Chapter 2: Models of Development Flashcards
Developmental science
considering the role of multiple contextual influences in the developmental process e.g. sex, ethnicity, social class, income, religion, culture
Niche-picking
proposal that genetic and environmental factors work together to influence the direction of a child’s life
Organismic model
inherited traits change over time occur through maturation in a stage/step-wise fashion
Mechanistic model
people’s behavior changes gradually over time, shaped by exposure to experiences that present learning opportunities and cause them to adapt to their environments
Interactionist model
complex interaction between genetics and environment to produce effects and that individual’s actively shape their own development
Principle of plasticity in development
course of development may be altered depending on the nature of the individual’s specific interactions in the environment, through active interventions like mental and physical exercise
Reciprocity in development
people both influence and are influenced by the events in their lives
Ecological perspective
defines 5 levels or systems of the environment that interact: microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem
Microsystem
setting in which people have their daily interactions and have the most direct impact on the individual e.g. family, school, health services, religion, peers
Mesosystem
realm of the environment in which interactions take place among 2 or more microsystems
Exosystem
environments that people don’t closely experience on a regular basis but still impact them e.g. industry, social services, neighbors, local politics, mass media
Macrosystem
larger social institutions, from a country’s economy to its laws and social norms, that influence the individual indirectly through the exosystem
Chronosystem
changes that take place over time
Life course perspective
norms, roles, and attitudes about age have an impact on the course of each person’s life; development occurs along age-differentiated, socially marked sequence of transitions between life events and social roles
Social clock
expectations for the ages which society associates with major life events
Activity theory
older adults are most satisfied if they are able to remain involved in their social roles in work, family, and community
Disengagement theory
the normal and natural evolution of life causes older adults to intentionally loosen their social ties (e.g. retirement) to improve well-being
Continuity theory
people make adaptive choices to maintain internal and external ties to the past; whether disengagement or activity is beneficial to the older adult depends on the individual’s personality
Ageism
a set of beliefs, (implicit) attitudes, social institutions, and acts that denigrate individuals or groups based on their chronological age
Terror management theory
people regard the thought that their their lives will someday end with panic and dread, and engage in defense mechanisms
Modernization hypothesis
the increasing urbanization and industrialization of Western society causes adults to be devalued
Multiple jeopardy hypothesis
older individuals who fit in more than 1 category are affected by biases against each of these categorizations
Age-as-leveller view
as people become older, age overrides all other forms of discrimination (“isms”)
Inoculation hypothesis
older minorities and women have developed a tolerance or become immune to the effects of ageism through years of exposure to discrimination and stereotyping
