Chapter 1 Flashcards
Define human development
The multidisciplinary study of how people change and remain the same over time
(requires theories and research from physical and social studies)
What are the recurring issues in human development?
A blend of characteristics effecting development namely
1) Nature & nurture
2) Continuity & discontinuity
3) Universal & context specific
What is the nature and nurture issue?
the degree to which genetic/hereditary influences and experimental/environmental influences determine the kind of person you are (BOTH)
What is the continuity and discontinuity issue?
Whether a particular developmental phenomenon represents smooth progression or a series of abrupt shifts throughout lifespan
What is the universal and context-specific issue?
Is there one or several paths of development. Variations of same fundamentals or different environments? (Blending of both)
What is the biopsychosocial framework?
A useful method of organizing the biological, psychological, and sociocultural forces on human development
(all work together to determine responses)
What are the biological forces on human development?
genetic & health-related (lifestyle) - the raw materials for boundary conditions for development
What are the psychological forces on human development?
the internal perceptual, cognitive, emotional, & personality factors which lead to different experiences
What are the sociocultural forces on human development?
interpersonal, societal, cultural and ethnic - people interact with their environments (people and institutions and culture: the defining knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of a group)
What are the lifecycle forces on human development?
Age, financial/social situation - how people have different reactions to the same event because of different life stages.
Define neuroscience: (not on study guide)
The study of the brain and nervous system, especially in terms of the brain-behavior relationship
What are the methods and application of neuroscience? (not on study guide)
- methods: molecular analyses to activity imaging
- application: issues involving memory, reasoning, & emotion and shows brain activity of four factors interactions
What is developmental theory?
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)
What is psychodynamic theory?
development is determined by how well people resolve conflict at different ages
(root in Freud, built by Erik Erikson w/ psychosocial theory)
What is psychosocial theory?
Erik Erikson. Development is the interaction of internal maturation plan and external societal demands
(8 stages with challenges, from epigenetic principle)
What is the epigenetic principle?
each psychosocial stage has special period of particular importance
What is learning theory?
Development focused on how learning effects behavior by behaviorism or social learning theory
(not on study guide)
What is behaviorism?
Only behavior determines development (Watson)
Operant conditioning: consequences determine repetition.
- reinforcement: +/-
- punishment: adding/with holding
What is social learning theory?
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
What is cognitive-developmental theory?
Development comes from thought processes and construction of knowledge
Stages, increased efficiency, or culture
What is Piaget’s theory?
An example of stages cognitive-developmental theory
- children create theories and discover
- method of structuring knowledge changes at three stages (2, 7, adolecent)
What is information-processing theory?
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
What is Vygotsky’s theory?
An example of culture cognitive-development theory
because parents expect learning of cultural values and skills all development must be viewed with cultural background
What is ecological and systems approach?
development is inseparable from environment context
Examples: Bronfenbrenner’s theory and Competence-environment press theory
What is Bronfenbrenner’s theory?
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
What is the competence-environment press theory?
One adapts best when competence, abilities, match environmental press, demands
(not on study guide)
What is life-span perspective, selective optimization with compensation, and life-course perspective?
Learning is a life-long process
(not on study guide)
What is life-span perspective?
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)
What is selective optimization with compensation (SOC) model?
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)
What is life-course perspective?
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)
