Development Flashcards
Developmental Psychology
Study of continuity and change across the life span of
3 prenatal stages
Germinal Stage (2-week period) Embryonic Stage (2nd - 8th week) Fetal Stage: (9th week to birth)
Womb
Environment that affects unborn baby
Placenta
Organ that links bloodstream from mother to unborn baby - exchanges materials (food, nutrients, water, drugs, alcohol, etc.)
Teratogens
Drugs and viruses that get passed on from mother that impairs the process of development
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)
Developmental disorder that stems from heavy alcohol during pregnancy
Infancy
Stage of development between 18-24 months
Newborn Developments
- Can only see things 8-12 inches away
- Can see specific shapes
- Can mimic facial expressions
Motor development
Emergence of ability to execute physical action
Motor reflexes
Specific patterns of movement that are triggered by specific patterns of sensory stimulation
Cephalocaudal Rule
“Top-to-bottom” : Moves head first and then works towards feet
Proximodistal Rule
“Inside-to-outside” : Moves arms and legs first then hands/fingers and toes
Cognitive Development
The ability to think and understand
Jean Piaget (1896-1980)
- Believes there are 4 stages of cognitive development in infancy
1st Stage of Infancy: Sensorimotor (birth-2 years)
Acquiring information by sensing it and moving around
Schemas
Theories and models of how the world works
Assimilation
When infants apply schemas into real life situations
Accommodation
When infants revise their schemas when gained new information
Object Permanence
Idea that objects continue to exist even when they’re not visible
2nd Stage of Infancy: Preoperational Stage (2-6 years)
Children have a preliminary understanding of the physical world
3rd Stage of Infancy: Concrete Operational Stage (6-11 years)
Children learn how various actions or operations can affect or transform concrete objects
4th Stage of Infancy: Formal Operational Stage (11 years +)
Children can solve nonphysical problems: abstract thinking
Egocentrism
Failure to understand that the world appears different to different observers (happens in Preoperational stage).
False-belief task
Young children fail to realize that other people don’t see or know what they know
Desires and Emotions
Children have difficulty understanding different emotions and reactions of others, until about 6 years of age
Theory of Mind
Understanding the mind produces representations of the world and that these representations guide behavior (playing pretend)
Criticisms of Piaget’s theory:
Children don’t go from one stage to another, there are overlaps of the stages
Lev Vygotsky
Believes children develop through interactions with members of their own culture
Joint Attention:
Ability to focus on what another person is focused on
Social Referencing:
Ability to use another person’s reactions as information about how to think about the world
Imitation:
Ability to do what another person does
Harry Harlow (1905-1981)
Conducted attachment experiments with baby rhesus monkeys
- Developed behavioral abnormalities
- Incapable of communicating/learning
- Incapable of normal sexual behavior
Konrad Lorenz
Discovered the concept of imprinting
John Bowlby
Argues that infants form an attachment to their primary caregivers
Attachment:
The emotional bond that forms between newborns and their primary caregivers
4 Attachment styles:
Secure, Avoidant, Ambivalent, Disorganized
Secure Attachment:
Infant not distressed when caregiver leaves; acknowledges her return (60%)
Avoidant Attachment:
Infant not distressed when caregiver leaves; does not acknowledge her return (20%)
Ambivalent Attachment:
Infant distressed when caregiver leaves; difficult to calm when she returns (15%)
Disorganized Attachment:
No consistent response patters (5%)
Temperament:
Biologically based pattern of attentional and emotional reactivity
Mother’s sensitivity and responsiveness matter
Easy babies: 40%
Difficult babies: 10%
Slow-to-warm-up babies: 15%
Internal Working Model of relationships
A set of beliefs about self, primary caregiver, and relationship between them
Effects of Attachment Styles:
- Infants develop beliefs about how relationships work
- Securely attached children do better than insecurely attached children
Piaget’s Moral Reasoning Conclusions:
Children’s thinking shifts from:
- Realism to relativism
- Prescriptions to principles
- Outcomes to intentions
Lawrence Kohlberg (1927-1987)
Developed a theory of 3 stages in moral development
3 Stages of moral development
- Preconventional Stage (childhood)
- Conventional stage (adolescence)
- Postconventional stage (adults)
Adolescence:
Period of development that begins with sexual maturity (11-14 years old) and lasts until the beginning of adulthood (18-21 years old) – Puberty
About 60% of preindustrial societies don’t have a word for adolescence
Erik Erikson (1902-1994)
Developed stages of human development that all humans go through (ex: identity vs. role)
Adulthood:
Stage of development that begins around 18-21 years - ends at death
Changes that take place in adulthood:
- Physical
- Cognitive
- Emotional
4 Types of Parenting Styles
- Authoritarian
- Authoritative
- Indulgent
- Neglectful
Authoritarian
Set the rules and expect them to be followed. (Strict-Strict Parents)
Authoritative
Realistic parents who explain why things are the way they are, and why they may not be able to do something
Indulgent
Make few rules or demands. Allow children to make own decisions and control own behavior (passive parents that lt children do anything)
Neglectful
Unconcerned and uninvolved
High self esteem is associated with what parenting styles?
