final Flashcards
maturation
biological unfolding of the organism according to the underlying genetic code
- how organisms grow and develop physically
when does puberty begin
when the hypothalamus signals the pituitary gland to send out hormones
- boys: between ages 13-14
- girls: between ages 11-12
Lev Vygotsky & zone of proximal development
Lev Vygotsky: Russian psychologist best known for theory of cognitive development
- believed that children learn and develop through interactions with others, esp more knowledgeable individuals like parents, teachers, or peers, and also emphasized importance of language
zone of proximal development: range b/w the skills children can currently perform and those they could perform if they received the right guidance and instruction - he believed learning should occur in this zone where learners are challenges but not overwhelmed
puberty
the stage of development at which individuals become physiologically capable of reproducing
order of sexual development in boys and girls
boys: growth in testes -> pubic hair -> penis growth -> voice change
girls: breast development -> pubic hair -> menstruation
primary vs secondary sex characteristics
primary sex characteristics: changes in sex organs directly involved in reproduction, such as the enlargement of the testes and penis in boys and uterus in girls
secondary sex characteristics: physical characteristics that differentiate men and women but are directly involved in reproduction, such as pubic hair, breast development, and deepening of the voice
menarche
first menstruation
what 2 factors influence puberty
genes and environment
fat/muscle comp changes in boys and girls during puberty
boys: lose fat and gain more muscle, get stronger, tend to have larger hearts and lungs, lower heart rates at rest, and greater capacity for oxygen in their blood
girls: usually a decrease in fat accumulation but it doesn’t result in an absolute loss of fat. however, women in their chosen sport can outperform men because of greater endurance, sounder health, and more ability to endure long-term stress.
personal fable in adolescents
common belief in adolescents that their feelings and experiences cannot possibly be understood by others (what they’re going through is so unique)
and that they underestimate the risks of bad things happening to them
cognitive changes in adolescents
- should now be in Piaget’s formal operational stages which means they can think abstractly, imagine hypothetical situations, solve complex problems, and think ab things that aren’t directly in front of them
- also, the way they think ab themselves is different from the way a child would think of themselves. child uses a lot of physical characteristics and concrete qualities to describe the person
- teenager would have mature descriptions including analysis of social relationships, thoughts, and feelings
Erik erikson’s theory: 5th stage: identity vs role confusion
ego identity: in erikson’s theory, the attainment of a psychological sense of knowing oneself and one’s direction in life
identity crisis: in erikson’s theory, a stressful period of serious soul-searching and self-examination of issues relating to personal values and one’s direction in life
role diffusion: in erikson’s theory, a confused and drifting state in which they lack a clear set of values and direction in life
- also struggle during this stage through peer relationships and adolescent sexuality
what are some aspects of peak physical health? (between ages 18-25)
strength is greatest, reflexes are quickest, and they are least resistant to disease
Daniel Levison & his “Seasons of Life” theory
theory that proposes adult development occurs in stages that span approximately 25 years
- after age 20, person leaves their family and enters the adult world- they have “the dream” about goals in life and career choices
- in later 30s they settle down and establish themselves regarding work, family, etc.
- between 40-45, they begin to question their lives and enter the Midlife Transition - realize life is finite and assess what they did and how satisfying it was, some people enter a Midlife Crisis
- in 50’s, become more accepting of others and their lives and have a sense of wisdom, feel freer to enjoy life
- all of Levinson’s work was based on men, there have been some researchers that looked at this with regards to women and made some comparisons
Late Adulthood: age 65 and over
list some physical changes as someone ages into late adulthood
- hair thins and becomes gray
- slight loss of height due to space between vertebrae in the spine
- vision and hearing are less sharp
- smell and taste are not as sensitive
- reaction times are much slower
genetic preprogramming theory & wear and tear theory
Genetic Preprogramming Theory: life expectancy is based on genetics
- built in time limit to the reproduction of human cells, and that after a certain time they can’t divide
- cells may also be genetically preprogrammed to become harmful to the body after a certain amount of time has gone by.
