Module 9 Flashcards
Developmental psychology
the scientific study of changes and continuities in human psychology over time
Lifespan perspective
the predominant perspective in developmental psychology. It emphasizes the importance of studying human development throughout life, rather than focusing exclusively on infancy and childhood
4 Assumptions
1.Development is a lifelong process. It begins at conception and continues until death.
2.Development involves constant loss as well as gain. Development involves both decline and growth. Individuals may gain in wisdom as they age, but may also experience reduced memory functioning.
3.Development is determined by a multiplicity of causes. Development is rooted in the interaction of genes and other biological factors, environments, cultures, lifespan periods, and historical contexts.
4.Development is characterized by plasticity through the life span. Although each period of the life span can be characterized by a typical set of abilities and concerns, the course of development can be altered as a result of experience and personal decisions through the life span.
Critical periods
stages in development where the brain is particularly sensitive to specific types of events or stimulation.
plasticity
the brain can be modified by experience
synaptic pruning
Synapses go through a process of synaptic pruning which involves the reduction in the number of seldom-used neurons to all those that are being used frequently to be maintained efficiently.
congenital malformations
physical defects of abnormalities present at birth (often called birth defects)
teratogens
Harmful bacteria, viruses, and substances such as drugs or alcohol can be transferred to the developing fetus. These harmful agents are called teratogens
3 types of development
Physical development, Cognitive development and Psychosocial development
Normative development
general ages in which babies have developmental milestones.
Language
Language is the human systems of communication and personal expression which have been built upon symbols and representation.
Lexicon
words of a given language. vocabulary
Grammar
set of rules that are used to convey meaning through the use of lexicon
Who developed Constructivism
Jean Piaget
Schemas
(Assimilation and accommodation) concepts or categories about the world
Assimilation
describes a way that a child fits into a new experience into a prexisiting schema
Accommodation
Process where a person alters their schema to incorporate new information or experiences
who developed zone of proximal development and scaffolding
Lev Vygotsky
What is zone of proximal development
The area of knowledge just before a child’s abilities
What is scaffolding
the kind of support adults and teachers present
Who developed the Cognitive development theory of moral reasoning
Lawrence Kohlberg
What is morality
Personal or social beliefs about what is right or wrong
Pre-conventional morality
(young children) Right and wrong are thought in terms of their immediate effects of pleasure versupain.
Conventional morality
(middle school children) Moral decisions are made in terms of laws or general rules about what is right and what is wrong
Post-conventional morality
(adolescents and adults) Decisions about right and wrong are based on the notion of moral reality
Who developed Psychosocial stages
Erik Erikson
Who developed the Attachment theory
Bowlby and Ainsworth
What is attachment
The unique, intimate bond that develops between infant and caregivers.
Secure attachment
refers to the ability to form secure, loving relationships with others
Anxious attachment
A form of insecure attachment style marked by a deep fear of abandonment
Avoidant attachment
A form of insecure attachment marked by a fear of intimacy
Fearful-Avoidant attachment
A combination of both the anxious and avoidant attachment styles. People with this can crave affection desperatly yet still want to avoid it at all costs
Who developed the 5 systems of child development
Bronfenbrenner
Microsystem
Setting in which an individual lives
Mesosystem
Relations between microsystems, connections between contexts, school to church, etc
Exosystem
experience in a social setting in which an individual does not have an active role but stills influences experience in an immediate context
Macrosystem
Attitudes and ideologies of the culture in which an individual lives in
Chronosystem
The patterning of environmental events and transitions over the life course.
Who’s idea are the 3 social influences
Baltes
