Developmental Principles and Theories Flashcards
Continuous
gradual, smooth changes across the lifespan
DIscontinuous
new ways of understanding and responding to the world emerge at different times; stages occur in stages; discrete, sudden changes
Nature
developmental changes is caused by genetics, maturational processes, and evolution
Nurture
individuals are molded by the physical and social environment in which they are raised, including the home, school, workplace, neighborhood, and society
Biological Approach
focus on genetic, hormonal, and neuro-chemical explanation of behavior
Psychoanalysis
innate drives of sex and aggression; social upbringing during childhood
Cognitive Psychology
innate mental structures such as schemas, perception and memory and constantly changed by the environment
Humanism
Maslow emphasized basic physical needs; society influences a person’s self concept
Behaviorism
all behavior is learned from the environment through conditioning
Multidimensional
intricate blend of biological, psychsocial, and social factors
Multidirectional
consists of gains/losses and growth/decline
Plastic
changable based on our environment
Influenced by Multiple Contexts
age-graded, history-graded, nonnormative
Theory
an orderly, integrated set of statements that describes, explains, and predicts behavior
Psychoanalytic Theory
development is shaped through a series of stages in which people confront conflicts between biological drives and social expectations
Freud’s Psychosexual Theory
behavior is driven by unconscious impulses that are outside our awareness
Psychosexual Stages
how parents manage child’s sexual drives influences development
ID
basic impulses; seeking immediate gratification; irrational and impulsive; operates at unconscious level
Ego
executive mediating between id impulses and superego inhibitions; testing reality; rational; operates mainly at conscious level but also at preconscious level
Superego
ideals and morals; striving for perfection; incorporated from parents; becoming a person’s conscience; operates mostly at preconscious level
Oral
Age: 0-18 months
Description: learns about the world through oral interactions
Important events: feeding
Failure to achieve: behaviors centered around mouth (nail biting, overeating)
Anal
Age: 18 months-3 years
Description: basic drives oriented towards anus
Important events: toilet training
Phallic
Age: 3-6 years
Description: romantic desire for opposite-sex parent and hostility/fear of same-sex parent
Important events: interaction with same-sex parent to adopt his/her behaviors & roles
Failure to achieve: deviancy, sexual dysfunction
Latency
Age: 6-12 years
Description: time of calm between stages when child develops skills; no sexual interests
Important events: school, sports, friendshipd
Failure to achieve: not a stage exactly
Genital
Age: 12+ years
Description: basic drives become oriented towards genitals with physical changes of puberty
Important events: sexual interests; sexual satisfaction in relationships
Failure to achieve: frigidity, impotence
Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory
in each stage of development, people experience a basic psychosocial conflict that affects development
Infancy
Age: Birth-1 year
Conflict: Trust vs. Mistrust
Description: infants learn to trust that others will fulfill their basic needs or to lack confidence that their needs will be met
Toddler
Age: 1-3 years
Conflict: Autonomy vs. Shame
Description: toddlers learn to be self-sufficient and independent through toilet training, feeding, walking, talking; or lack confidence in their own abilities
Preschool
Age: 3-6 years
Conflict: Initiative vs. Guilt
Description: young children become inquisitive, ambitious, and eager for responsibility or experience guilt for their curiosity
School Age
Age: 6-11 years
Conflict: Industry vs. Inferiority
Description: children learn to work hard, be productive, and develop competence at school, home, and with friendships, or experience difficulty, leading to feelings of adequency
Adolescence
Age: 12-18 years
Conflict: Identify vs. Role confusion
Description: adolescents search for a sense of self by experimenting with roles; they look to answer “who am I?” in terms of career and personal goals, or remain confused about who they are
Young Adulthood
Age: 19-40 years
Conflict: Intimacy vs. Isolation
Description: young adults seem close relationships with others or experience isolation through difficulty developing relationships or self-absorption
Middle Adulthood
Age: 40-65 years
Conflict: Generativity vs. Stagnation
Description: work and parenthood are important in this stage; adults need to create or nurture things that will outlast them; success leads to feelings of accomplishments and failure results in feelings of lack of involvement in the world
Late Adulthood
Age: 65+ years
Conflict: Integrity vs. Despair
Description: older adults look back on life to make sense of it, accept mistakes, and view life as meaningful and productive, or feel despair over goals never reached
Behaviorism
the study of behavior that can be observed due to environment
Classical Conditioning
how a person learns through association; the dog salivates in response to food, the dog does not salivate in response to the whistle, during conditioning, the food and whistle are presented at the same time, after conditioning, the dog associates the whistle with food being served and salivates
Operant Conditioning
changing a person’s behavior with reward and punishment; if you want the mouse to push the level, reward with food to increase behavior, if you don’t want the mouse to push the level, punish by shocking with the lever to decrease behavior
Social Learning Theory (Albert Bandura)
how society, behavior, and personality affect the person; people actively process information by thinking and feeling emotion, and their thoughts and feelings influence their behavior
Bobo Doll
how individuals learn observationally; child witnesses parent get frustrated (kicks/punches bobo doll), parent leaves the room, child starts hitting the doll when upset
Observational Learning/Modeling
people learn by watching others
Reciprocal Determinism
individuals and the environment interact and influence each other
Piaget’s Cognitive-Developmental Theory
explains how a child constructs a mental model of the world
Cognitive Development
a process which occurs due to biological maturation and interaction with the environment
Three Basic Components to Piaget’s Theory
schemas, adaptation, assimilation
Schemas
children organize their knowledge into schemas that are used to understand and respond to situations and their environment
Adaptation
enable the transition from one stage to another; building upon previous knowledge
Assimilation
applying new knowledge/information into existing schemas
Sensorimotor
Age: birth-2 years
Description: infants understand the word and think using only their senses and motor skills
Pre-Operations
Age: 2-6 years
Description: children do not yet understand concrete logic and cannot see things from different points of view; preschoolers are able to explore the world using their own thoughts as guides
Concrete Operations
Age: 7-11 years
Description: thought processes become more mature and start solving problems in more logical fashion; abstract, hypothetical thinking is not yet developed so can only solve problems that apply to concrete objects or events
Formal Operations
Age: 12+ years
Description: person is capable of hypothetical and deductive reasoning and can think about abstract concepts
Cognitive Theory: Information Processing Theory
based on the idea that humans process information they receive, rather than just responding to stimuli
Humanistic Theory
people are intrinsically good and have a natural (innate) drive to be better
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Basic Needs:
- physiological needs: food, water, warmth, rest
- safety needs: security and safety
Psychological Needs:
- belongingness and love needs: intimate relationships, friends
- esteem needs: prestige and feeling of accomplishment
Self-Fulfillment Needs:
- self-actualization: achieving one’s full potential, including creative activities
Sociocultural Systems Theories
emphasizes the role of sociocultural context in development
Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory
focuses on how culture is transmitted generationally
Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological Systems Theory
development is a result of the ongoing interaction among biological, cognitive, and psychological changes within the person and his/her changing context
Four Ecological Systems
microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem
Microsystem
immediate surroundings and relationships
Mesosystem
interaction between aspects of microsystem
Exosystem
indirect environment
Macrosystem
social and cultural values
