Developmental Psyc Flashcards
Define psychology.
“…the study of mind, behaviour, and the
relationship between them…”
4 key characteristics of psychology.
- Scientific study of behaviour
- Strong theoretical underpinnings
- Strong research basis
- Emphasis on empirical evidence
What are the 4 goals of psychology?
- Describe behaviour
- Explain behaviour
- Predict behaviour
- Change behaviour
What are the 3 interdependent domains of developmental psychology?
- Physical development (including neural dev)
- Cognitive dev (including intellectual dev)
- Social dev (including emotional dev)
What are the typical age range for sensorimotor stage in Piaget’s theory of cognitive development?
Birth to nearly 2 years
What are the typical age range for preoperational stage in Piaget’s theory of cognitive development?
About 2 to 6 years
What are the typical age range for concrete operational stage in Piaget’s theory of cognitive development?
About 7 to 11 years
What are the typical age range for formal operational stage in Piaget’s theory of cognitive development?
About 12 through adulthood
Describe the sensorimotor stage in Piaget’s theory of cognitive development.
Experiencing the world through senses and actions (looking, touching, mouthing).
Schemas: simple reflexes (sucking, grasping), interactions with people and objects
What is the developmental phenomena at the sensorimotor stage in Piaget’s theory?
- Object permanence
- Stranger anxiety
Describe the preoperational stage in Piaget’s theory of cognitive development.
Representing things with words and images but lacking logical reasoning.
Employ mental symbols (symbolic, fantasy play, deferred imitation, drawing)
What is the developmental phenomena at the preoperational stage in Piaget’s theory?
- Pretend play
- Egocentrism
- Language development
Describe the concrete operational stage in Piaget’s theory of cognitive development.
Thinking logically about concrete events; grasping concrete analogies and performing arithmetical operations
What is the developmental phenomena at the concrete operational stage in Piaget’s theory?
- Conservation
- Mathematical transformations
Describe the formal operational stage in Piaget’s theory of cognitive development.
Abstract reasoning, deductive reasoning
What is the developmental phenomena at the formal operational stage in Piaget’s theory?
- abstract logic
- potential for moral reasoning
Examples of newborn primitive reflexes.
- Tonic neck reflex
- Grasp reflex
- Step reflex
- Crawl reflex
What does object permanence mean?
The awareness that things continue to exist even when not perceived
What does egocentrism mean in Piaget’s developmental psyc theory?
- The inability of the preoperational child to take another’s point of view
What does theory of mind mean in psychology? When does it normally develop in human-being?
Capacity to understand other people by ascribing mental states to them.
Usually develops around 4-5 years.
Autism is a condition that is marked by impaired ______________ (an ability in thinking)
Theory of mind
What does conservation mean in Piaget’s developmental psyc theory?
Ability to recognise thata given quantity, weight or volume remains the same despite changes in shape, length, or position
What are the key criticisms of Piaget’s theory?
- Development thought to be more continuous than stage-like
- Abilities were underestimated
- Did not explain cultural differences in abilities
- Neglected the role of emotion
What is an “information processing approach” in dev psyc?
It assumes gradual changes in mental capacity rather than stages
What 2 major areas of cognition does “Information Processing Approach” provides insights of?
Attention and memory
Why is it important to study and understand normal child development?
- Parents/health professionals/educators can understand how to work with someone of a particular developmental stage.
- So we understand when things go wrong with development
- To understand the factors impacting development in order to promote and assist development
What is the optimal time frame for certain experiences called?
Sensitive period.
What is the period called, of an age range which certain experiences MUST occur for development to proceed normally or along a certain path?
Critical period
What is developmental psychology about?
“Science of human development seeks to
understand how and why people- all kinds of people, everywhere- change and remain the same over time”
What does it mean when we say the domains of dev psyc are interdependent?
Changes in one are likely to cause change in others.
What are the 5 developmental big issues?
- Nature and nurture
- Sensitive and critical periods
- Stability and change
- Continuity and discontinuity
- Normative vs non-normative events
What does epigenetics mean?
The study of how your behaviors and environment can cause changes that affect the way your genes work, and it can be pass on to the next generations.
Describe Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory’s view on how relationships between individual and their environment work.
