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Psychology M2 > Developmental > Flashcards

Developmental Flashcards

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1
Q

What is developmental psychology?

A

The study of how processes change over the lifespan

Developmental psychology looks at changes that occur from conception to death

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2
Q

What are the key stages of development in developmental psychology?

A
  • Prenatal: Conception to birth
  • Infancy: Birth to 2 years
  • Childhood: 2 to ~11 years
  • Adolescence: ~11 to ~18-20 years
  • Adulthood: ~18-20+ years
  • Late adulthood: 65+ years

These stages are based on Schacter et al. (2019) and Singh & Bajorek (2014)

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3
Q

What types of change does developmental psychology study?

A
  • Positive change
  • Negative change
  • Age-related decline

Changes can occur in various domains, including physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development.

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4
Q

What is the focus of Piaget’s Stage Theory of Cognitive Development?

A

Development divided into a series of distinct stages characterized by different ways of thinking

Each stage represents a qualitative shift in thinking and reasoning.

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5
Q

What are ‘schemas’ according to Piaget?

A

Units of understanding that help individuals make sense of the world

Schemas can be adapted through assimilation and accommodation.

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6
Q

What are the strengths of Piaget’s Stage Theory?

A
  • Measurable characteristics
  • Active role of individuals
  • Shared characteristics
  • Replicable observations
  • Inspired ongoing research

Piaget’s work provided a new way of thinking about development.

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7
Q

What are the weaknesses of Piaget’s Stage Theory?

A
  • Unsupported stage structure
  • Limited methods
  • Underestimates innate skills
  • Limited explanation of differences
  • Emphasis on inability

Critics argue that Piaget’s theory does not fully account for social and environmental influences.

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8
Q

What is the main idea behind Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory?

A

Emphasizes the importance of culture and social interaction in cognitive development

Development occurs through interactions between people.

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9
Q

What is the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)?

A

The gap between what a child can do independently and what they can achieve with help

ZPD highlights the importance of scaffolding in learning.

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10
Q

What is the main premise of Operant Conditioning Theory?

A

Learning through reward and punishment, associating behaviors with consequences

Developed by B.F. Skinner, it emphasizes the role of reinforcement.

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11
Q

What are the strengths of Operant Conditioning Theory?

A
  • Recognizes environmental influence
  • Backed by scientific evidence
  • Highly testable
  • Facilitates positive behavior change
  • Universal learning principles

Skinner’s work laid a foundation for understanding learning through consequences.

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12
Q

What are the weaknesses of Operant Conditioning Theory?

A
  • Reductionist
  • Ignores innate ability
  • Over-emphasis on environment
  • Deterministic
  • Poor account of some development

Critics argue that it does not consider cognitive processes.

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13
Q

What is the focus of Bandura’s Social Learning Theory?

A

The importance of vicarious learning through observation and imitation

Bandura’s Bobo Doll Experiment demonstrated how children learn aggressive behaviors.

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14
Q

What are the key cognitive processes in Social Learning Theory?

A
  • Attention
  • Encoding
  • Storage
  • Retrieval

These processes are essential for understanding how learning occurs through observation.

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15
Q

What are the strengths of Bandura’s Social Learning Theory?

A
  • Reinforces learning principles
  • Highly testable
  • Explains rapid acquisition of new behaviors
  • Considers person, behavior, and environment

It carries social implications, such as the transmission of phobias.

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16
Q

What is Ecological Systems Theory?

A

Development is influenced by a complex interplay of multiple systems

Developed by Urie Bronfenbrenner, it emphasizes the broader context of development.

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17
Q

What are the five environmental systems in Ecological Systems Theory?

A
  • Microsystem
  • Mesosystem
  • Exosystem
  • Macrosystem
  • Chronosystem

These systems interact to influence individual development.

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18
Q

What is the concept of ‘developmental niche’ in Ecological Systems Theory?

A

Focuses on cultural context involving physical and social settings, child-rearing practices, and caregiver psychology

This concept extends Bronfenbrenner’s model by emphasizing cultural influences.

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19
Q

True or False: Developmental psychology only studies childhood.

A

False

It looks at changes from conception to death.

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20
Q

What is developmental psychology?

A

The study of changes in psychological processes across the lifespan.

Developmental psychology focuses on how individuals develop cognitively, emotionally, and socially over time.

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21
Q

Why is research necessary in developmental psychology?

A

To test hypotheses and develop robust theories.

Testing theories is crucial for verifying their validity and applicability.

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22
Q

What are the challenges of collecting data from children?

A

Language/cognitive capacity, attention and compliance, ethical considerations.

These challenges include ensuring children understand tasks, can focus, and that researchers adhere to ethical standards.

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23
Q

What is a case study in developmental psychology?

A

An in-depth analysis of an individual or group, often exceptional.

Case studies can provide rich qualitative and quantitative data but lack generalizability.

24
Q

What are the pros of case studies?

A
  • Allows study of unethical topics
  • Tests existing theories in exceptional cases

Case studies can provide insights that traditional experimental methods cannot.

25
Q

What are the cons of case studies?

A
  • No generalizability
  • Lack of control
  • Subjective interpretations

The findings from case studies may not apply broadly due to the unique nature of the subjects.

26
Q

What is a cross-sectional study?

A

Measurements taken at a single point in time comparing different groups.

Cross-sectional studies allow researchers to examine age differences but do not track changes over time.

27
Q

What are longitudinal studies?

A

Studies that follow individuals over time.

