Development Flashcards
what is developmental psychology?
the study of continuity and change across the life span
what is the germinal stage of prenatal development?
the 2-week period that begins at conception
What is the embryonic stage of development?
a period that starts at about the 2nd week after conception, and lasts until about the 8th week
What is myelination during development?
the formation of a fatty sheath around the axons of a neuron
what is a teratogen?
any substance that passes from mother to unborn child and impairs development
what is motor development in infants?
the emergence of the ability to execute physical actions
ex: reaching, grasping, crawling, and walking
What are motor reflexes in infants?
motor responses are triggered by specific patterns of sensory stimulation
ex: rooting reflex, sucking reflex
What is the cephalocaudal rule?
describes the tendency for motor skills to emerge in sequence from the head to the feet
ex: infants gain control over heads first, and legs last
What is the proximodistal rule?
describes the tendency for motor skills to emerge in sequence from the center to the periphery
ex: infants learn to control their trunks before elbows, knees
what are the four stages of cognitive development?
- sensorimotor stage
- preoperational stage
- concrete operational stage
- formal operational stage
What is the sensorimotor stage of cognitive development?
a stage of cognitive development that begins at birth and lasts thru infancy, during which infants acquire info about the world by sensing it and moving around within it
What is the preoperational stage of cognitive development?
child acquires motor skills but does not understand conservation of physical properties; child begins stage by thinking egocentrically but ends with a basic understanding of other minds
What is the concrete operational stage of development?
child can think logically abt physical objects and events, and understands conservation of physical properties
What is the formal operational stage of development?
child can think logically abt abstract propositions and hypotheticals
What are schemas?
theories abt the way the world works
*infants apply their schemas in novel situations thru assimilation
*infants revise schemas in light of new info thru accommodation
what is the theory of mind?
the understanding that the mind produces representations of the world and that these representations guide behavior
what is the internal working model
a set of beliefs about the way relationships work *Attachment styles
