Chapter 4 Flashcards
What is development?
The age-related physical, intellectual, social, and personal changes that occur throughout an individual’s lifetime
What is plasticity in the context of human development?
The considerable amount of flexibility built into the developmental process that can be utilized to adapt to new and changing environments
What are the three phases of prenatal development?
- Germinal
- Embryonic
- Fetal
Define the germinal period.
From conception to implantation of the zygote in the wall of the uterus
What occurs during the embryonic period?
Formation of limbs and major organs; sexual differentiation begins
What is the fetal period?
From week 9 until birth, characterized by extremely rapid growth and development of bones and muscles
What are teratogens?
Hazardous environmental influences that can potentially negatively impact prenatal development
What is the average weight and length of a newborn?
Around 7 pounds and roughly 20 inches in length
What is the significance of reflexes in infants?
Reflexes are important for survival needs and disappear within the first 2-12 months
What is motor behavior?
Bodily motions that occur as a result of self-initiated force
What characterizes adolescence?
Transitional period between childhood and adulthood; dramatic changes in body, brain, and social life
What is menopause?
Period during which a woman’s menstrual cycle slows down and finally stops, typically around age 50
What is the focus of studying intellectual development in infants?
Utilizing preference, habituation, and using rewards to understand cognitive processing
Who developed the concept of schemata?
Jean Piaget
What are the four stages of Piaget’s theory of development?
- Sensorimotor period
- Preoperational period
- Concrete operational period
- Formal operational period
What is the sensorimotor period?
Birth to 2 years; schemata revolve around sensory and motor abilities
Define egocentrism in the preoperational period.
The inability to see the world from perspectives other than their own
What is the concrete operational period?
7 to 11 years; ability to perform mental operations but lack abstract reasoning
What characterizes the formal operational period?
Thought processes become adultlike, enabling abstract thinking and hypothetical reasoning
What is the zone of proximal development?
The gap between what a child can do independently and what they can achieve with help
What are the three levels of Kohlberg’s moral reasoning?
- Preconventional Level
- Conventional Level
- Postconventional Level
What is the preconventional level of moral reasoning?
Decisions about right and wrong are made primarily in terms of external consequences
What is the conventional level of moral reasoning?
Actions are judged to be right or wrong based on whether they maintain or disrupt social order
What is the postconventional level of moral reasoning?
Moral actions are judged based on a personal code of ethics that may not align with societal norms