Authoritative
Kow self esteem is associated with what parenting styles?
Indulgent and Neglectful
Physical focus
Where energy is concentrated and gratification is obtained
Psychological theme
Related to the physical focus and the demands from the outside world
Freud’s definition of Adult Character Type
Being fixated on something and not being able to solve something psychological that becomes troublesome throughout life
Frued’s 5 Stages of Psychosexual Development
- Oral
- Anal
- Phallic
- Latency
- Genital
Oral Stage
Timing: birth - 18 months
Physical Focus: Mouth, lips, and tongue
Psychological theme: Dependency and passivity
2 ways to go wrong: Needs are not fulfilled, needs are fulfilled instantly and automatically
Adult character type: super independent; not passive
Anal Stage
Timing: 18 months - 3 years
Physical focus: Anus & Organs
Psychological theme: Self-control and obedience
- Development of ego
2 Ways to go wrong: Unreasonable expectations, never demanding control of urges
Adult character type: overcontrolled vs underecontrolled
Phallic Stage
Timing: 3.5 - 7 years
Physical focus: Sexual organs
Basic task: coming to terms with physical sex differences and their implications
- Oedipal crisis: Falling in love with opposite-sex parent
Psychological themes: Gender/sexuality identity, love, fear, jealousy
- Development of morality, conscience, and the superego
Adult character type: rigid moral code vs. lack of moral code; asexual vs. promiscuous
Latency
Timing: 7 years - Puberty
- A break from development
- Concentrate on learning the tasks of childhood
Genital Stage
Timing: Puberty + (not passed through, but attained)
Physical focus: Genitals, sexuality in the context of a mature relationship
- Focus on creation and enhancement of life
Psychological theme: Maturity
Achievement: psychologically well adjusted and balanced
–> Mental Health: the ability to love and work
Psychic Engergy Moving Through Stages
Analogy: Army conquering hostile territory
- Battles occur when there is opposition
- Troops are left at battle sights: there’s still conflict from a previous stage
- Retreat to previous stronghold: Going back to a previous stage
- Victory is reaching the genital stage with most army (energy) intact
Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development
Many conflicts are conscious and arise at various stages of life
- Basic conflicts arise at various stages of life
Psychosocial Development: Stage 1
Basic trust vs. mistrust
- Learn whether needs will be met, ignored, or overindulged
- Development: Hope & Confidence
Psychosocial Development: Stage 2
Autonomy vs. Shame & Doubt
- Figuring out who is in charge
Psychosocial Development: Stage 3
Initiative vs. Guilt
- Anticipating and fantasizing about life as an adult
- Develop a sense of right and wrong
Psychosocial Development: Stage 4
Industry vs. Inferiority
- Develop skills & abilities to succeed in the world of work and contribute to society
- Must begin to control imagination and unfocused energy
Psychosocial Development: Stage 5
Identity vs. Identity Confusion
- Figure out who i am and what’s important
- Choose consistent, meaningful, and useful values and goals
Psychosocial Development: Stage 6
Intimacy vs. Isolation
- Find an intimate life partner
Psychosocial Development: Stage 7
Generativity vs. Stagnation
- Turn concerns to the next generation or become passive
Psychosocial Development: Stage 8
Integrity vs. Despair
- Brought on by the prospect of death
- Based on feelings about one’s life
Psychosocial Development Overall
Major contributions:
- Psychological development is based on development at different phases of life
- Consistent with current theories that personality development is ongoing through life
Adulthood
Stage of development from 18 - 21 years, ends at death
Changes in Adulthood
- Physical
- Cognitive
- Emotional
