General HPD Flashcards
What does developmental psychology aim to do?
Describe/explain the ways our thoughts, feelings and behaviour change throughout our lifetime
The term ‘lifespan development’ refers to what?
The change that begins at conception and continues throughout life
What are the four areas of human development?
Physical, Social, Cognitive and Emotional
What is physical development?
Changes in the body and it’s various systems e.g. bones, muscles, hormonal changes
What is social development?
Changes in an individual’s relationship with others e.g. ability to cooperate, form close relationships
What is cognitive development?
Changes in mental abilities e.g. learning, memory, perception
What is emotional development?
Changes in one’s experience of different feelings and the ways we express them
What is continuous development?
Development that is gradual and involves ongoing changes throughout the life span
What is discontinuous development?
Development involving separate and distinct stages that are not connected, with different behaviour developing in each stage
Explain the sequential nature of development
Development beginning with simple thoughts, feelings or behaviours and progressing to more complex ones
Do humans all develop at the same rate?
No, although there are similarities in developmental patterns, no two people develop at the same rate
What is a cross-sectional study?
Cross-sectional studies select and compare groups over a short period of time
What are the benefits of cross-sectional studies?
Relatively cheap, easy to conduct and are time efficient
What are longitudinal studies?
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
What are the limitations of longitudinal studies?
They can be expensive, time-consuming and are at an increased risk of having participants drop out
Define ‘cognitive development’
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
What is adaptation?
The continuous process of using the environment to learn, and of learning to adjust to changes in our environment
What are the two processes that make up adaptation?
Assimilation and Accommodation
Define assimilation
Assimilation is the process of taking in new information and fitting it into an existing schema about the world
Define accommodation
The process of changing an existing schema in order to fit new information
Explain what is meant by the term ‘self-understanding’
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
What is self-recognition?
Self-recognition is the ability to recognise your own face, voice, feelings and other distinguishing features
How do pre-school aged children distinguish themselves from others?
They refer to their physical characteristics, their possessions and the actions they perform
What is self esteem?
Self esteem is an individual’s judgement about whether they are meeting the standards they hold for themselves
What is social behaviour?
Any behaviour that involves interaction between two or more people
Does a behaviour have to be bi-directional (two-way) to be considered social?
Yes
What is attachment?
Attachment refers to the close, affectionate bond which forms between an infant and another person