The relationship is bi-directional.
What are the 5 systems of the Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory?
- Microsystem
- Mesosystem
- Exosystem
- Macrosystem
- Chronosystem
What does microsystem refer to in Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory?
Most immediate surroundings (e.g.,
example, family, friends, teachers)
What does mesosystem refer to in Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory?
Relations between microsystems (e.g.,
the connection between home and the workplace)
What does exosystem refer to in Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory?
Social settings that affect the individual
without them playing an active role (e.g., workplace policies)
What does macrosystem refer to in Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory?
Outer level of the ecology (e.g.,
laws, cultural values)
What does chronosystem refer to in Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory?
The changes that occur over time.
The _______________ concept suggests that the brain is set to acquire a function during a limited period of time.
Critical period
_______________ refers to biologically based changes that follow an orderly sequence
Maturation
If key experiences do not occur during a critical period, what can happen?
The function may not develop or may not
be fully developed
Change can refer to the ____________ or the __________ of a behaviour or function.
Acquisition, loss
What does a continuous change mean in dev psyc?
Gradual alteration of behaviour.
What does a discontinuous change mean in dev psyc?
Stages of growth that are qualitatively different, and are usually ordered in a fixed sequence.
Describe quantitative differences in dev psyc.
Individuals going through same stages of dev but in slower pace.
Just pace difference.
Describe qualitative differences in dev psyc.
Develop in different ways at specific dev stages. E.g. individuals with ASD.
What is a sequential study design.
A combination of cross-sectional and longitudinal design. New groups introduced throughout the period of research while old groups are still being studied longitudinally. (reduce cohort effects)
What are the typical physical development of baby from birth to 12 months…what happens at each month?
Piaget believes children thinking changes ______________(qualitatively/quantitatvely) with age as a result of interaction between the brain’s biological maturation and personal experiences.
Qualitatively.
In what 3 ways do Piaget believes how children develop?
1) Building schemas in their brain, by organising patterns of thought and action.
2) Assimilation: a process where new experiences are incorporated into existing schemas
3) Accommodation: process by which new experiences cause existing schemas to change
What does disequilibrium mean in Piaget’s stage model?
The differences between existing schemas and new experiences that forces those schemas to change.
Describe Vygotsky’s theory.
It emphasizes the sociocultural context of
cognitive development. Each child has a zone of proximal development, reflecting the difference between what the child can do independently and what she or he can do with assistance from others.
How do you define temperament.
Individual style and frequency of expressing needs and emotions.
What influences a person’s temperament.
- Biologically and genetically based
- Influenced by parental expectations and interactions
- Cultural differences and influences
Define attachment.
“Enduring and selective emotional bond between two individuals, characterised by mutual affection and desire to maintain proximity”
What is Freud’s view on infant attachment theory?
Emphasised that infants became attached to the person or object which provides oral satisfaction
What is Erikson’s view on infant attachment theory?
First year of life represents the stage of trust versus mistrust- sensitive care and comfort are key to establishing basic trust in infants
What is Bowlby’s view on infant attachment theory?
Infants and parents are biologically predisposed to form attachments - attachment is based on parent responsiveness and interaction between the infant and parent
Describe Lorenz’ imprinting theory about attachment.
It’s a sudden, biologically primed form of attachment that occurs to some bird species, involving a “critical period” where ducklings become attach to their parents when exposed to them shortly after being born.
Is there a critical period or sensitive period for human infant to form secure bond of attachment with their caregivers?
No critical period, but there’s sensitive period (first few years of life). It’s difficult to form strong first attachments to caregivers later in childhood but still possible.
What are the 3 phases of Bowlby’s proposal of attachment to a primary caregiver develops?
1) Indiscriminate attachment behaviour
2) Discriminate attachment behaviour
3) Specific attachment behaviour
Describe indiscriminate attachment behaviour from Bowlby’s theory.
Newborns cry and vocalise toward everyone and these behaviours evoke caregiving from adults.
Describe discriminate attachment behaviour from Bowlby’s theory.
Around 3 months, infants direct their attachment behaviours more toward familiar caregivers than toward strangers.
Describe the “specific” attachment behaviour from Bowlby’s theory.
