Chapter 1 - The Science of Development IP Flashcards
Science of Development
Seeks to understand how and why people - all kinds of people, everwhere, of every age - change over time.
Scientific Method
A way to answer questions that requires empirical research and data-based conclusions. 1. Begin with curiosity. 2. Develop a hypothesis. 3. Test the hypothesis. 4. Draw conclusions. 5. Report the results.
Replication
The repetition of a study, using different participants.
Nature
A general term for the traits, capacities, and limitations that each individual inherits genetically from his or her parents at the moment of conception.
Nurture
A general term for all the environmental influences that affect development after an individual is conceived.
Critical Period
A time where a particular type of developmental growth (in body or behavior) must happen if it is ever going to happen. ex. Limb development between 28-54 days after conception.
Sensitive Period
A time when a certain type of development is most likely to happen or happens most easily, although it may still happen later with more difficulty. For example, early childhood is considered a sensitive period for language learning.
Difference-Equals-Deficit-Error
The mistaken belief that a deviation from some norm is necessarily inferior to behavior or characteristiscs that meet the standard. p6 Ex: deaf children thought to be deficient, when they just need sign language to communicate.
Life-Span Perspective
An approach to the study of human development that takes into account all phases of life, not just childhood or adulthood. p7 Notes that development throughout life is 1. multidirectional 2. multicontextual 3. multicultural 4. multidisciplinary 5. plastic
Cohort
A group defined by the shared age of its members, who, because they were born at about the same time, move through life together, experiencing the same historical events and cultural shifts. p9 Ex: cohorts who came of age in the US during WWII, Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and the Iraq War.
Socioeconomic Status SES
A person’s positionin society as determined by income, wealth, occupation, education, and place of residence. (Sometimes called social class). p10 Ex: working class, middle class.
Ethnic Group
People whose ancestors were born in the same region and who often share a language, culture, and religion. p11
Social Construction
An idea that is based on shared perceptions, not on objective reality. Many age-related terms, sich as childhood, adolescence, yuppie, and senior citizen, are social constructions. p12
Epigenetic
Referring to the effects of environmental forces on the expression of an individual’s or a species’, genetic inheritance. p12
Plasticity
Denotes two complementary aspects of development: 1. Human traits can be molded (as plastic can be) 2. People maintain a certain durability of identity (as plastic does) p15
Developmental Theory
A group of ideas, assumptions, and generalizations that interpret and illuminate the thousands of observations that have been made about human growth. A developmental theory provides a framework for explaining the patterns and problems of development. p17
Psychoanalytic Theory
A theory of human development that holds that irrational, unconscious drives and motives, often originating in childhood, underlie human behavior. p17
Behaviorism
A theory of human development that studies observable behavior. Behaviorism is also called learning theory, because it describes the laws and processes by which behavior is learned. p19
Conditioning
According to behaviorism, the processes by which responses become linked to particular stimuli and learning takes place. The word conditioning is used to emphasize the importance of repeated practice, as when an athelete conditions his or her body to perform well by training for a long time. p20
Classical Conditioning
A learning process in which a meaningful stimulus (such as the smell of food to a hungry animal) gradually comes to be connected witha neutral stimulus (such as a particular sound) that had no special meaning before the learning process began. (Also called respondent conditioning). p20
Operant Conditioning
k
Reinforcement
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Social Learning Theory
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Cognitive Theory
;
Ecological Systems Approach
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Dynamic-Systems Approach
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Scientific Observation
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Experiment
;
Independent Variable
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Dependent Variable
;
Survey
;
Cross-Sectional Research
;
Longitudinal Research
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Cross-Sequential Research
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Correlation
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Quantitative Research
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Qualitative Research
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- What does the science of human development seek to understand?
a. a collection of empirical data to determine the meaning of life
b. a variety of theories that have NOT been subjected to scientific testing
c. the works of Freud, Piaget, and Erikson
d. how and why people change over time
d. how and why people change over time
- Which of the following is TRUE of the scientific method?
a. Scientific studies should not be repeated, because this wastes time and resources.
b. Research findings should be made available to other scientists.
c. It is not necessary that hypotheses be stated in a way that they can be tested.
d. Conclusions should be based on subjective interpretation.
b. Research findings should be made available to other scientists.
