ch 11 - lifespan development Flashcards
What accumulates over the life span?
Epigenetic influences accumulate over the life span.
What is continuity in development?
Continuity: development proceeds gradually and smoothly over time.
What is discontinuity in development?
Discontinuity: development changes more abruptly from one stage to the next.
What do psychologists taking the universal approach seek?
age-related behaviours found across the entire human species
What do psychologists taking the ecological view emphasize?
influences of environment and culture on development
What is pruning in neural development?
Pruning is the process in which unused or unnecessary neurons and synapses are eliminated to enable more efficient neural processing.
What principle does the nervous system develop under?
The nervous system develops using the ‘use it or lose it’ principle.
What happens to myelination during childhood?
Myelination increases during childhood.
In what two directions does motor development proceed in childhood?
- head-to-toe direction
- from the midline outward.
When do children begin to prefer sex-typed toys?
between the ages of 12 and 18 months.
What is Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development?
Cognitive abilities develop through regular stages.
What is assimilation in Piaget’s theory?
- when we take in new information (new schemas) and fit it into what we already know (pre-existing schemas)
What is accommodation in Piaget’s theory?
Accommodation: the incorporation of new learning into an existing schema that requires revision of the schema.
What is equilibration in Piaget’s theory?
Equilibration: the process by which a child engages in assimilation and accommodation to make sense of the world.
What characterizes the sensorimotor stage?
The sensorimotor stage begins at birth until 2 years of age, focusing on the here and now.
What are circular reactions in the sensorimotor stage?
Circular reactions are repetitive actions observed in children during the sensorimotor stage.
What is object permanence?
Object permanence is the ability to form mental representations of objects that are no longer present.
What characterizes the preoperational stage?
The preoperational stage begins at 2 years and ends at 6 years, characterized by use of symbols and egocentrism.
What is conservation in cognitive development?
Conservation is the ability to understand that changing the form or appearance of an object does not change its quantity.
What characterizes the concrete operational stage?
The concrete operational stage occurs between 6-12 years old and is characterized by logical but not abstract thinking.
What characterizes the formal operational stage?
The formal operational stage begins at 12 years and extends through adulthood, characterized by mature reasoning capabilities.
What are criticisms of Piaget’s theory?
Criticisms include reduced interest in individual differences and underestimating the capabilities of young children.
What did Lev Vygotsky emphasize in child development?
Lev Vygotsky stressed the role of culture and cultural differences in the development of the child.
What is the zone of proximal development?
The zone of proximal development refers to tasks that children could learn to do with assistance.
What is scaffolding in learning?
Scaffolding is when a parent or teacher provides guidance that matches the learner’s needs.
How does information processing change during childhood?
The overall rate of processing information increases during childhood.
What is theory of mind (TOM)?
Theory of mind is the understanding that others have thoughts different from one’s own.
What are Mary Rothbart’s categories of temperament?
1) Surgency or extraversion, 2) Negative affect, 3) Effortful control.
What is secure attachment?
Secure attachment is a pattern of bonding where children explore confidently and return for reassurance.
What is insecure attachment?
Insecure attachment is characterized as less desirable for the child’s outcomes than secure attachment.
What is authoritative parenting?
Authoritative parenting is high parental support and high behavioral regulation.
What is authoritarian parenting?
Authoritarian parenting is low parental support and high behavioral regulation.
What is indulgent parenting?
Indulgent parenting is high parental support and low behavioral regulation.
What is uninvolved parenting?
Uninvolved parenting is low parental support and low behavioral regulation.
What marks the beginning of adolescence?
Adolescence begins at puberty and ends at young adulthood.
What are secondary sex characteristics?
Secondary sex characteristics are physical changes occurring at puberty associated with sexual maturity.
How do teen brains respond to pleasure?
Teen brains respond more vigorously to pleasure than adult brains.
What are Kohlberg’s stages of moral reasoning?
1) Preconventional Morality, 2) Conventional Morality, 3) Postconventional Morality.
What is identity formation in adolescence?
Identity is a consistent, unified sense of self.
How do family and peer influences affect teens?
Teens tend to want to spend more time with peers and less with family.
longitudinal study/design
- Data from the same group of participants is
collected at intervals across a long
period of time (e.g., decades!)
cross sectional study/design
- Data is obtained simultaneously from
participants of different ages in
order to make age-related
comparisons
egocentrism
- limitations on the ability to understand the POV of other people
false belief test/sally-ann test
- a type of task used in theory of mind studies in which children must infer that another person does not possess knowledge that they possess
- when sally puts a ball in a basket, sally goes out for a walk and ann takes the ball out
- ann puts the ball in a box
- when sally comes back ann would think that sally would look for the ball in the box
orienting reflex
- an automatic reaction to a novel or significant stimulus in the environment
- a fundamental part of how babies explore and learn about their environment, and it’s tied to their sensory and cognitive development
- basically when a stimulus catches a baby’s attention and motivates it to figure it out
erickson’s psychosocial development
- First lifespan theory of development
- Every “stage” of identity features a developmental challenge that must be confronted in order to successfully progress
- ex: Trust vs. Mistrust (birth to 2 years): Is the world a safe place?, Identity vs. Role Confusion (adolescence): Who am I?, Intimacy vs. Isolation (early adulthood): What type of partner/relationships do I want?
synaptic pruning
- the process where the brain eliminates extra neurons and synapses
- enables more efficient neural processing
primary circular reaction
- involve infant’s own body, e.g. a baby accidentally placing a finger in their mouth, sucking on it, then doing it again
- *sensorimotor stage
secondary circular reaction
- involve objects, e.g. sucking on teethers or kicking at toys
- *sensorimotor stage
tertiary circular reactions
- trial and error experimentation
- *sensorimotor stage
