Developmental Psychology Flashcards
Developmental psychology
The study of the changes that occur in people’s abilities and behaviors as they age
Erik Erikson
First to champion the view that development occurs across an entire lifetime
Normative development
The typical sequence of developmental changes for a group of people
Cross-sectional method
Compares groups of people of various ages on similar tasks
Maturationists
Emphasize the role of genetically program growth and development on the body, particularly on the nervous system
Environmentalists
Almost all development is the direct result of learning
Critical period
A time during which a skill or ability must develop
Zygote
Fertilized egg
Germinal stage
The zygote undergoes cell division and implants itself in the uterine wall
Embryonic stage
Organ formation
Fetal stage
Sexual differentiation occurs, movement begins to develop
Rudimentary movements
The first voluntary movement preformed by a child
Fundamental movement
Child is learning to manipulate body through actions such as running, jumping, throwing, or catching
Specialized movement
Children learn how to combine the fundamental movements and apply them to specific tasks
Cognitive development
The development of learning, memory, reasoning, problem-solving, and related skills
Equilibratopm
A child’s attempt to reach a balance between what the child encounters in the environment and what cognitive structures the child begins to the situation
Assimilation
Incorporating new ideas into existing schemas
Accommodation
Modifying the schema to include the new information
Sensorimotor stage (Piaget)
Reflective actions and then circular reaction
Object permanence
The knowledge that objects continue to exist when they are outside the field of view
Preoperational stage (Piaget)
Children begin this stage with the development of language, shift to symbolic thinking
Egocentrism
Seeing the world only from one’s own point of view
Artificialism
Believing that all things are human-made
Animism
Believing that all things are living
Concrete operation stage (Piaget)
Children develop the ability to preform a mental operation and then reverse their thinking back to a starting point; conservation
Formal operation stage (Piaget)
Children are fully capable of understanding abstractions and symbolic relationship
Internalization
The absorption of knowledge into the self from environmental and social contexts
Zone of proximal development
The range between the developed level of ability that a child displays and the potential level of ability of which the child is actually capable
Social development
The ability to interact with others and with the social structures in which we live
Trust vs. mistrust (Erickson)
Infants decide where the world is friendly or hostile, depending on whether or not they can trust that their basic needs will be met
Autonomy vs. shame and doubt (Erickson)
Develop a sense of control over bodily functions as well as over the enviornment
Initiative vs. guilt (Erickson)
Children must take initiative and learn to assert themselves socially, without overstepping their bounds
Industry vs. inferiority (Erickson)
Children must gain a sense of accomplishment and pride in their work
Identity vs. role confusion (Erickson)
Adolescents question what type of percent they are and begin to develop their own values
Intimacy vs. isolation (Erickson)
Stage of adulthood where we attempt to form loving, lasting relationships
Generatively vs. stagnation (Erickson)
Contemplating life and future
Integrity vs. despair (Erickson)
Struggles to come to terms with one’s life, which involves accepting both successes and failures
Temperament
Some childhood behavior is biologically based rather than learned
Authoritarian
Parents have high expectations for their child to comply with rules without debate or explanation
Authoritative
Parents expect complace to rules but explain rules and encourage independence
Permissive
Parents have few expectations and are warm and non-demanding
Preconventional morality (Kohlberg)
Moral judgement; avoiding punishment and receiving rewards; mention a fear of being punished as a reason why rules should not be broken
Conventional morality (Kohlberg)
Internalizing society’s rules and morals; the “right” thing to do
Postconventional morality (Kohlberg)
Belief in individual rights and contracts (stage 5); belief in universal principles of justice (stage 6)
Gender typing
The acquisition of sex-related roles