- Most developmental psychologists believe that development is the result of:
a. nature and nurture acting separately.
b. primarily nature.
c. both nature and nurture.
d. primarily nurture.
c. both nature and nurture.
- Language learning is considered a:
a. discontinuous process.
b. dynamic system.
c. critical period.
d. sensitive period.
d. sensitive period.
- An example of psychosocial development is:
a. memory.
b. nutrition.
c. health factors.
d. social skills.
d. social skills.
- As we age, losses occur in some domains, while gains are made in others. This is consistent with the ____________ nature of development.
a. multidirectional
b. multicontextual
c. multicultural
d. multidisciplinary
a. multidirectional
- Of the following theories, which places the greatest emphasis on the interaction between genes and the environment?
a. psychoanalytic
b. cognitive
c. sociocultural
d. epigenetic
d. epigenetic
p12
- Psychoanalytic theory originated with:
a. B. F. Skinner.
b. Erik Erikson.
c. Sigmund Freud.
d. Ivan Pavlov.
c. Sigmund Freud.
p17
- Each of Erikson’s developmental stages is characterized by a particular challenge or:
a. developmental crisis.
b. initiative.
c. area of the body.
d. sexual urge.
a. developmental crisis.
p18
- In the industry versus inferiority stage, children try to:
a. master new skills.
b. make sense out of their lives.
c. develop intimacy.
d. seek companionship and love.
a. master new skills.
p19, Table 1.3
- The primary focus of behaviorism is:
a. behavior.
b. sexual urges.
c. emotions.
d. cognitive distortions.
a. behavior.
p19
- Pavlov’s experiment in which he conditioned dogs to salivate after hearing a bell demonstrated what he called:
a. operant conditioning.
b. psychoanalysis.
c. classical conditioning.
d. instrumental conditioning.
c. classical conditioning.
p20
- In social learning theory, modeling is a process by which people:
a. accommodate and assimilate social experiences.
b. observe the actions of others and then copy them.
c. change themselves to adapt to the social context.
d. gain knowledge about themselves and their place in the world.
b. observe the actions of others and then copy them.
p22
- A feeling of self-confidence that an individual develops when he or she has high aspirations and notable achievements is:
a. modeling.
b. self-efficacy.
c. self-esteem.
d. cognitive equilibrium.
b. self-efficacy.
p22
- Piaget was primarily interested in:
a. what type of behavior was modeled for children.
b. the unconscious urges of children.
c. how children think.
d. what children know.
c. how children think.
p22
16 of 18
Which of the following is not associated with Urie Bronfenbrenner?
a. mastosystems
b. microsystems
c. exosystems
d. macrosystems
a. mastosystems
p24
17 of 18
Which of the following is an example of an exosystem?
a. family
b. historical setting
c. church
d. political climate
c. church
p24
18 of 18
In order to establish what causes a behavior, what research method must be used?
a. correlation
b. an experiment
c. a case study
d. scientific observation
b. an experiment
p28
1 of 19
What is the first step of the scientific method?
a. draw conclusions
b. test the hypothesis
c. pose a question
d. develop a hypothesis
c. pose a question
p4
2 of 19
In the science of human development, “nurture” refers to:
a. universal traits.
b. biological traits.
c. environmental influences.
d. unique traits.
c. environmental influences.
p5
3 of 19
Jada, age 5, is learning to speak Dutch. What is the primary domain of development?
a. psychosocial
b. biological
c. cognitive
d. physical
c. cognitive
p7, Figure 1.1
4 of 19
The distinctive characteristic of development that says that change does not always occur in a straight line is:
a. multicontextual.
