Chapter 1: The Life-Span Perspective Flashcards
biological processes
Processes that produce changes in an individual’s physical nature
bronfenbrenners ecological theory
Bronfenbrenner’s environmental systems theory that focuses on five environmental systems: microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem.
case study
An in-depth look at a single individual.
cognitive processes
Processes that involve changes in an individual’s thought, intelligence, and language.
cohort effects
Characteristics attributable to a person’s time of birth, era, or generation but not to actual age.
continuity - discontinuity issue
Debate that focuses on the extent to which development involves gradual, cumulative change (continuity) or distinct stages (discontinuity)
correlational coefficient
A number based on a statistical analysis that is used to describe the degree of association between two variables
correlational research
A type of research that strives to describe the strength of the relationship between two or more events or characteristics.
cross-cultural studies
Comparisons of one culture with one or more other cultures. These provide information about the degree to which development is similar, or universal, across cultures, and the degree to which it is culture-specific.
cross-sectional approach
A research strategy in which individuals of different ages are compared at one time.
culture
The behavior, patterns, beliefs, and all other products of a group of people that are passed on from generation to generation
descriptive research
A type of research that aims to observe and record behavior.
development
The pattern of movement or change that begins at conception and continues through the human life span.
eclectic theoretical orientation
An orientation that does not follow any one theoretical approach but rather selects from each theory whatever is considered best in it.
emerging adulthood
The developmental time frame occurring from approximately 18 to 25 years of age; this transitional period between adolescence and adulthood is characterized by experimentation and exploration.
eriksons theory
Theory that proposes eight stages of human development. Each stage consists of a unique developmental task that confronts individuals with a crisis that must be resolved.
ethnic gloss
Use of an ethnic label such as African American or Latino in a superficial way that portrays an ethnic group as being more homogeneous than it really is.
ethnicity
Categorization of an individual based on cultural heritage, nationality characteristics, race, religion, and language.
ethology
Theory stressing that behavior is strongly influenced by biology, is tied to evolution, and is characterized by critical or sensitive periods
experiment
Carefully regulated procedure in which one or more factors believed to influence the behavior being studied are manipulated while all other factors are held constant
gender
Characteristics related to femininity and masculinity based on social and cultural norms.
hypotheses
Specific assumptions and predictions that can be tested to determine their accuracy.
information-proccessing theory
Theory emphasizing that individuals manipulate information, monitor it, and strategize about it. Central to this theory are the processes of memory and thinking.
laboratory
A controlled setting from which many of the complex factors of the “real world” have been removed.
life-span perspective
View of development as being lifelong, multidimensional, multidirectional, plastic, multidisciplinary, and contextual; involving growth, maintenance, and regulation of loss; and constructed through biological, sociocultural, and individual factors working together.
longitudinal approach
A research strategy in which the same individuals are studied over a period of time, usually several years or more
naturalistic observation
Observing behavior in real-world settings
nature-nurture issue
Debate about whether development is primarily influenced by nature or nurture. Nature refers to an organism’s biological inheritance, nurture to its environmental experiences. The “nature proponents” claim biological inheritance is the more important influence on development; the “nurture proponents” claim that environmental experiences are more important.
non normative life events
Unusual occurrences that have a major impact on an individual’s life.
normative age-graded influences
Influences that are similar for individuals in a particular age group.
normative history-graded influences
Influences that are common to people of a particular generation because of historical circumstances
Pieget’s theory
Theory stating that children actively construct their understanding of the world and go through four stages of cognitive development.
psychoanalytic theories
Theories that describe development as primarily unconscious and heavily colored by emotion. Behavior is merely a surface characteristic, and the symbolic workings of the mind must be analyzed to understand behavior. Early experiences with parents are emphasized.
social cognitive theory
Theoretical view that behavior, environment, and cognition are the key factors in development.
social policy
A government’s course of action designed to promote the welfare of its citizens
socioeconomic status (SES)
Classification of a person’s position in society based on occupational, educational, and economic characteristics.
socioemotional processes
Processes that involve changes in an individual’s relationships with other people, emotions, and personality
stability-change issue
Debate as to whether and to what degree we become older renditions of our earlier selves (stability) or whether we develop into someone different from who we were at an earlier point in development (change).
standardized test
A test with uniform procedures for administration and scoring. Many standardized tests allow a person’s performance to be compared with the performance of other individuals.
Vygotskys theory
Sociocultural cognitive theory that emphasizes how culture and social interaction guide cognitive development
