Exam 1 Flashcards
a way to answer questions using empirical research and data-based conclusions
Scientific Method
A comprehensive set of ideas
Theory
a specific prediction that can be tested
Hypothesis
based on observation, experience, or experiment, not theoretical
Empirical
repeating a study, usually using different participants, perhaps of another age, SES, or culture
Replication
Why is Replication so important
We need answers that are beyond the personal, valid answers that may/may not confirm our hunches and assumptions and replication either exactly or with modifications does that
Why is Replication so important
in development, this refers to the traits, capacities, and limitations that each individual inherits genetically from his or her parents at the moment of conceptions
Nature
in development, nurture includes all the environmental influences that affect the individual after conception
-this includes everything from the mother’s nutrition while pregnant to the cultural influences in the nation
Nurture
-essentialism (nature) vs. constructivism (nurture)
-both genes and the environment affect every characteristic
-nature always affects nurture and nurture always affects nature
-no genetic or environmental factor acts in isolation
Nature vs. Nurture
Why is the nature and nurture debate important to developmental psychology?
-A significant issue in developmental psychology has been the relationship between the innateness of an attribute (whether it is part of our nature) and the environmental effects on that attribute (whether it is derived from or influenced by our environment, or nurture).
-Today, developmental psychologists rarely take polarized positions with regard to most aspects of development; instead, they investigate the relationship between innate and environmental influences.
•-he biopsychosocial model states that biological, psychological, and social factors all play a significant role in human development.
-Environmental inputs can affect the expression of genes, a relationship called gene-environment interaction. An individual’s genes and their environment work together, communicating back and forth to create traits
Why is the nature and nurture debate important to developmental psychology?
-certain versions of particular genes may make it more likely for people to develop specific problems or strengths
-Genes act in opposite ways depending on the environment
-inherited risk influences later behavior, but the impact varies from one place, age, and background of participants to another
Differential Sensitivity
a time when a particular type of developmental growth (in body or behavior) must happen for normal development to occur
Critical Period
a time when a certain type of development is most likely, although it may still happen later with more difficulty
-BEST TIME
-Ex: early childhood is considered a sensitive period for language learning
Sensitive
-the idea that abilities, personality, and other human characteristics can change over time
-is particularly evident during childhood, but even older adults are not always “set in their ways”
-denotes two complementary aspects of development
-human traits can be molded
-genes and other biological influences
-resilience (why people can experience things and bounce back)
-provides hope (changes are possible) and realism (each person must build on what has come before)
Plasticity
-the mistaken belief that a deviation from some norm is necessarily inferior to behavior or characteristics that meet the standard
-the human tendency to notice differences and then jump to the conclusion that something important is lacking
-in a flash, every difference is perceived as a deficit
-by studying all kinds of people, of every age and background, developmentalists recognize and try to avoid this danger
Different = Deficit Error
a system of shared beliefs, norms, behaviors, and expectations that persist over time and prescribe social behavior and assumptions
Culture
people whose ancestors were born in the same region and who often share a language, culture and religion
Ethnic Group
-a group of people who are regarded by themselves or by others as distinct from other groups on the basis of physical appearance, typically skin color
-social scientists think race is a misleading concept as biological difference are not significant by outward appearances
Race
-an idea that is built on shared perceptions, not on objective reality
-many age-related terms (childhood, adolescence, senior citizen) are this, connected to biological traits but strongly influenced by social assumptions
Social Construct
-a person’s position in society as determined by income, occupation, education, and place of residence
- sometimes called social class
-reflects family income, but not income alone
-affects almost every aspect of development, even life itself
Socioeconomic Status SES
-a view of human development as an ongoing, ever-changing interaction between the physical, cognitive and psychosocial influences
-crucial understanding is that development is never static, but it is always affect by, and affects, many systems of development
-childhood, adolescence, maturity, and old age
Dynamic Systems
-a perspective on human development that considers all the influences from the various contexts of development
-renamed his theory bioecological
-described three nested levels that affect each person: microsystems (elements of immediate surroundings, such as the family system), exosystems (local institutions such as school and workplace), and macrosystems (the larger contexts, including cultural values, economic policies, and political processes)
-to reflect dynamic interaction between these three systems he named a fourth system, mesosytem, which encompasses the connections between the other systems
Brofenbrenner’s ecological-systems approach
-people born within the same historical period who therefore move through life together, experiencing the same events, new technologies, and cultural shifts at the same ages
-Ex: the effect of the internet varies depending on what cohort a person belongs to
-70 year old not knowing how to use an iphone
Cohort Effect
in an experiment, the variable that is introduced to see what effect it has on the dependent variable
Independent Variable
in an experiment, the variable that may change as a result of whatever new condition or situation the experimenter adds
-depends on independent variable
Dependent Variable
Correlation does not prove that one variable causes the other: the relationship of variables may be opposite to the one expected, or both may be the result of a third variable
Why doesn’t correlation=causation?
The third variable is simply when Z looks like it is responsible for the relation between X and Y
What is meant by the 3rd variable?
a research design that compares groups of people who differ in age but are similar in other important characteristics
cross-sectional research
a research design in which the same individuals are followed over time, as their development is repeatedly assessed
longitudinal research
a research design in which researchers first study several groups of people of different ages and then follow those groups over the years
cohort-sequential design
-theories provide a framework for organizing and understanding thousands of observations and daily behaviors that occur in every aspect of development
-theories are not facts, but they allow us to question norms, suggest hypotheses, and provide guidance.
-theories are practical
-thy frame and organize our millions of experiences
- a theory is not true or false, or good nor bad/ a theory is provocative and useful, leading to exploration
-theories deepen thought and lead to new perspectives or interpretations
Why are theories so important?
all cultural patterns and beliefs are social constructions, not natural laws
-they find customs to be powerful, shaping the development of every person, and they also find that some assumptions need to shift to allow healthier development of all people
-this is stressed when Vygotsky argued that mentally and physically disabled children should be educated
Why is it important to consider culture in understanding development?
-many human impulses, needs, and behaviors evolved to help humans survive and thrive over millions of years, with children particularly protected
-humans need to acknowledge the power of emotions
-every species has two long-standing, biologically based drives: survival and reproduction
Evolutionary Theory
-the process by which living creatures (including people) adjust to their environment
-genes that enhance survival and reproductive abilities are selected, over the generations, to become more prevalent
-the process by which living creatures (including people) adjust to their environment
-genes that enhance survival and reproductive abilities are selected, over the generations, to become more prevalent
Selective Adaptation