b. multicultural.
c. plasticity.
d. multidirectional.
d. multidirectional.
p8
5 of 19
Language learning is considered a:
a. discontinuous process.
b. dynamic system.
c. critical period.
d. sensitive period.
d. sensitive period.
p5
6 of 19
What does “socioeconomic status” refer to?
a. race
b. culture
c. social class
d. cohort
c. social class
p10
7 of 19
Epigenetic theory arises from:
a. biology, genetics, and history.
b. education, anthropology, and history.
c. education, biology, and genetics.
d. biology, genetics, and neuroscience.
d. biology, genetics, and neuroscience.
p12
8 of 19
Development is the result of an interaction between biological and environmental forces. This statement most closely describes:
a. behaviorist theory.
b. psychoanalytic theory.
c. epigenetic theory.
d. sociocultural theory.
c. epigenetic theory.
p12
9 of 19
Cells in an observer’s brain that respond to an action performed by someone else in the same way they would if the observer had done the action are:
a. neurotransmitters.
b. monkey-see transmitters.
c. mirror neurons.
d. reflective neurons.
c. mirror neurons.
p14
10 of 19
According to Freud, each stage of development in the first six years is characterized by:
a. sexual pleasure.
b. psychosocial conflict.
c. inappropriate sexual behavior.
d. classical conditioning.
a. sexual pleasure.
p18
11 of 19
A major difference between Erikson and Freud is that:
a. Freud emphasized psychosexual development, whereas Erikson emphasized psychosocial development.
b. Freud emphasized adulthood, whereas Erikson emphasized childhood.
c. Freud emphasized the child’s relationship to the family, whereas Erikson emphasized the child’s relationship to his or her own sexual urges.
d. Freud thought that fathers had little role in development, whereas Erikson saw fathers as central to development.
a. Freud emphasized psychosexual development, whereas Erikson emphasized psychosocial development.
p19, Table 1.3
12 of 19
At what age does Erikson’s stage of identity versus role confusion occur?
a. infancy
b. school-age
c. adolescence
d. adulthood
c. adolescence
p19, Table 1.3
13 of 19
Behaviorists are also referred to as:
a. analytical theorists.
b. cognitive theorists.
c. learning theorists.
d. eclectic theorists.
c. learning theorists.
p20
14 of 19
The type of learning in which a reinforcer or punishment follows a particular behavior is called:
a. operant conditioning.
b. classical conditioning.
c. respondent conditioning.
d. Pavlovian conditioning.
a. operant conditioning.
p21
15 of 19
Because of his hard work, Roman is a successful member of his high school debate team. He looks forward to his future success on the college debate team. This is an example of:
a. self-efficacy.
b. modeling.
c. disequilibrium.
d. information processing.
a. self-efficacy.
p22
16 of 19
In which of Piaget’s stages would one expect to see the development of an interest in ethics, politics, and social and moral issues?
a. concrete operational
b. symbolic
c. formal operational
d. logical
c. formal operational
p23, Table 1.5
17 of 19
Throughout his life, Bronfenbrenner:
a. ignored the impact of the mesosystem.
b. did not acknowledge how systems interacted.
c. emphasized studying humans in natural settings.
d. argued against the bioecological perspective.
c. emphasized studying humans in natural settings.
p24
18 of 19
The microsystem includes:
a. school and church.
b. local institutions.
c. family and peers.
d. larger social settings.
c. family and peers.
p24
19 of 19
In an experiment, tests of significance are used to:
a. determine whether the results are scientifically important.
b. indicate how much one variable affects another.
c. indicate whether the results might have occurred by chance.
d. indicate effect size.
c. indicate whether the results might have occurred by chance.
p25, Table 1.6
- What is the “cultural context” and how does it influence development?
a
- List and describe the three subsets of development theories.
A
- What can theories do to contribute to our understanding of development?
c
- Why are ethics so important to scientific research?
a
