Chapter 9 Human Development

Question 1

Fundamental Issues: Nature vs Nurture

Answer 1

Developmental psychologist investigate the influence of biological, environmental, social, cultural, and behavioral factors on the development at every age and stage of life.

Question 2

Critical period

Answer 2

A period during someone’s development in which a particular skill or characteristic is believed to be most readily acquired.

Question 3

Cross-sectional research

Answer 3

Studies a variable or group of variables among a group of participants at different ages or developmental stages

Question 4

Longitudinal research

Answer 4

Tracks a particular variable or group of variables in the same group of participants over time, sometimes years

Question 5

Sequential research

Answer 5

A cross-sequential design is a research method that combines both a longitudinal design and a cross-sectional design. It aims to correct for some of the problems inherent in the cross-sectional and longitudinal designs

Question 6

Conception/Zygote

Answer 6

When the single sperm enters the egg, conception occurs. The combined sperm and egg is called a zygote

Question 7

Germinal period

Answer 7

Also called the zygotic period represents the first two weeks of prenatal development. By the end of the 2 week germinal period, the single-cell zygote has developed into a cluster of cells called the embryo

Question 8

Embryonic period

Answer 8

Begins at week 3 and extends through week 8. Most susceptible to teratogens. Development of sex organs. The embryo is housed in the amniotic sac. The umbilical cord nourishes the baby and removes waste. The placenta acts as a filter.

Question 9

Fetal period

Answer 9

The main task during the next seven months is for the body systems to grow and reach maturity in the preparation for life outside the mother’s body

Question 10

Teratogen

Answer 10

Harmful agents or substances that can cause abnormal development or birth defects

Question 11

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)

Answer 11

Excessive drinking can cause fetal alcohol syndrome, which is characterized by physical and mental problems. Abnormal facial features, poor coordination, learning disabilities, behavior problems, and intellectual disability.

Question 12

Infant Abilities

Answer 12

At birth, they possess motor reflexes such as the sucking reflex and the grasping reflex. Newborns can also hear, smell, touch, taste, and see, and these sensory abilities develop quickly.

Question 13

Rooting reflex

Answer 13

The infant turns towards the source of touch and opens his mouth

Question 14

Sucking reflex

Answer 14

Touching the newborn’s lips evokes the sucking reflex

Question 15

Babinski reflex

Answer 15

The Babinski reflex occurs after the sole of the foot has been firmly stroked. The big toe then moves upward or toward the top surface of the foot. The other toes fan out.

Question 16

Moro reflex

Answer 16

The Moro reflex is an infantile reflex normally present in all infants/newborns up to 3 or 4 months of age as a response to a sudden loss of support, when the infant feels as if it is falling.

Question 17

Infant Perception

Answer 17

Infants lack perceptual knowledge, which must be gained through experience with the world around them. As infants’ senses mature, they begin to coordinate information obtained through multiple sensory modalities.

Question 18

Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development

Answer 18

Sensorimotor, Preoperational, Concrete Operations, Formal Operations

Question 19

`Sensorimotor

Answer 19

0-2 years old. They develop their senses

Question 20

Preoperational

Answer 20

2-7. Symbolic thought emerges. Language development. Egocentric. Cannot solve conservation problems.

Question 21

Concrete operational

Answer 21

7-11. Reversibility obtained. Can solve conservation problems. Logical thought. Cannot solve hypothetical problems.

Question 22

Formal operational

Answer 22

11-on. Logically solves all problems. Able to think abstractly

Question 23

Object permanence

Answer 23

The understanding that an object continues to exist even when it can no longer be seen

Question 24

Conservation

Answer 24

Two equal physical quantities remain equal even if the appearance of one is changed

Question 25

Hypothetico-deductive reasoning

Answer 25

According to this description scientific inquiry and research proceeds by means by formulating hypotheses that can be either proved or disproved through experimentation and observation.

Question 26

Critique of Piaget’s Theory

Answer 26

1) Piaget underestimated the cognitive abilities of infants and young children.
2) Piaget underestimated the impact of social and cultural environment on cognitive development
3) Piaget overestimated the degree to which people achieve formal operational thought process

Question 27

Les Vygotksy’s sociocultural perspective

Answer 27

Children are able to attain higher levels of cognitive development through the support and instruction that they receive from other people

Question 28

Cooing

Answer 28

At 3 months, infants begin to “coo”. Repeating vowel sounds such as ahhhh or oooo, varying the pitch up or down

Question 29

Babbling

Answer 29

At 9 months, babies begin to babble in their parent’s languange. Babbling seems to be a biologically programmed stage of language development.

Question 30

Features of young children’s speech

Answer 30

Infant-directed speech is characterized by very distinct pronunciation, a simplified vocabulary, short sentences, high pitch, and exaggerated intonation and expression.

Question 31

Social Development

Answer 31

Social Development refers to how people develop social and emotional skills across the lifespan, with particular attention to childhood and adolescence.

Question 32

Erikson’s Theory of Psychosocial Development

Answer 32

There are 8 stages. Each stage is age based and has a Psychosocial conflict which has positive or negative resolutions

Question 33

Attachment

Answer 33

The phenomena of children having an innate desire for to be cared for by a primary caregiver. Which gives them a sense of security which creates a encouraging environment for development.

Question 34

Parenting Styles

Answer 34

Authoritarian, permissive, and authoritative. Dictator, push-over, or compromise

Question 35

Lawrence Kohlberg’s Levels and Stages of Moral Development

Answer 35

Preconventional, Conventional, Postconventional.

Preconventional is guided by external consequence. No internalization of values or rules.

Conventional is guided by conformity to social roles, rules, and expectations that a person has learned or internalized.

Postconventional is guided by a strong sense of universal legal and personal morality

Question 36

Ainsworth’s Strange Situation
/ securely attached
/ avoidantly attached

Answer 36

This is a test where a parent and a child are in a room of toys. In the room is also a stranger. The mother will leave and the behavior of the child dictates how secure the child is to the mother. Ideally, the child should explore, but use the mother as a base. An insecure child will either not explore at all or not care about the stranger. They will also be hard to console when the mother returns. This test seems to have a long lasting effect on the child’s future development