Wear and Tear Theory: life expectancy is based on cumulative damage that bodies take over time
- mechanical function of the body just stops working efficiently after time, like a car- there is too much wear and tear
cognitive changes as aging into late adulthood + crystallized vs fluid intelligence
fluid intelligence: ability to think logically and solve problems in novel situations independent of acquired knowledge or past experience
- ex. puzzles, analogies, abstract
- decreases with age
crystallized intelligence: accumulation of knowledge, facts, and skills that person acquires throughout their life
- ex. cultural understanding, vocab, language, math
- increases with age
other cognitive changes:
- long term memory declines, not short term
- long term memories are usually limited to episodic memories
disengagement theory & activity theory of aging
disengagement theory: aging is seen as gradual withdrawal from the world on a physical, psychological, and social level. however, considered positive not negative because it gives people more time to reflect since they are less invested in others
activity theory of aging: says that its healthy for an elderly person to maintain interests and activities, especially if they bring the person joy
Kubler-Ross’s 5 stage theory about death
Denial: old people resist the idea that they are dying and refuse to admit it
Anger: they are angry at those in good health, at God, and medical professionals
Bargaining: they try to think of ways to postpone death. For example, God if you only let me live to see my son graduate from college, I will be happy
Depression: when they realize that bargaining is of no use, they become depressed
Acceptance: Hopefully, people will reach this stage so that they can be at peace with themselves
Erik Erikson’s adulthood stages:
Intimacy vs. Isolation (young adulthood)
Generativity vs. Stagnation (middle adulthood)
Ego-integrity vs. Despair (late adulthood)
Intimacy vs. Isolation (young adulthood): central conflict here resolves around forming intimate, loving relationships while maintaining sense of identity and independence
- teens to mid-30s
- success: strong, healthy relationships characterized by intimacy, love, and mutual support
- failure: loneliness, isolation
Generativity vs. Stagnation (middle adulthood): primary challenge is to contribute to society and future generations, either through work, family, or community involvement, verses feeling stagnant and unproductive
- mid-30s to mid-60s
- focus on nurturing next generation, whether through raising children, mentors, or meaningful contributions to communities
Ego-integrity vs. Despair (late adulthood): central conflict involves reflecting on one’s life and coming to terms with its meaning and significance, verses feeling a sense of regret and despair over missed opportunities and unfulfilled goals
- may engage in life review, reconciling past conflicts, and finding closure
- mid 60s onwards
Sigmund Freud (the unconscious + instinctual drives)
- believed that unconscious forces determined our behavior
unconscious = the part of our personalities that we are not aware of, where we harbor a recollection of painful experiences
- goal of his theory: make the unconscious conscious
instinctual drives: internal wishes, desires, demands, and needs that are hidden from our conscious awareness
- ex. food, sex, survival
Freud - “structure of personality”
Freud believed that our personalities are made of 3 main parts: the id, ego, and superego
id: immediate gratification of desires, it wants what it wants without considering consequences
- wild child
- basic instincts and urges like hunger, thirst, and pleasure
ego: part that tries to satisfy the desires of the id in a realistic and socially acceptable way
- balances what the id wants with what is possible and appropriate
- mediator/practical-problem solving adult
superego: conceded with morals, values, and what’s right or wrong, always trying to keep the id’s impulses in check and make sure the ego behaves morally
Sigmund Freud - Theory of Psychosexual Development and the 5 stages
theory of psychosexual development: personality development in childhood takes place during 5 psychosexual stages. during each stage, sexual energy (libido) is expressed in different ways and through different body parts
1. Oral: pleasure comes from sucking, biting, chewing (0-1 year)
2. Anal: pleasure comes from controlling bowel movements (1-3 years)
3.Phallic: pleasure comes from discovering the differences b/w boys and girls (3-6 years)
4. Latency: period of relative calm where sexual desires are less pronounced (6-11 years)
5. Genital: focuses on mature sexual interests and relationships (adolescence to adulthood)
sigmund freud - defense mechanisms (part of his theory) + 7 strategies
defense mechanisms: unconscious strategies that we use to reduce anxiety by concealing the source from ourselves and from others
1. Denial: when person refuses to accept an anxiety-provoking piece of information
- ex. refuse to believe u like someone
2. Repression: when unacceptable and unpleasant id impulses are pushed way back into the unconscious
- ex. sexually abused as a child and have no memories of this
3. Regression: when you behave as if you were at an earlier stage of development.
- ex. you are 12 years old and something anxiey-provoking happens and you start to wet the bed again
4. Displacement: when an unwanted feeling or thought is redirected to a less threatening figure.
- ex. you have a fight with your boss and you don’t want to express your anger at him or her so you go home and yell at your sister.
5. Rationalization: when you distort reality by justifying what happens to you.
- ex. you did not get invited to a party that you really wanted to go to, instead of dealing with the rejection you say, “oh well I had to work that night anyway and I really did not want to go”
6. Projection: when you attribute unwanted impulses and feelings to someone else.
-ex. someone who doesn’t wanna deal with them being gay goes around thinking others are. he asks his friend - “do you think that that person over there is gay?”
7. Sublimation: when you divert unwanted impulses to socially acceptable thoughts and behaviors
- ex. you have very aggressive impulses and you play football or go to the gym.
everyone uses defense mechanisms which is okay but can become problematic when a person relies on them too much of the time
Carl Jung + collective unconscious & archetypes
started as a follower of Freud but then thought that Freud placed too much emphasis on sex and aggression so developed his own theory
collective unconscious: a segment of the deepest unconscious mind is genetically inherited from ancestors and not shaped by personal experience
- like a vast reservoir of common human experiences, feelings, and symbols that are shared across cultures and time periods
- Jung believed collective conscious influences our behavior, thoughts, and feelings often without us being aware of it
archetypes: universal, recurring symbols, themes, or patterns that emerge from the collective unconscious
- appear in myths, stories, dreams, and art across different cultures and times
- represent fundamental human experiences and emotions, such as the hero, the mother, the wise old man, and the shadow (representing our darker, unconscious side)
Alfred Adler
- concept of “inferiority complex” - feelings of inadequacy that develop when individuals compare themselves unfavorably to others
- these feelings of inferiority could drive people to strive for success and superiority in order to compensate
- its adults job to help children overcome these feelings of inferiority, if they dont the child has inferiority complex when he grows up
trait
an enduring dimension of your personality characteristics along which people differ
