Chapter 2 Flashcards
developmental theory
a group of ideas, assumptions, and generalizations that interpret and illuminate the thousands of observations that have been made about human growth
classical conditioning
the learning process in which a meaningful stimulus is connected with a neutral stimulus that had no special meaning before conditioning
operant conditioning
the learning process by which a particular action is followed by something desired (makes them more likely to do again) or by something unwanted (which makes the action less likely to be repeated)
reinforcement
when a behavior is followed by something desired, such as food for a hungry animal or a welcoming smile for a lonely person
social learning theory
an extension of behaviorism that emphasizes the influence that other people have over a persons specific reinforcement, every individual learns many things through observation and imitation of other people (observational learning)
modeling
the central process of social learning, by which a person observes the actions of others then copies them
cognitive theory
a grand theory of human development that focuses on changes in how people think over time
cognitive equilibrium
in cognitive theory, a state of mental balance in which people are not confused because they can use their existing thought processes to understand current experiences/ideas
assimilation
new experiences are reinterpreted to fit, or assimilate, into old ideas
accommodation
old ideas are restricted to include, or accommodate, new experiences
information-processing theory
a perspective that compares human thinking processes, by analogy, to computer analysis of data, including sensory input, connections, stored memories, and output
sociocultural theory
a newer theory which holds that development results from the dynamic interaction of each person with the surrounding social and cultural forces
apprenticeship in thinking
vygotsky’s term for how cognition is stimulated and developed in people by more skilled members of society
guided participation
the process by which people learn from others who guide their experiences/explorations
zone of proximal development
in sociocultural theory, a metaphorical area, or “zone,” surrounding a learner that includes all of the skills, knowledge, and concepts that the person is close (“proximal”) to acquiring but cannot yet master without help
evolutionary theory
when used in human development, the idea that many current human emotions and impulses are a legacy from thousands of years ago
selective adaptation
the process by which living creatures (including humans) adjust to their environment. genes that enhance survival and reproductive ability are selected, over the generations, to become more prevalent
eclectic perspective
the approach taken by most developmentalists, in which they apply aspects of each of the various theories of development rather than adhering exclusively to one theory
