intro to dev psych

Question 1

what is dev psych

Answer 1

• identifies and describes changes in cognitive, physical, emotional, and social capacities and behaviors
• attempts to understand how and why these changes occur

Question 2

child development vs lifespan development

Answer 2

birth through adolescence vs birth to old age

Question 3

nature vs nurture def

Answer 3

nature = influences of genes inherited
nurture = influences of environment, entire developmental context

Question 4

developmental perspectives

Answer 4

multidirectional, multicontextual, multicultural, multidisciplinary, plasticity

Question 5

what is the multidirectional perspective

Answer 5

• no way to know what a child will grow up to be
• different patterns of change

Question 6

patterns of change in multidirectional perspective

Answer 6

continuity (slow and gradual) vs discontinuity (change is irregular/unstable, big shifts to another stage)

Question 7

critical periods

Answer 7

(mostly prenatal) times when something must happen to ensure normal development, OR a certain time when abnormal development might occur

Question 8

sensitive periods

Answer 8

(most prenatal to 5 yr old) time when something has the greatest impact (learning a second language etc)

Question 9

what is the multicontextual perspective

Answer 9

different contexts may affect whether and how development occurs (e.g. social context

Question 10

what is social context

Answer 10

everyone who influences an individual, immediately and over time, in/directly

Question 11

Urie Brofenbrenner - Biological Systems Approach

Answer 11

• each person affected by many social contexts and interpersonal interactions
• nested levels and systems surround individuals (ecological, historical, socioeconomic)

Question 12

what is the multicutural perspective

Answer 12

not everyone has the same experiences, sociocultural differences exist

Question 13

what is the difference-equals-deficit error

Answer 13

assumes that an individual who doesn’t conform to the norm is inferior/will not have the subjective standard-hood of person
- presents a bias in research

Question 14

intersectionality theory

Answer 14

• identities interact with and influence each other
• membership in 1+ marginalized group may result in unique developmental challenges
• research often only studies one

Question 15

what is the multidisciplinary perspective

Answer 15

study of each domain draws on different disciplines
- biosocial/physical: bio, neuro, med
- cognitive: psych, linguistics, education
- psychosocial: econ, sociology, history

Question 16

what is the plastic (developmental plasticity) perspective

Answer 16

• body and brain can adapt, abilities, personality, etc can be molded over time

Question 17

when are child most plastic

Answer 17

when they are young, change can happen throughout entire lifetime but there are limits

Question 18

what is the dynamic systems approach

Answer 18

human development is an ongoing, changing interaction btwn physical, cognitive, and social influences

Question 19

what is a birth cohort

Answer 19

all people born within a few years of each other, move through life & events together

Question 20

what are the three systems in Brofenbrenner’s Bioecological Model (BBM) w/ examples

Answer 20

microsystems - elements of immediate surroundings (family, friends)

exosystems - local institutions (school)

macrosystems - larger social setting (cultural values, policies, politics)

Question 21

what are BBM systems affected by

Answer 21

mesosystem - connections amongst systems

chronosystem - historical time