Chapter 1: History, Theory, and Research Strategies Flashcards
Child Development
A discipline studying how children remain the same and change from birth to 18 years of age
Developmental Science
The science studying every change that happens throughout a child’s life
Domains of Development
1) Physical
2) Cognitive
3) Emotional and social
Physical Development Domain
The domain focusing on physical changes experienced by a child, including both growth within and without
Cognitive Development Domain
The domain focusing on mental changes experienced by a child, including development of memory, problem solving, and language
Emotional and Social Development Domain
The domain focusing on emotional changes experienced by a child, including both intrapersonal and interpersonal skills
Prenatal Period
Conception to birth; the most rapid time of change
Infancy and Toddlerhood
Birth to two years old; motor, perception, and intellect begin forming as well as language abilities; when a child takes its first steps
Early Childhood
Two years old to six years old; when a child’s body begins growing taller, inner and outer language develop rapidly, morals begin to be defined, and friendships with peers begins
Middle Childhood
Six years old to eleven years old; when a child begins becoming more athletic, is able to master core subject concepts, and becomes more adept at understanding themselves as well as other people
Adolescence
Eleven years old to eighteen years old; transitory period from childhood to adulthood; puberty and sexual maturity; autonomy is created as well as what is most important to the individual
Emerging Adulthood
Eighteen years old to mid- to late-twenties; marked by exploration of choices before more defined commitments
Theory
An organized grouping of statements that defines behavior and its predictors
Continuous Development
A slower (gradual) process which increasingly adds the same skill over time
Discontinuous Development
Skills are added or appear at specific times and intervals
Discontinuous Perspective
Development is accomplished through steps until an individual reaches the top tier of functioning
Developmental Stages in the Discontinuous Perspective
Qualitative rather than quantitative; changes tend to be quicker rather than slower
Contexts
A developmental model suggesting that children grow and mature according to their environment
Nature-Nurture Controversy
Factors contributing to a child’s development and maturity based on genetic and environmental factors
Plasticity
Theory of development stating that a child’s behavior can change over time according to environmental experiences
Stability vs. Plasticity
Differences in theoretical opinion stating that development due to environmental factors happens either all at once (stability) or throughout time (plasticity)
John Locke (1632-1704)
Precursor to behaviorism; saw a child as a tabula rasa (blank slate) whose characters are a result of collective experiences; his philosophies changed harsh punishments into more compassionate ones; held that a child’s development was continuous, nurtured, and characterized by high plasticity - also held that children were inactive participants in their development
Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)
Rejected the tabula rasa opinion of John Locke; referred to children as noble savages whose behaviors were innate and a result of their natural-born instincts; held that adults could either help or hinder a child’s development; held that a child’s development was discontinuous, determined by nature - also held that children were active participants in their development whose destinies were determined solely by them
Four Stages of Development (Rousseau)
1) Infancy
2) Childhood
3) Late childhood
4) Adolescence
Maturation (Rousseau)
Development occurs as determined by a child’s genetic design
Charles Darwin (1809-1882)
Discovered that early prenatal growth is the same throughout numerous species; believed that development followed the same general template throughout human evolution - because of his studies, scientific child study was born
G. Stanley Hall (1844-1924)
Generally regarded as the founder of the child-study movement; working alongside his student, Arnold Gesell (1880-1961), formed a theory stating that development was a maturational process - a genetically determined series of events that unfold automatically
Normative Approach
(Hall and Gesell) Measures of behavior are studied on large sets of individuals, averaging results to form a template of what normal development should look like
Alfred Binet (1857-1911)
Proponent of the normative approach; worked with Theodore Simon to identify students with learning disabilities who needed to be placed in special classes; developed the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale
Psychoanalytic Perspective
Proposed by Sigmund Freud, the theory that states children progress through different periods where they experience problems between their inner biological drives and outer societal expectations; how these conflicts are resolved determines the person’s ability to learn, cooperate, and deal with anxiety
Psychosexual Theory
Developed by Sigmund Freud, the theory that states how parents deal with their child’s early sexual urges ultimately becomes crucial for overall healthy personality development
Three Parts of the Personality
1) ID - largest part; source of biological needs and desires
2) EGO - conscious; redirects the id’s urges in more appropriate means
3) SUPEREGO - conscious; drives moral behavior
Psychosocial Theory
Developed by Erik Erikson, the theory that emphasizes the ego as making valuable contributions to overall development in addition to acquiring a personality and skills that make the individual a functioning member of society
Sigmund Freud’s Theory vs. Erik Erikson’s Theory
Sigmund Freud: stressed the role of the early parent-child relationship on a child’s development
Erik Erikson: recognized the lifespan nature of development; stressed that a child’s normal growth can only be comprehended according to a culture’s life situation
Behaviorism
Developed by John Watson, the theory states that directly observable events (stimuli and responses) are the correct focus of study
Social Learning Theory
Stressed modeling as a vital source of development - the child who observes behavior will repeat the same behavior in a like manner
Applied Behavior Analysis
The process whereby inappropriate behaviors are replaced with appropriate behaviors; accomplished through studying a child’s environment and environmental responses/stimuli
Cognitive-Developmental Theory
Proposed and developed by Jean Piaget, the theory states that children create their knowledge through exploration of their personal world; central to his theory is the biological concept of adaptation
Piaget’s Four Stages
1) Sensorimotor stage - a baby uses its senses and movements to explore the world
2) Preoperational stage - symbolic and illogical thinking develop (preschool)
3) Concrete operational stage - reasoning becomes more organized (school-aged)
4) Formal operational stage - abstract, systematic reasoning (adolescence/adulthood)
Information Processing
A belief which states the human mind is a system that manipulates and processes symbols as information; information is encoded at input and processed as a behavior at output