Around 7 or 8 months, infants develop a meaningful attachment to specific caregivers, who become a secure base from which the infant can explore the environment.
What is the conclusion of Harlow’s experiment on the monkey’s attachment style?
Contact comfort (body contact with comforting object) is more important in fostering attachment than is the provision of nourishment.
Describe Mary Ainsworth’s strange situation.
A standardised procedure for examining infant attachment.
From Mary Ainsworth’s strange situation, what are the classification of attachment styles and the ratio of babies that are categorized in each style?
Avoidant (~25%)
Secure (~60%)
Anxious/ambivalent (~10%)
Disorganised (~<10%)
When does “serve and return” starts?
Infancy
What does “serve and return” do?
Interactions that develop and strengthen neural connections. It informs later communication patterns and social skills.
What are the 4 types of parenting styles?
1) Authoritarian
2) Authoritative
3) Permissive
4) Disengaged
How is authoritarian parenting style like?
- Parents impose rules and expect obedience
- “Don’t interrupt”
- “Why? Because I said so”
How is authoritative parenting style like?
- Parents are both demanding and responsive
- Set rules, but explain reasons
- Encourage discussion
How is permissive parenting style like?
- Submit to children’s desires
- Make few demands
- Use little punishment
How is disengaged parenting style like?
Expect little, invest little.
Why caregiver behaviour is so important?
- Infants develop internal working models of the social world through the ways in which their caregivers interact with them
- The internal working models form the basis of their self-concept and all later social relationships
- Children learn important emotional regulation skills, important for later social and emotional competence
What are other contributing factors that can affect a person’s emotional and social development, apart from their early attachment/interactions with caregivers?
- protective factors (influences that make it less likely that individuals will develop a mental health problem)
- life experiences
- resilience
What are the 8 stages of Erikson’s psychosocial development? (outline the approx age too)
1) Infancy, birth to 1 year: Trust vs mistrust
2) Toddler, 1-3 years: Autonomy vs shame and doubt
3) Pre-schooler, 3-6 years: Initiative vs guilt (Initiative = allowed freedom toexplore)
4) Primary, 6 years to puberty: Industry vs inferiority (Industry = a striving to achieve)
5) Adolescence, teens-20s: Identity vs role confusion
6) Young adult, 20s to early 40s: Intimacy vs isolation
7) Middle adult, 40s-60s: Generativity vs stagnation (Generativity = return something to society through productivity)
8) Late adult, late 60s: Integrity vs despair (Integrity = a sense of completeness and fulfilment)
Describe Erikson’s trust vs mistrust stage.
If needs are dependably met, infants develop a sense of basic trust.
Describe Erikson’s autonomy vs shame and doubt stage
Toddlers learn to exercise will and do things for themselves, or they doubt their abilities
Describe Erikson’s initiative vs guilt stage.
Pre-schoolers learn to initiate
tasks and carry out plans, or they feel guilty about efforts to be independent.
Describe Erikson’s industry vs inferiority stage.
Children learn the pleasure of
applying themselves to tasks, or they feel inferior.
Describe Erikson’s identity vs role confusion stage.
Teenagers work at refining a sense of self by testing roles and then integrating them to form a single identity, or they become confused about who they are.
Describe Erikson’s intimacy vs isolation stage.
Young adults struggle to form close relationships and to gain the capacity for intimate love, or they feel socially isolated.
The ability to open oneself to others and form close relationships without feeling afraid of losing one’s own identity.
Describe Erikson’s generativity vs stagnation stage.
The middle-aged discover a sense of contributing to the world, usually through family and work, or they may feel a lack of purpose.
Describe Erikson’s Integrity vs despair stage.
When reflecting on their life, the older adult may feel a sense of satisfaction or failure.
Describe Erikson’s psychosocial theory
Personality development proceeds through eight major psychosocial stages. Each stage involves a major crisis, and how we resolve it affects our ability to meet the challenges of the next stage.
Erikson believed each of the “conflicts” underlying psychosocial development occur throughout life in different degrees of intensity.
What are critics on Erikson’s model?
Lacks detail and questioning of stage approach.
Object permanence is related to which stage of Piaget’s developmental theory?
Sensorimotor.
