Lifespan Development Flashcards
cognitive development
domain of lifespan development that examines learning, attention, memory, language, thinking, reasoning, and creativity
continuous development
view that development is a cumulative process: gradually improving on existing skills
developmental milestone
approximate ages at which children reach specific normative events
discontinuous development
view that development takes place in unique stages, which happen at specific times or ages
nature
genes and biology
normative approach
study of development using norms, or average ages, when most children reach specific developmental milestones
nurture
environment and culture
physical development
domain of lifespan development that examines growth and changes in the body and brain, the senses, motor skills, and health and wellness
psychosocial development
domain of lifespan development that examines emotions, personality, and social relationships
psychosexual development
process proposed by Freud in which pleasure-seeking urges focus on different erogenous zones of the body as humans move through five stages of life
psychosocial development
process proposed by Erikson in which social tasks are mastered as humans move through eight stages of life from infancy to adulthood
assimilation
adjustment of a schema by adding information similar to what is already known
accommodation
adjustment of a schema by changing a scheme to accommodate new information different from what was already known
conservation
idea that even if you change the appearance of something, it is still equal in size, volume, or number as long as nothing is added or removed
egocentrism
preoperational child’s difficulty in taking the perspective of others
object permanence
idea that even if something is out of sight, it still exists
reversibility
understanding that objects can be changed and then returned back to their original form or condition
theory-of-mind
the understanding that people have thoughts, feelings, and beliefs that are different from our own
stages of moral reasoning
process proposed by Kohlberg; humans move through three stages of moral development
conception
when a sperm fertilizes an egg and forms a zygote
critical (sensitive) period
time during fetal growth when specific parts or organs develop