Ch 13: Development over the Lifespan Flashcards
Socialization
The process by which children learn the behaviours, attitudes, and expectations required of them by their society or culture
List the harmful influences that can affect a women’s pregnancy, because they can cross the placental barrier
- German measles
- X-rays or other radiation, pollutants, and toxic substances
- Sexually transmitted diseases
- Cigarette smoking
- Maternal stress
- Drugs
Contact comfort
In primates, the innate pleasure derived from close physical contact; it is the basis of the infant’s first attachment
Separation anxiety
The distress that most children develop, at about 6-8 months of age, when their primary caregivers temporarily leave them with strangers
Secure attachment
When an infant cries or protests when the parent leaves the room, then welcome the parent back and play happily together
Insecure attachment
When a child is avoidant, doesn’t care if the parent leaves the room, makes little effort to interact with the parent when they return to the room, and treats the stranger in a similar way
OR
When a child protests loudly when a parent leaves t he room, and resists contact with the parent when reunited
List the causes of insecure attachment
- Abandonment and deprivation in the first 1-2 years of life
- Parenting that is abusive, neglectful, or erratic because the parent is chronically irresponsible or clinically depressed
- The child’s own genetically influenced temperament
- Stressful circumstances in the child’s family
Language
A system that combines meaningless elements such as sounds or gestures to form structured utterances that convey meaning
Telegraphic speech
A child’s fist word combinations, which omit (as a telegram did) unnecessary words
Object permanence
The understanding, which develops throughout the first year, that an object continues to exist even when you cannot see it or touch it
According to Piaget, the ability to grasp this concept occurs in the sensorimotor stage
Conservation
The understanding that the physical properties of objects, such as the number of items in a cluster or the amount of liquid in a glass, can remain the same even when their form or appearance changes
According to Piaget, the ability to grasp this concept occurs in the concrete operations stage
What are the current views of cognitive development?
How do they differ from Jean Piaget’s theory?
- Cognitive abilities develop in continuous, overlapping waves rather than discrete steps or stages
- Preschoolers are not as egocentric as Piaget thought
Ex: Most 3-4 year olds can take another person’s perspective, and will ask why other people behave the way they do; they are developing a theory of mind
- Children, even infants, reveal cognitive abilities much earlier than Piaget believed possible
Ex: A 4-month old baby will look longer at a ball that defies laws of physics, indicating it is a novel, surprising thing for them
- Cognitive development is influenced by a child’s culture
Ex: Nomadic hunters develop better spatial abilities more quickly than Agriculturalists, who develop ability to quantify more quickly than Nomadic hunters.
Power assertion
A method of child rearing in which the parent uses punishment and authority to correct the child’s misbehaviour
Associated with a child’s aggressiveness and lack of empathy
Induction
A method of child rearing in which the parent appeals to the child’s own abilities, sense of responsibility, and feelings for others in correcting the child’s misbehaviour
Associated with children who develop empathy, internalize moral standards, and can resist temptation
Gender identity
The fundamental sense of being male or female; it is independent of whether the person conforms to the social and cultural rules of gender
Gender typing
The process by which children learn the abilities, interests, and behaviours associated with being masculine or feminine in their culture
Intersex conditions (intersexuality)
Conditions in which chromosomal or hormonal anomalies cause a child to be born with ambiguous genitals, or genitals that conflict with the infant’s chromosomes
Gender schema
A cognitive schema (mental network) of knowledge, beliefs, metaphors, and expectations about what it means to be male or female
Adrenarche
A time in middle childhood (age 6-12) when the adrenal glands begin producing the adrenal hormone DHEA and other hormones that affect cognition and social development
Puberty
The age at which a persona becomes capable of sexual reproduction
Menarche
The onset of menstruation during puberty
Menopause
The cessation of menstruation and of the production of ova; it is usually a gradual process lasting up to several years
Fluid intelligence
The capacity to reason and use information to solve problems; it is relatively independent of education
Growth and decline parallels other biological capacities, so it slows down in old age
Crystallized intelligence
Cognitive skills and specific knowledge acquired over a lifetime; it is heavily dependent on education and tends to remain stable over time
Allows people to continue working in their profession well into old age
List Piaget’s stages of cognitive development
- Sensorimotor stage; birth to 2 years
- Preoperational stage; 2-7 years
- Concrete operations stage; 7-12 years
- Formal operations stage; 12-13 years
Sensorimotor stage
According to Piaget, a cognitive stage from birth to 2 years
Learn through concrete actions; looking, touching, putting things in mouth, grasping
Learn object permanence by 1 year
Preoperational stage
According to Piaget, a cognitive stage from 2-7 years
Lack the ability to understand abstract principles and mental operations (a train of thought that can be run backwards and forwards)
Ex: A child will know that “Jessie is my sister”, but will not grasp that “I am Jessie’s brother”
Lack the ability to grasp the concept of conservation
Are egocentric; see the world from their own perspective and can’t imagine that others would see it differently
Concrete operations stage
According to Piaget, a cognitive stage from 7-12 years
Understand the concept of mental operations and conservation
Understand cause and effect, and can categorize things
Formal operations stage
According to Piaget, a cognitive stage from 12-13 years
Capable of abstract thinking. Can think of future possibilities, reason about situations they have not experienced first hand, and draw logical conclusions
Mental operations
A train of thought that can be run backwards and forwards
Ex: 2 x 6 = 12, therefore 12 / 6 = 2
According to Piaget, the ability to grasp this concept occurs in the concrete operations stage
Theory of mind
A system of beliefs about the way one’s own mind and the minds of others work, and of how individuals are affected by their beliefs and feelings
According to current theories of cognition, children begin to develop this at age 3-4
Erik Erikson’s stages of psychological development
- Trust vs mistrust; birth to age 1
Trust may not develop if needs are not met
- Autonomy (independence) vs shame and doubt; toddler
Learning to be independent without feeling ashamed or uncertain about their actions
- Initiative vs guilt; preschoolers
Learning new skills and how to control impulses without too much guilt about wishes/fantasies
- Competence vs inferiority; school-age
Learning to make things, use tools; can feel inadequate or inferior if they fail at competence
- Identity vs role confusion; adolescence
Deciding who they are, what they are going to do with their lives; can feel confused and indecisive if they fail
- Intimacy vs isolation; adulthood
Learn to share yourself with another to feel complete
- Generativity vs stagnation; middle years
Experience creativity and renewal, or be complacent and selfish
- Ego integrity vs despair
Spiritual tranquility or fear of death
Emerging adulthood
Age 18-25, for those adults who have not yet started their career, could be going to school, and rely at least partially on parents/family for financial support
Moved past adolescence in terms of emotional maturity and confidence, but engage in more risky behaviour than adolescents
What characteristics promote resiliency?
- Easy-going temperaments, the ability to believe in oneself, and have self-control
- A secure attachment style with parents
- Finding a secure attachment with other family members, when it is lacking with parents
- Finding support from outside the family (school, place of worship)
