change
zygote
the fertilized egg; it enters a 2-week period of rapid cell division and develops into an embryo
embryo
the developing human organism from about 2 weeks after fertilization through the second month
fetus
the developing human organism from 9 weeks after conception to birth
teratogens
agents, such as chemicals and viruses, that can reach the embryo or fetus during prenatal development and cause harm
fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)
physical and cognitive abnormalities in children caused by a pregnant woman’s heavy drinking. (In severe cases, signs include a small, out of proportion head and abnormal facial features.)
habituation
decreasing responsiveness with repeated stimulation. As infants gain familiarity with repeated exposure to a stimulus, their interest wanes and they look away sooner
maturation
biological growth processes that enable orderly changes in behavior, relatively uninfluenced by experience
cognition
all the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating
schema
a concept or framework that organizes and interprets information
assimilate
interpreting our new experiences in terms of our existing schemas
accomodation
adapting our current schemas to incorporate new information
what are the four stages of cognitive development (Piaget)?
sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, formal operational
sensorimotor
the stage (from birth to nearly 2 years) at which infants know the world mostly in terms of their sensory impressions and motor activities.
object permanence
the awareness that things continue to exist even when not percieved
preoperational stage
the stage (from about 2-6/7 years) at which a child learns to use language but does not yet comprehend the mental operations of concrete logic
conservation
the principle that properties such as mass, volume, and number remain the same despite changes in the forms of objects
egocentrism
in Piaget’s theory, the preoperational child’s difficulty taking another’s point of view
concrete operational stage
the stage of cognitive development (from about 7-11 years) at which children gain the mental operations that enable them to think logically about concrete events
formal operational stage
the stage of cognitive development (about 12-adulthood) at which people begin to think logically about abstract concepts
Vygotsky’s scaffold
a framework that offers children temporary support as they develop higher levels of thinking
theory of mind
people’s ideas about their own and others mental states- about their feelings, perceptions, and thoughts, and the behaviours these might predict
stranger anxiety
the fear of strangers that infants commonly display, beginning by about 8 months of age
attachment
an emotional tie with others; shown in young children by their seeking closeness to caregivers and showing distress on separation
critical period
an optimal period early in the life of an organism when exposure to certain stimuli or experiences produces normal development
imprinting
the process by which certain animals form strong attachments during early life
basic trust
according to Erik Erikson, a sense that the world is predictable and trustworthy; said to be formed during infancy by appropriate experiences with responsive caregivers
self-concept
all our thoughts and feelings about ourselves, in answer to the question, “Who am I?”
What are the four parenting styles?
Authoritarian, Permissive, Neglectful, Authoritative
adolescence
the transition period from childhood to adulthood, extending from puberty to independence
puberty
the period of sexual maturation, during which a person usually becomes capable of reproducing
preconventional morality
self-interest; obey rules to avoid punishment or gain concrete rewards
conventional morality
uphold laws and rules to gains social approval or maintain social order
postconventional morality
actions reflect belief in basic rights and self-defined ethical principles
what does it mean to be a moral person?
to think morally and act accordingly
identity
our sense of self; according to Erikson, the adolescent’s task is to solidify a sense of self by testing and integrating various roles
social identity
the “we” aspect of our self-concept; the part of our answer to “who am I?” that comes from our group memberships
intimacy
the ability to form close, loving relationships; a primary developmental task in young adulthood
emerging adulthood
a period from about age 18 to the mid-twenties, when many in Western cultures are no longer adolescents but have not yet achieved full independence as adults
menopause
the time of natural cessation of menstruation; also refers to the biological changes a woman experiences as her ability to reproduce declines
neurogenesis
the development of new brain cells
neurocognitive disorder (NCD) or dementia
acquired (not lifelong) disorders marked by cognitive deficits; often related to Alzheimer’s disease, brain injury or disease, or substance abuse
Alzheimer’s disease
a neurocognitive disorder marked by neural plaques, often with onset after age 80, and entailing a progressive decline in memory and other cognitive abilities
does memory or reasoning deteriorate first in Alzheimer’s?
memore first, then reasoning
social clock
the culturally preferred timing of social events such as marriage, parenthood, and retirement
generativity
being productive and supporting future generations
