Chapter 1 Flashcards
Human Development
scientific study of processes of change and stability throughout the human life span
Life Span Development
concept of development as a lifelong process, which can be studied scientifically – “womb to tomb”
Intervene
where scientists use the knowledge of causes of behavior to change or control behavior
Physical Development
growth of the body and
brain
Cognitive Development
pattern-of change in mental abilities
Psychosocial Development
pattern of change in emotions, personality, and social relationships
Social Construction
a concept or practice that may appear natural and obvious to those who accept it, but that in reality is an invention of a particular culture or society
Individual Differences
differences in characteristics, influences, or developmental
outcomes – that is what makes each of us unique
Heredity
inborn traits or characteristics
inherited from the biological parents
Environment
totality of nonhereditary or
experiential, influences on development
Inherited Characteristics
the influence of heredity on development - NATURE
Maturation
unfolding of a natural sequence of physical and behavioral changes
Environmental Factors
the influence of environment on development - NURTURE
Nuclear Family
two-generational kinship, economic, and household unit consisting of one or two parents and their biological children, adopted children, or stepchildren
Extended Family
multigenerational kinship
network of parents, children, and other relatives, sometimes living together in an extended family household Socioeconomic
Status
Socioeconomic Status (SES)
combination of economic and social factors describing an
individual or family, including income, education, and occupation
Risk Factors
conditions that increase the
likelihood of a negative developmental outcome
Culture
a society’s or group’s total way of life, all learned behavior passed on from parents to children
Ethnic Group
group united by ancestry,
race, religion, language, or national origins, which contribute to a sense of shared identity
Ethnic Gloss
overgeneralization about an
ethnic or cultural group that obscuresdifferences within the group
Normative Influence
characteristic of an event that
occurs in a similar way for most people in a group
Normative Age-graded influences
events or influences that are highly similar for people in a particular age-group
Normative History-graded influences
significant events that shape the behavior and attitudes of a historical generation
Historical Generation
a group of people strongly influenced by a major historical event during their formative period
Cohort
a group of people born at about the same time
Nonnormative Influence
characteristic of an unusual
event that happens to a particular person or a typical event that happens at an unusual time of life
Predisposition Toward Learning
the
readiness of an organism’s nervous system to
acquire certain information during a brief
critical period in early life
Imprinting
instinctive form of learning in
which, during a critical period in early development, a young animal forms an attachment to the first moving object it sees,
usually the mother
Critical Period
specific time when a given
event or its absence has a specific impact on development
Plasticity
range of modifiability of
performance
Sensitive Periods
times in development
when a person is particularly open to certain
kinds of experiences
