Chapter 1 - Lifespan Perspective Flashcards
Developmental Psychology
The scientific study of ways in which people change, as well as stay the same, from conception to death. Also known as Human Development or Lifespan Development.
Who identified several underlying principles of the lifespan perspective?
Paul Baltes
Physical domain
Changes in height and weight, sensory capabilities, the nervous system, as well as the propensity for disease and illness.
Cognitive domain
Changes in intelligence, wisdom, perception, problem solving, memory, and language.
Psychosocial domain
Changes in emotion, self-perception and interpersonal relationships with family, peers, and friends.
Plasticity
Our ability to change and that many of our characteristics are malleable.
Who identified three specific contextual influences?
Paul Baltes
What are the three specific contextual influences that Paul Baltes identified?
- Normative age-graded influences
- Normative history-graded influences
- Non-normative life influences
Cohort
A group of people who are born at roughly the same period in a particular society.
Socioeconomic status
A way to identify families and households based on their shared levels of education, income, and occupation.
Poverty level
An income amount established by the federal government that is based on a set of income thresholds that vary by family size.
Culture
The totality of our shared language, knowledge, material objects, and behavior.
Ethnocentrism
The belief that our own culture is superior.
Cultural relativity
An appreciation for cultural differences and the understanding that culture practices are best understood from the standpoint of that particular culture.
Lifespan
Refers to the length of time a species can exist under the most optimal conditions.
