Chapter 11 Flashcards
Developmental Psychology
The study of continuity and change across the life span
Zygote
A fertilized egg that contains chromosomes from both an egg and a sperm
Germinal Stage
The 2 week period of natal development that begins at conception
Embryonic Stage
The period of prenatal development that lasts from the 2nd week until about the 8th week
Fetal Stage
A period that lasts from about the 9th week after conception until birth
-has a skeleton and muscles that make it capable of movement
Myelination
The formation of a fatty sheath around the axons of a neuron
-starts during the fetal stage but does not end until adulthood
Teratogens
Any substance that passes from mother to unborn child and impair development
- mercury in fish
- lead in water
- paint dust in air
- *most common = fetal alcohol syndrome
Fetal Alchohol Syndrome (FAS)
A developmental disorder that stems from heavy alcohol use by the mother during pregnancy
- brain abnormalities
- cognitive deficits
Infancy
The stage of development that begins at birth and lasts between 18 and 24 months
Motor Development
The emergence of the ability to execute physical action
-reaching, crawling, walking
Motor Reflexes
Specific motor responses that are triggered by specific patterns of sensory stimulation
-sucking reflex -> suck when something approaches their mouth
Cephalocaudal Rule
The “top to bottom” rule that describes the tendency for motor skills to emerge in sequence from head to feet
Proximodistal Rule
The “inside to outside” rule that describes the tendency for motor skills to emerge in sequence from the center to periphery
Cognitive Development
Is the process by which infants and children gain the ability to think and understand
Cognitive Development occurs in 4 discrete stages
Sensorimotor stage (Birth - 2)
Preoperational Stage (2-6)
Concrete Operational Stage (6-11)
Formal Operational Stage (11 and up)
Sensorimotor Stage
A stage of cognitive development that begins at birth and lasts through infancy, during which infants acquire information about the world by sensing it moving around with it
-use their ability to sense and move to acquire information about the world
Schemas
Theories about the way the world works
Assimilation
The process by which infants apply their schemas in novel situations
Accommodation
The process by which infants revise their schemas in light of new information
Object Permanence
The fact that objects continue to exist even when they are not visible
-infants DO NOT have a sense of this
Childhood
- Period following infancy
- The stage of development that begins around 18 to 24 months and lasts until adolescence, which begins between 11 and 14 years
Preoperational Stage
The stage of cognitive development that begins at about 2 years and ends at about 6 years during which children develop a preliminary understanding of the physical world
- child acquires motor skills but does not understand physical properties
- DO NOT grasp CONSERVATION
Concrete Operational Stage
The stage of cognitive development that begins at about 6 years and ends at about 11 years, during which children learn how various actions, or operations can affect or transform concrete objects
- GRASP CONSERVATION
- they understand quantity
- ex) appearence of liquid and volume they understand this
Conservation
The notion that the quantitative properties of an object are invariant despite changes in the objects appearence
- preoperational children DO NOT grasp this notion
- they cannot make the distinction
- visual illusions for preoperational
- understanding volume, mass and concepts like these
- conservation = think of science!
Formal Operational Stage
The final stage of cognitive development that begin around the age of 11, during which children learn to reason about abstract concepts
-such as freedom and justice
Egocentricism
The failure to understand that the world appears different to different people
Theory of Mind
The understanding that the mind produces representations of the world and that these representations guide behavior
Attachment
The emotional bond that forms between newborns and their primary caregivers
Strange Situation
A behavior test used to determine and child’s attachment style
Temperments
Characteristic patterns of emotional reactivity
Internal working model of relationships
A set of beliefs about the self, the primary caregiver, and the relationship between them
- Infants with a SECURE attachment style = they ar eceetian the caregiver will respond when they are insecure
- Infants with an AVOIDANCE attachment style certain primary givers will not respond
- Infants with an AMBIVILANT attachmnet style are uncertain about whether the caregiver will respond
- Infants with an with a disorganzied style are confused
Preconventional Stage of moral development
A stage of moral development in which the morality of an action is primariliy determined by its consequences for the actor
- punishment/reward
- seen in children
Conventional Stage of moral development
A stage of moral development in which the morality of an action is primarily determined by the extent to which it conforms to social rules
- live up to the expectations of others
- obey rules
- elementary school students , older children,adults
Post Conventional Stage of moral development
A stage of moral development in which the morality of an action is determined by a set of moral principles that reflect core values
-most adults
Adolesence
The period of development that begins with the onset of sexual maturity (11 - 14) and lasts until the beginning of adulthood (18 - 21)
Puberty
The onset of bodily changes associated with sexual maturity
Primary Sex Characteristics
Bodily structures that are directly involved in reproduction
-menstration
Secondary Sex Characteristics
Bodily structures that change dramatically with sexual maturity but that are not directly involved in reproduction
-boobs become bigger
Adulthood
The stage of development that begins around 18-21 years old and ends at death
