Chapter 3 Developing Through the Life Span Flashcards
The three major issues that interest developmental psychologist are
nature/nurture, stability/change, and continuity/stages
Body organs first began to form and function during the period of the —–, within 6 months, during the period of the —-, the organs are sufficiently functional to allow a good chance of survival.
-embryo
-fetus
Chemical that pass through the placenta’s screen and may harm the embryo or fetus are called
teratogens
Between age 2 and 6, the human brain experiences the greatest growth in the — lobes, which we use for rational planning, and which continue to developing at least into adolescence.
Frontal
Stroke a newborn’s cheek and the infant will root for a nipple. This illustrates
a reflex.
What is true about motor-skill development?
The sequence, but not the timing is universal.
Why can’t we consciously recall how we learned to walk when we were infants?
We have little conscious memory of events occerring before age 4, in part because major brain areas have not yet matured.
Use Piaget’s first three stages of cognitive development to explain why young children are not just miniature adults in the way they think.
Infants in the “sensorimotor stage” tend to be focused only on their perceptions of the world and may be unaware that object continue to exist when unseen.
A child in the “pre-operational stage” is still egocentric and incapable of appreciating simple logic, such as the reversibility of operations.
A preteen in the “concrete operational stage” is beginning to think logically about concrete events but not about abstract concepts.
Although Piaget’s stage theory continues to inform our understanding of children’s thinking, many researchers believe that
Piaget’s “stages” begin earlier and development is more continuous than he realized.
An 8-month-old infant who reacts to a new babysitter by crying and clinging to his father’s shoulder is showing
stranger anxiety
Why was the monkey study with artificial mothers important?
Harlows, mother, cling to cloth
Before these studies, many psychologist believed that infants became attached to those who nourished them.
From the very first weeks of life, infants differ in their characteristic emotional reactions, with some infants being intense and anxious, while others are easygoing and relaxed. These differences are usually explained as differences in
temperament
Adolescence is marked by the onset of
puberty
According to Piaget, a person who can think logically about abstractions is in the —– —— stage.
formal operations
In Erikson’s stages, the primary task during adolescence is
forging an identity.
Some developmental psychologist refer to the period that occurs in some Western cultures from age 18 to the mid-twenties and beyond (up until the time of social independence) as —- ——.
emerging adulthood
Developmental researcher who emphasize learning and experience are supporting —-; those who emphasize biological maturation are supporting ——.
continuity;
stages
By age 65, a person would be most likely to experience a cognitive decline in the ability to
recall and list all the important terms and concepts in a chapter.
Freud defined the healthy adult as one who is able love and work. Erikson agreed, observing that the adult struggles to attain intimacy and —-
generativity
Contrary to what many people assume,
people of all ages report similar levels of happiness.
Although development is lifelong, there is stability of personality overtime. For example,
temperament tends to remain stable throughout life.
What are some of the most significant challenges and rewards of growing old?
Challenges: decline in muscular strength, reaction times, stamina, sensory keenness, cardiac output, and immune system functioning.
Rewards: positive feelings tend to grow, negative emotions are less intense, and anger, stress, worry, and social relationship problems decrease.
