Ch. 11: Human Development Across the Lifespan Flashcards
development
sequence of age-related changes that occur as a person progresses from conception to death
prenatal period
from conception to birth (9 months)
germinal stage
first 2 weeks, cells duplicate, implantation
placenta
structure that connects mother and fetus
embryonic stage
2 weeks-end of 2nd month, most vital organs and systems begin to develop, most vulnerable
fetal stage
2 months-birth
teratogens
external agents (drugs and viruses) that can harm an embryo or fetus
motor development
progression of muscular coordination required for physical activities
cephalocaudal trend
babies gain control of upper body before lower
proximodistal trend
babies gain control of torso before extremities
maturation
development that reflects gradual unfolding of one’s genetic blueprint
fetal alcohol syndrome
microcephaly, heart defects, delayed development, mental retardation
threshold of viability
23-26 weeks
developmental norms
typical age at which individuals display various behaviors and abilities
temperament
characteristic mood, activity level and emotional reactivity
longitudinal design
investigators observe one group of participants repeatedly over a long period of time, sensitive to developmental changes but participants often drop out
cross-sectional design
investigators compare groups of participants of differing age at a single point in time, quicker but cohort effects
cohort effects
differences between age groups are due to the groups growing up in different time periods
stage
developmental period during which characteristic patterns of behavior are exhibited and certain capacities become established
strange situation procedure
infants are exposed to a series of eight separation and reunion episodes to assess the quality of their atachment
attachment
close, emotion bonds that develop between infants and their caretakers
Erikson’s stage theory
8 stages, each has a psychosocial crisis (turning point) that entails a struggle between two opposing tendencies, doesn’t explain differences in personalities
cognitive development
transitions in youngsters’ patterns of thinking, including reasoning, remembering and problem solving
Piaget’s stage theory
- sensorimotor, coordination and symbolic thought develops 0-2
- preoperational, symbolic thought 2-7
- concrete operational, mental operations applied to concrete events and hierarchical thought 7-11
- formal operational, abstract ideas and logic 11-
object permanence
child recognizes that objects continue to exist even when they are no longer visible
conservation
awareness that physical quantities remain constant in spite of changes in their shape or appearance
centration
tendency to focus on just one feature of a problem, neglecting other aspects
Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory
development shaped by cultures and social interactions
Kohlberg’s stage theory
moral reasoning
- preconventional, external authority
- conventional, maintain social order
- postconventional, personal moral compass
pubescence
2 year span preceding puberty when changes leading to maturity take place
identity diffusion
1, no commitment to an ideology
identity foreclosure
2, premature commitment, often same as parents
identity moratorium
3,delaying commitment
identity achievement
4, arriving at a sense of self
fluid intelligence
basic reasoning ability, memory capacity, speed of information processing
crystalized intelligence
ability to apply required knowledge and skills in problem solving
Secure
Distress, joy
Ambivalent
Very distressed, mixed
Avoidant
Little distress, little joy
Theory of mind
People have different thoughts than you