Longitudinal studies are valuable for observing developmental changes but face challenges such as cost and participant drop-out.

28
Q

What are twin studies used for?

A

To understand the role of genetics in development.

They compare monozygotic (identical) and dizygotic (non-identical) twins to assess genetic influence.

29
Q

What is the primary problem with twin studies?

A

Shared environment complicates the interpretation of genetic influences.

Adoption studies help disentangle genetic and environmental factors.

30
Q

What are experiments in developmental psychology?

A

Controlled manipulation of variables to study effects on development.

Experimental methods can provide strong evidence for causal relationships.

31
Q

How can researchers study infants or non-verbal children?

A

Through methods like non-nutritive sucking and preferential looking.

These methods assess infants’ preferences and cognitive responses without verbal communication.

32
Q

What is the purpose of eye tracking in developmental research?

A

To track where a person is looking, indicating attention and interest.

Eye tracking can reveal cognitive processes in infants based on their visual preferences.

33
Q

What is structural MRI used for?

A

To produce high-resolution images of the brain.

Structural MRI provides detailed anatomical information about brain structures.

34
Q

What does functional MRI (fMRI) measure?

A

Changes in blood flow in the brain.

fMRI is particularly useful for understanding brain activity and function during tasks.

35
Q

What is an EEG?

A

A method involving electrodes placed on the head to record electrical activity of neurons.

EEG is valuable for studying brain activity in real time, especially in infants.

36
Q

What are the pros of using questionnaires in research?

A
  • Inexpensive
  • Standardized
  • Easy to gather large datasets

Questionnaires can efficiently collect data from many participants.

37
Q

What are the cons of using questionnaires?

A
  • Lack depth
  • Relies on self-report quality
  • Difficult to design well

Poorly designed questionnaires can lead to inaccurate or superficial data.

38
Q

What must be considered when designing questionnaires for children?

A
  • Questions must be relevant and appropriate
  • Design should be clear and visually appealing
  • The process must be fun and meaningful

Ensuring that children understand and engage with the questionnaire is crucial for reliable responses.

39
Q

What does ‘prenatal’ mean?

A

Pre (‘before’) + Natal (‘birth’)

Refers to the period of time between conception and birth, typically lasting about 9 months.

40
Q

What are the three sub-stages of prenatal development?

A
  • Germinal stage
  • Embryonic stage
  • Foetal stage

These stages encompass the development from conception to birth.

41
Q

What occurs during the germinal stage of prenatal development?

A

Weeks 0-2: Formation of zygote, which contains 23 pairs of chromosomes

The zygote differentiates to become a blastocyst, which then implants into the uterus.

42
Q

What key process occurs during the embryonic stage?

A

Weeks 3 to 7/8: Differentiation into 350 cell types

Ectoderm, endoderm, and mesoderm cells form different bodily components.

43
Q

What is the role of Hox genes in prenatal development?

A

Provide a ‘body plan’ that ‘tells’ different parts of the body where to be

Essential for the proper spatial organization of body structures.

44
Q

What major developments occur during the foetal stage?

A

Weeks 8/9 to 38/40: Major development of the nervous system and distinctively human characteristics

By 16 weeks, the foetus is about 15-17 cm but cannot survive outside the womb until 24 weeks.

45
Q

What are teratogens?

A

Agents/factors causing malformation of embryo/foetus

Includes legal and illegal drugs, diseases, and environmental impacts.

46
Q

What are the key factors linked to teratogenic effects?

A
  • Timing of exposure
  • Dose/duration of exposure
  • Age
  • Exposure to other teratogens
  • Individual differences in susceptibility

These factors can significantly affect prenatal development.

47
Q

What is Congenital Rubella Syndrome?

A

Disease caused by a virus known as togavirus, especially dangerous if contracted in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy

Symptoms include sensorineural deafness, eye abnormalities, and congenital heart disease.

48
Q

What are the symptoms of Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)?

A
  • Smaller head size
  • Poor growth
  • Smaller facial features
  • Movement/coordination issues
  • Learning difficulties
  • Mood/attention/behavioural issues
  • Weaker organs or immune system

FAS is related to alcohol consumption during pregnancy, with higher risk during the first trimester.

49
Q

What is the significance of maternal stress during pregnancy?

A

Increased risk of preterm birth, low birth weight, and cognitive effects

Stress can have lasting impacts on both mother and child’s health.

50
Q

What historical event is linked to low birth weight in prenatal development?

A

The Dutch Hunger (1944)

This event highlighted the impact of maternal nutrition on fetal development.

51
Q

What is the impact of air pollution on prenatal development as per Bové et al. (2019)?

A

Air pollution passes through the placenta, impacting foetal development

Linked to low birth weight and preterm birth.

52
Q

What qualifies as preterm birth?

A

Birth before 37 weeks gestation

More than 1 in 10 babies are born premature, facing various complications.

53
Q

What are some short-term challenges faced by preterm babies?

A
  • Staying warm
  • Breathing
  • Infections
  • Bleeding on the brain
  • Visual impairment

Preterm birth can lead to significant health issues immediately after birth.

54
Q

What are some long-term challenges faced by preterm babies?

A
  • Behavioural and psychomotor issues
  • Emotional and attention issues
  • Low IQ

These challenges can persist into childhood and beyond.

55
Q

True or False: Preterm birth is the leading cause of death in children under 5 globally.

A

True

Approximately 1 million children die annually due to complications associated with preterm birth.

Psychology M2 (4 decks)

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