Chapter 2 - Theories of Development Flashcards
what are epigenetic factors?
factors other than changes in DNA that influence gene expression
what are protiens?
compounds consisting of amino acids that perform life functions and make up cellular structures
what is polygenic inheritance?
when many genes influence a single trait
what is multifactorial inheritance?
affected by genes and the environment (psychology focused)
what is mitochondrial inheritance?
when cells mitochondrial DNA is inherited from the mothers egg
define epigenome
the sum total of all inherited and acquired modifications to the genome
what is nativism?
the view that humans possess unique genetic traits that are manifested in all members of the species (universal traits)
what is ethology?
emphasizes genetically determined survival behaviours presumed to have developed due to natural selection
what is behavioural genetics?
the role of heredity in individual differences, NOT commonalities
define sociobiology
the study of society using biologyd
define evolutionary psychology
the idea that genetically inherited cognitive/social characteristics have evolved through natural selection
define developmental evolutionary psychology
inherited cognitive/social characteristics that promote survival appear at different times in the lifespan
what is evolutionary prenatal programming?
the prenatal environment may provide cues to the fetus about what to expect after birth
what is the predictive adaptive response?
the prenate’s ability to use information about its current environment to adjust physiology in anticipation that it will match environmental conditions and optimize survival
(e.g. if mom is malnourished the baby will store more food and use less energy)
what is the difference between repression and denial?
repression: you don’t remember what happened
denial: you refuse to accept that it happened
did Erikson believe development was continuous or discontinuous?
continuous
what are motives?
internal desires that drive behaviour
define behaviourism
defines development in terms of changes in behaviour caused by environmental influence
why don’t behaviourists study cognitive/mental processes
because they believe that if we can’t see it there is no point in studying it
who came up with operant conditioning?
B.F Skinner
what is positive reinforcement?
increasing behaviour by adding a pleasant stim (giving a treat)
what is negative reinforcement?
increasing behaviour by removing a stimulus
what is positive punishment?
decreasing behaviour by adding a unwanted stimulus
what is negative punishment
decreasing a behaviour by removing a pleasant stimulus
what is shaping?
reinforcement of small steps to work way up to the desired behaviour
what is extinction?
gradual elimination of behaviour
define scheme
internal structures that provides procedures to follow in given circumstances
what is assimilation?
using existing schemes to make sense of events
what is accommodation?
altering a scheme to incorporate new information
what is the preoperational stage?
forming mental images
what is the concrete operational stage?
understanding of things that are real
what is the formal operational stage?
able to reason about hypotheticals
what is the information-processing theory?
using a computer as a model to explain how the mind manages information
what is scaffolding?
when learning is guided by someone who is more experienced
what is the zone of proximal development?
when a task is too difficult to accomplish alone but manageable with an adult present
what was Bandura focused on?
observational learning
what is vicarious reinforcement?
observing consequences in other’s actions to inform about your own actions
define reciprocal determinism
a process of development based on interaction between personal, environmental and behavioural factors
what is the macrosystem?
overarching beliefs, values, customs
what is the exosystem?
impacts the child indirectly (e.g. parents workplace)
what is the mesosystem?
the child’s relationship with their environments
what is the microsystem?
family, school, community
