Developmental Psychology Flashcards
The scientific study of the changes that occur in people as they age including physical, cognitive, and social development.
Developmental Psychology
The type of study in which people of different ages are examined at the same time.
Cross-sectional study
This study follows the same group of people over a period of time from months to many years in order to evaluate changes in those individuals.
Longitudinal Study
Individuals in a cross-sectional sample are tested more than once over a specified period of time.
Cross sequential study
Developmental psychologist, contended that each stage of life has its own psychological task, a crisis that needs a resolution, to become a successful person.
Erik Erikson
The first stage of social development. The child wants to know if they can trust the people around them.
Trust vs. Mistrust
The second stage of social development. Toddlers want to do things for themselves without the aid of others.
Autonomy vs. Shame/Doubt
The third stage of social development. At the preschool stage children are capable of initiating activities and asserting control over their own world through social interactions and play. Kids want to know if they’re good or bad.
Initiative vs. Guilt
The fourth stage of social development. Children begin to compare themselves to their peers, develop a sense of pride and accomplishment or feeling of inferiority/inadequacy.
Industry vs. Inferiority
The fifth stage of social development. An adolescent’s main task is developing a sense of self. Teenagers want to know “Who am I?”
*Identity vs. Role Confusion
The sixth stage of social development. Adults develop and maintain successful relationships with others. Adults want to know “Will I be loved or will I be alone?”
Intimacy vs. Isolation
The seventh stage of social development. Middle-aged adults begin contributing to the next generation/society or little connection to others. Adults want to know “How can I contribute to the world?”
Generativity vs. Stagnation
The eight/last stage of social development. People in late adulthood reflect on their lives and feel either a sense of satisfaction or a sense of failure. Those in late adulthood want to know “Did I live a meaningful life?”
Ego Integrity vs. Despair
Begins with conception and ends at birth. A full-term pregnancy is typically 38 weeks (about 9 months.)
Prenatal Development
The stage of development that occurs from conception until 2 weeks.
Germinal Period “Finding a Place to Live”
Specialized organ, sustains the life of the embryo by transferring oxygen and nutrients, removing waste products, and after the initial months of gestation, secreting hormones that sustain pregnancy.
Placenta
The development period from implantation to 8 weeks pregnancy, which the major organ and structures of the organism develop.
Embryonic Period “Organizing Space”
The development time period from 9 weeks after conception until the birth of the child.
Fetal Period “Finishing Touches”
Times during which certain environmental influences can have an impact on the development of the infant.
Critical Periods
Can result from a malfunctioning gene or an environmental stimulus (not hereditary.)
Birth Defects
Any non-genetic agent that produces birth defects at exposures that commonly occur.
*Teratogen
Includes physical, cognitive, and psychological abnormalities that result from consuming _____ during pregnancy.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)
Illegal Drugs:Babies can be born addicted, born prematurely, have low birth weight, and experience other physical defects.
Illegal Drugs during pregnancy
These babies are born preferring sights and sounds that facilitate social responsiveness.
Neonates (The Competent Newborn)
Infants have a set of innate (existing from birth) unlearned behavior patterns to help the infants survive. Grasping, rooting, sucking, moro ____, stepping, babinski ____.
Reflex
Biological growth processes that enable orderly changes in behavior, relatively uninfluenced by experience.
Maturation
The normal timeline of mental and physical growth changes that occur as the entity ages.
Developmental Norms
Infant’s muscles and nervous system mature, skills emerge.
-Raising head and chest (2 to 4
months)
-Rolling over (2 to 5 months)
-Sitting up with support (4 to 6
months)
-Sitting up without support (6 to
7 months)
-Crawling (7 to 8 months)
-Walking (8 to 18 months)
Six Motor Milestones
At birth, most brain cells are present. After birth, neural networks multiply resulting in increased in physical mental abilities. Period of rapid neural growth.
Blooming
The difficulty or inability that adults have in remembering detailed or episodic memories (memories in which time, events, and place can be identified) from early childhood, generally prior to age 3 to 4.
Infantile Amnesia
Developmental situation in which infants become anxious and fearful around strangers, beginning by about 8 months of age.
Stranger Anxiety
The emotional bond between an infant and the primary caregiver, shown in young children by their seeking closeness to the caregiver and showing distress on separation.
Attachment bond
Psychologist that believed children are biologically predisposed to develop attachments to caregivers as a result of genetics.
John Bowlby
An evolutionary based theory that suggests that infants are biologically predisposed to form attachments with primary caregivers in early life as a means to increase their likelihood of survival.
Attachment Theory
Theorized that if attachment was important in human survival it may be important in other species.
Konrad Lorenz, critical period
The process by which certain animals form attachments during a critical period very early in life.
Imprinting
A long period in which children form attachments.
Sensitive Period
Psychologist, conducted studies of attachment and the importance of contact comfort using infant Rheus monkeys in the 1950s.
*Harry Harlow
Physical closeness with a caregiver. Contact and touch are vital to attachment, learning, emotional well-being, and psychological development.
Contact Comfort
Psychologist that found that attachment happens through a complex set of interactions between mothers and infants.
Mary Ainsworth
When the mother leaves the baby is upset and refuses to be comforted by a stranger. When the mother returns the baby makes an effort to touch the caregiver and returns to playing. The mothers are sensitive and responsive.
Secure Attachment
When the caregiver leaves the baby is indifferent. When she returns the baby is indifferent, they may seek contact but then pull away. The mothers are insensitive and unresponsive.
Avoidant (Insecure) Attachment
When the caregiver leaves the baby is very distressed. When the mom returns the baby is ambivalent and resentful of the caregiver. The mothers are engaged in their own activities, puts herself before the baby.
Anxious-Ambivalent Attachment
When the caregiver left the baby would rock, hit, and cry. When the caregiver returned they acted strangely and did not appear to know how to attach. The mothers typically had secure attachment and suffered some type of traumatic loss.
Disorganized Attachment
