Lifespan Development Introduction

Question 1

What is Lifespan or Developmental Psychology?

Answer 1

understanding and explaining changes that occur between conception and death

Question 2

What are the two views on lifespan development?

Answer 2

Restricted/traditional view (All important dev. changes happen between conception and adolescence) and contemporary view (important changes occur at all ages throughout the lifespan)

Question 3

What are the divisions of Lifespan?

Answer 3

Birth & Infancy (Birth - 2 years), Early Childhood (2-6(7)), Middle Childhood (6(7)-11(12)), Adolescence (11(12)-19(20)), Early Adulthood (20-40(45)), Middle Adulthood (40(45)-60(65)), Late Adulthood 65(70)+

Question 4

What is John Locke’s view?

Answer 4

Late 17th Century - Child is a blank slate “Tabula Rasa” - neither good nor bad until rewards and punishments experiences exerts influence on him/her

Question 5

What is Rousseau’s view?

Answer 5

The child is innately good (a noble savage); if untainted by corruption and evil in the world, he/she would be undeniably a good adult

Question 6

Contrary to Locke and Rosseau’s view, what is the predominate view of the child today?

Answer 6

It is much more about development; Active and exploring from birth; while recognizing the importance of rewards and punishments on the child

Question 7

Give an example of a genetic disease that will or will not reach potential as determined by the environment.

Answer 7

PKU - an inherited disease that leads to MR if certain foods are consumed
Cardiovascular disease - lifestyle factors such as diet and smoking can prevent the disease from happening.

Question 8

Define growth.

Answer 8

refers to physical changes that are quantitative in nature.

Question 9

Define maturation.

Answer 9

naturally unfolding changes that are relatively independent of environment.

Question 10

Define learning.

Answer 10

relatively permanent change in behavior that results from practice or experience.

Question 11

What are systematic observations?

Answer 11

Watching people and carefully recording what is said and done; its a measurement in human dev research

Question 12

What are two types of systemic observation?

Answer 12

Naturalistic observation - subjects are observed in natural settings and observer is detached; Structured observation - in some situations, it may be necessary for an artificial setting (sleep study for example).

Question 13

What are problems with natural observations and non-natural observations?

Answer 13

natural - subjects being aware of observation may affect behavior, non-natural - dependent on subjects understanding questions and honest-self reporting

Question 14

What are ways of self-reporting and what are the pros/cons?

Answer 14

Gathering info through use of clinical interviews, surveys or questionnaires; Pro - gather lots of data in short period of time, convenient; Con - results may be inaccurate

Question 15

What are the two groups needed in a formal experiment?

Answer 15

Experimental group - group being tested, independent variable is manipulated; Control group - group where independent variable is not manipulated

Question 16

What is the dependent variable in a formal experiment?

Answer 16

the variable you predict will change as a result of the manipulation of the independent variable (Example - lack of sleep interferes with exam grades; grade = dependent, sleep = independent)

Question 17

Describe the correlational method.

Answer 17

Where the relationship of two or more variables that exist naturally are examined (shark attacks and ice cream sales- both in summer); problem - cause and effect relationships cannot be determined based on this

Question 18

Describe a longitudinal study

Answer 18

Observing the same subjects over a long period of time; pros - sensitive to intraindividual changes, cons - costly, time consuming, subjects die or move, experimenter can die, methods/instruments become obsolete

Question 19

Describe a cross-sectional study.

Answer 19

Compares different subjects of different development levels at same time (compares different age groups at same time); pros- less costly, complete in less time, no loss of subjects, methods stay current; cons- looks at individual once, not sensitive to change