Intro to Psych Flashcards
unit 3
Development
The sequence of age-related changes that occur as a person progresses from conception to death.
Prenatal
Zygote -> embryo -> fetus -> baby
* zygote: fertilized egg
* embryo: from 2nd week through 2nd month
* fetus: from 9 weeks to birth
Erikson Social Development
Erik Erikson was a developmental psychologist who proposed a theory of psychosocial development, which consists of eight stages spanning from infancy to adulthood. Each stage is characterized by a psychosocial crisis that individuals must resolve in order to develop successfully.
Trust v.s. Mistrust
stage one, first year of life:
* basic attitude of trust or mistrust is formed.
* trust is established when babies are given
adequate warmth, touching, love, and
physical care.
* mistrust is caused by inadequate or
unpredictable parenting, by parents who
are cold, indifferent, or rejecting.
* basic mistrust may later cause insecurity,
suspiciousness, or inability to relate to
others.
Autonomy v.s. Shame and Doubt
Stage 2 (ages 1-3):
Children demonstrate growing self-control through activities like climbing, touching, and exploring, showing a general desire to do things independently.
Autonomy promotion: Encourage children to try new skills and tasks independently.
Risk of shame and doubt: Criticism or overprotection by parents can lead to feelings of shame and doubt in children.
Significant challenge: Toilet training presents a major crisis during this stage of development.
Initiative v.s. Guilt
Stage 3 (3-5 years):
Children transition from simple self-control to the ability to take initiative.
Parents can reinforce initiative by granting children the freedom to play, ask questions, use imagination, and choose activities.
Emotional handicap risk: Parents who severely criticize, restrict play, or discourage questions may emotionally handicap the child.
Guilt development: Children learn to feel guilty about the activities they initiate if they face criticism or discouragement from parents.
Industry v.s. Inferiority
Stage 4 (6-12 years):
Children learn skills valued by society through schooling.
Success or failure in acquiring these skills can significantly impact their feelings of adequacy.
School experiences during this stage play a crucial role in shaping children’s self-esteem and sense of competence.
Identity v.s. Confusion (diffusion; role
confusion)
Stage 5 (Adolescence):
Mental and physical maturation in adolescence introduce new feelings, bodily changes, and attitudes.
Individuals who do not successfully develop a sense of identity may experience role confusion, characterized by uncertainty about their identity and life direction.
The primary crisis during this stage revolves around the question, “Who am I?” as adolescents seek to establish a cohesive sense of self amidst the changes and challenges of this period.
Intimacy v.s. Isolation
Stage 6 (Young Adulthood):
Young adults experience a desire to achieve intimacy, seeking meaningful connections in their lives.
Failure to establish intimacy with others can result in a profound sense of isolation and loneliness.
Generatively v.s. Self-absorption
Stage seven, middle adulthood:
Generatively:
Expressed by caring about oneself, one’s children, and the future.
Failure in generativity:
Marked by a stagnant concern with one’s own needs and comforts.
Integrity v.s. Despair
Stage eight, late adulthood
Integrity:
Developed by a person who has lived richly and responsibly.
Allows facing aging and death with dignity.
Despair:
Arises if previous life events are viewed with regret.
Results in a feeling of missed opportunities and failure.
Aging and death become sources of fear and depression.
Piaget’s Cognitive Developmental Theory
Posits that children progress through distinct stages of cognitive development, marked by shifts in their understanding of the world, based on their interactions and experiences.
Sensorimotor Stage (0-2 yrs)
“C” focuses on learning to coordinate purposeful movements with information from the senses.
Establishes a relationship between actions and the external world.
Develops object permanence: understanding that objects continue to exist even when out of sight.
Preoperational Stage (2-7 yrs)
Developing ability to think symbolically and use language.
Thinking remains intuitive.
Egocentric: unable to perceive things from another person’s point of view, believing others see and perceive as they do.
Concrete Operational Stage (7-11 yrs)
Mastery of the concept of conservation and ability to reverse thoughts or operations.
Conservation: understanding that the quantity of an object remains the same despite changes in shape or appearance.
Formal Operations Stage (11 years and up)
Thinking is based more on abstract principles.
Can comprehend subjects like math, physics, philosophy, psychology, and other abstract systems.
Konrad Lorenz
Imprinting: rapid and early learning of a permanent behavior pattern.
Typically attaches a young animal to its mother.
Guides the selection of a mate of the same species at sexual maturity.
Konrad Lorenz’s geese story illustrates imprinting.
Critical period
A time of increased sensitivity
to environmental influences.
Harry Harlow on Infant Attachment
Separated infant rhesus monkeys from their mothers at birth.
Replaced real mothers with surrogate mothers (wire, wire & soft cloth, wire & milk bottle).
When given a choice, infants preferred the soft cuddly surrogate over others.
Tactile (physical touch) stimulation (contact comfort) identified as most important for normal development (cognitive, emotional, & physical) of infants, as demonstrated by Harlow’s experiments.
Secure Attachment
Child (C) uses caregiver as a secure base for exploring the environment.
May cry when parent leaves but greets happily upon return.
Characteristics: greater independence, curiosity, persistence, leadership, popularity, and positive self-esteem compared to other attachment styles.
Development: Utilize next-to-body carriers or hold infant often, respond to crying, talk to the baby, and be consistent in meeting the child’s needs through responsive parenting.
Insecurely Attached
Child (C) avoids the caregiver or displays ambivalence towards them.
Encompasses anxious-ambivalent or avoidant attachment styles.
Anxious-Ambivalent Insecurely Attached
Child (C) becomes anxious even before the parent leaves the room, displaying ambivalent behavior.
Cries when the parent leaves but resists comfort upon their return.
Research indicates that the parent (P) often displays inconsistent parenting behaviors, leaving the child unsure of what to expect.
Insecurely Attached – Avoidant
Rarely cries when parent leaves and avoids them upon return.
Parent tends to be generally angry, struggles with expressing emotions, and avoids physical contact with their child.
Temperament
- an individual’s behavioral style and characteristic way of responding.
- inborn behavioral styles, genetically determined.
- tends to be stable across lifespan.
Authoritarian Parenting Style
Children of such parents are typically passive and dependent.
Tends to produce children who are fearful, withdrawn, moody, and dependent.
Often leads to rebellion and aggression in children, particularly during mid-childhood and adolescence, especially when away from parents.
Parents (P) punish their children by asserting their own power through threats, commands, and spankings.
Not a good parenting style for producing emotionally well-adjusted individuals.
Permissive Parenting Style
Views children as having few responsibilities but rights similar to adults, requiring little responsible behavior.
Characterized by low control and high warmth.
Rules are not enforced, and the child usually gets their way, leading to dependent and immature behavior.
Tends to produce children who misbehave frequently, are aimless, and unruly.
Parents provide little and inconsistent discipline.
