Chapter 1

Question 1

Define human development

Answer 1

The multidisciplinary study of how people change and remain the same over time
(requires theories and research from physical and social studies)

Question 2

What are the recurring issues in human development?

Answer 2

A blend of characteristics effecting development namely
1) Nature & nurture
2) Continuity & discontinuity
3) Universal & context specific

Question 3

What is the nature and nurture issue?

Answer 3

the degree to which genetic/hereditary influences and experimental/environmental influences determine the kind of person you are (BOTH)

Question 4

What is the continuity and discontinuity issue?

Answer 4

Whether a particular developmental phenomenon represents smooth progression or a series of abrupt shifts throughout lifespan

Question 5

What is the universal and context-specific issue?

Answer 5

Is there one or several paths of development. Variations of same fundamentals or different environments? (Blending of both)

Question 6

What is the biopsychosocial framework?

Answer 6

A useful method of organizing the biological, psychological, and sociocultural forces on human development
(all work together to determine responses)

Question 7

What are the biological forces on human development?

Answer 7

genetic & health-related (lifestyle) - the raw materials for boundary conditions for development

Question 8

What are the psychological forces on human development?

Answer 8

the internal perceptual, cognitive, emotional, & personality factors which lead to different experiences

Question 9

What are the sociocultural forces on human development?

Answer 9

interpersonal, societal, cultural and ethnic - people interact with their environments (people and institutions and culture: the defining knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of a group)

Question 10

What are the lifecycle forces on human development?

Answer 10

Age, financial/social situation - how people have different reactions to the same event because of different life stages.

Question 11

Define neuroscience: (not on study guide)

Answer 11

The study of the brain and nervous system, especially in terms of the brain-behavior relationship

Question 12

What are the methods and application of neuroscience? (not on study guide)

Answer 12

• methods: molecular analyses to activity imaging
• application: issues involving memory, reasoning, & emotion and shows brain activity of four factors interactions

Question 13

What is developmental theory?

Answer 13

An organized set of ideas that is designed to explain development

(psychodynamic theory, learning theory, cognitive-developmental theory, ecological & systems approach, life-span perspective, selective optimization and compensation, and life-course perspective)

Question 14

What is psychodynamic theory?

Answer 14

development is determined by how well people resolve conflict at different ages
(root in Freud, built by Erik Erikson w/ psychosocial theory)

Question 15

What is psychosocial theory?

Answer 15

Erik Erikson. Development is the interaction of internal maturation plan and external societal demands
(8 stages with challenges, from epigenetic principle)

Question 16

What is the epigenetic principle?

Answer 16

each psychosocial stage has special period of particular importance

Question 17

What is learning theory?

Answer 17

Development focused on how learning effects behavior by behaviorism or social learning theory
(not on study guide)

Question 18

What is behaviorism?

Answer 18

Only behavior determines development (Watson)
Operant conditioning: consequences determine repetition.
- reinforcement: +/-
- punishment: adding/with holding

Question 19

What is social learning theory?

Answer 19

Learning without consequences
- imitation or observational learning: learn by watching others
- imitation is determined by seen rewards or self-efficacy: beliefs on own abilities and talents

Question 20

What is cognitive-developmental theory?

Answer 20

Development comes from thought processes and construction of knowledge
Stages, increased efficiency, or culture

Question 21

What is Piaget’s theory?

Answer 21

An example of stages cognitive-developmental theory
- children create theories and discover
- method of structuring knowledge changes at three stages (2, 7, adolecent)

Question 22

What is information-processing theory?

Answer 22

An example of increased efficiency cognitive-developmental theory
- like computers humans have mental hardware, cognitive structures ie memories, and mental software, cognitive processes to complete tasks
- the older you get the better the hardware/software until deterioration occurs

Question 23

What is Vygotsky’s theory?

Answer 23

An example of culture cognitive-development theory
because parents expect learning of cultural values and skills all development must be viewed with cultural background

Question 24

What is ecological and systems approach?

Answer 24

development is inseparable from environment context
Examples: Bronfenbrenner’s theory and Competence-environment press theory

Question 25

What is Bronfenbrenner’s theory?

Answer 25

There is a complex and interacting environmental system
1. microsystems: immediate environment
2. mesosystems: interactions of microsystems
3. exosystems: indirect environment effects
4. macrosystems: surrounding culture and subculture

Question 26

What is the competence-environment press theory?

Answer 26

One adapts best when competence, abilities, match environmental press, demands
(not on study guide)

Question 27

What is life-span perspective, selective optimization with compensation, and life-course perspective?

Answer 27

Learning is a life-long process
(not on study guide)

Question 28

What is life-span perspective?

Answer 28

Development is multiply determined, a single frame will not work, four features
1. Multidirectionality: development includes growth & decline at differing rates
2. Plasticity: ones capacity is not predetermined
3. Historical context: development depends on when one was born and the culture they were born into
4. Multiple causation: bio/psycho/sociocultural/life-cycle forces
(not on study guide)

Question 29

What is selective optimization with compensation (SOC) model?

Answer 29

selection, compensation, optimization is a system of behavior to generate and regulate development and aging
- selection: elective or loss-based
- compensation: new way
- optimization: minimize loss, maximize gain
(not on study guide)

Question 30

What is life-course perspective?

Answer 30

way generations experience bio/psycho/sociocultural forces in historical context
a. life and historical events
b. individual and familial transitions
c. earlier life events shaped by historical events effect later events
(not on study guide)