General HPD

Question 1

What does developmental psychology aim to do?

Answer 1

Describe/explain the ways our thoughts, feelings and behaviour change throughout our lifetime

Question 2

The term ‘lifespan development’ refers to what?

Answer 2

The change that begins at conception and continues throughout life

Question 3

What are the four areas of human development?

Answer 3

Physical, Social, Cognitive and Emotional

Question 4

What is physical development?

Answer 4

Changes in the body and it’s various systems e.g. bones, muscles, hormonal changes

Question 5

What is social development?

Answer 5

Changes in an individual’s relationship with others e.g. ability to cooperate, form close relationships

Question 6

What is cognitive development?

Answer 6

Changes in mental abilities e.g. learning, memory, perception

Question 7

What is emotional development?

Answer 7

Changes in one’s experience of different feelings and the ways we express them

Question 8

What is continuous development?

Answer 8

Development that is gradual and involves ongoing changes throughout the life span

Question 9

What is discontinuous development?

Answer 9

Development involving separate and distinct stages that are not connected, with different behaviour developing in each stage

Question 10

Explain the sequential nature of development

Answer 10

Development beginning with simple thoughts, feelings or behaviours and progressing to more complex ones

Question 11

Do humans all develop at the same rate?

Answer 11

No, although there are similarities in developmental patterns, no two people develop at the same rate

Question 12

What is a cross-sectional study?

Answer 12

Cross-sectional studies select and compare groups over a short period of time

Question 13

What are the benefits of cross-sectional studies?

Answer 13

Relatively cheap, easy to conduct and are time efficient

Question 14

What are longitudinal studies?

Answer 14

Longitudinal studies follow a group of people over an extended period of time, observing changes in behaviour that occur at different stages in the SAME individuals

Question 15

What are the limitations of longitudinal studies?

Answer 15

They can be expensive, time-consuming and are at an increased risk of having participants drop out

Question 16

Define ‘cognitive development’

Answer 16

How and when we develop the mental abilities to do things like times tables, think logically and understand things from someone else’s point of view

Question 17

What is adaptation?

Answer 17

The continuous process of using the environment to learn, and of learning to adjust to changes in our environment

Question 18

What are the two processes that make up adaptation?

Answer 18

Assimilation and Accommodation

Question 19

Define assimilation

Answer 19

Assimilation is the process of taking in new information and fitting it into an existing schema about the world

Question 20

Define accommodation

Answer 20

The process of changing an existing schema in order to fit new information

Question 21

Explain what is meant by the term ‘self-understanding’

Answer 21

Self-understanding refers to the sense that you exist as a separate person, there is continuity to your existence and you will remain the same individual on a day-to-day basis

Question 22

What is self-recognition?

Answer 22

Self-recognition is the ability to recognise your own face, voice, feelings and other distinguishing features

Question 23

How do pre-school aged children distinguish themselves from others?

Answer 23

They refer to their physical characteristics, their possessions and the actions they perform

Question 24

What is self esteem?

Answer 24

Self esteem is an individual’s judgement about whether they are meeting the standards they hold for themselves

Question 25

What is social behaviour?

Answer 25

Any behaviour that involves interaction between two or more people

Question 26

Does a behaviour have to be bi-directional (two-way) to be considered social?

Answer 26

Yes

Question 27

What is attachment?

Answer 27

Attachment refers to the close, affectionate bond which forms between an infant and another person