Unit 1/2 terms Flashcards
adolescence
developmental period of transition from childhood to early adulthood, beginning at approximately 10 to 12 years of age and ending at about 18 to 19 years of age
Biological processes
produce changes in an individual’s body. Genes inherited from parents, the development of the brain, height and weight gains, growth in motor skills, and hormonal changes during puberty
brain plasticity
while our brains are shaped by early experiences and genetics, they have the capacity to change throughout life. The extent to which change is possible still remains a significant question.
Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory
holds that development reflects the influence of several environmental systems. The theory identifies five environmental systems
Bronfenbrenner’s 5 environmental systems
Microsystem
Mesosystem
Exosystem
Macrosystem
Chronosystem
Case study
is an in-depth look at a single individual
Classical conditioning
a neutral stimulus produces a response originally produced by another stimulus. eg. dogs salivating to the sound of the bell
Cognitive processes
involving changes in an individual’s thoughts, intelligence, and language.
Socioemotional processes
produce changes in relationships with other people, emotions, and personality.
Context
refers to the settings in which development occurs
Culture
encompasses the behaviour patterns, beliefs, and all other products of a specific group of people that are passed on from generation to generation. (interaction of people over many years)
continuity-discontinuity issue
focuses on the extent to which development involves gradual, cumulative change (continuity) or distinct stages (discontinuity).
Correlation coefficient
a number based on a statistical analysis that is used to describe the degree of association between two variables.
Correlational research
to describe the strength of the relationship between two or more events or characteristics. The more strongly the two events are correlated (or related or associated), the more effectively we can predict one event from the other
Cross-cultural studies
compare aspects of two or more cultures and measures the degree to which development is similar, or universal, across cultures, or is instead culture-specific
Cross-sectional approach
a research strategy which individuals of different ages are compared at one time.
The groups can be compared with respect to a variety of dependent variables: intelligence, memory, peer relations, attachment to parents, hormonal changes, and so on.
Defence Mechanisms
Denial
Repression
Denial
Projection
Displacement
Regression
Development
is the pattern of change that begins at conception and continues through the life span.
Developmental neuroscience
understand how and why experience interacts with biology to shape the development of a child.
differential susceptibility
refers to the idea that some children are more vulnerable to the adverse effects of negative developmental experiences than others.
Periods of developement
Prenatal period
Infancy
Early Childhood
Middle to late Childhood
Adolescence
eclectic theoretical orientation
does not follow any one theoretical approach but rather considers how each theory might be best suited to understand a particular aspect of a child’s development.
Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory
we develop in psychosocial stages
Erikson’s Psychosocial stages
1.Trust versus mistrust
2.Autonomy versus shame and doubt
3.Initiative versus guilt
4.Industry versus inferiority
5.identity versus identity confusion
6.Intimacy versus isolation
7.Generativity versus stagnation
8.Integrity versus despair
Ethnic gloss
using an ethnic label such as Indigenous in a superficial way that portrays an ethnic group as being more homogeneous than it really is
Ethnicity
Greek word for “nation” and is rooted in cultural heritage, nationality, race, religion, and language
Ethology
stresses that behaviour is strongly influenced by biology, is tied to evolution, and is characterized by critical or sensitive periods.
hypothesis
a specific, testable assumption or prediction.
Infancy
developmental period that extends from birth to about 18 to 24 months of age. Infancy is a time of extreme dependence on adults.
Early childhood
the developmental period that extends from the end of infancy to about 5 or 6 years of age; sometimes called the preschool years. Young children learn to become more self-sufficient.
Middle and late childhood
the developmental period between about 6 and 11 years of age; the elementary school years. Children master the fundamental skills of reading, writing, and arithmetic.
Adolescence
the developmental period of transition from childhood to early adulthood, beginning at approximately 10 to 12 years of age and ending at about 18 to 19 years of age. Rapid physical changes and the development of sexual characteristics. The pursuit of independence and an identity, more time is spent outside the family with peers, becomes more abstract and idealistic.
Information-processing theory
Vygotsky’s theory, which emphasizes that individuals manipulate information, monitor it, and strategize about it.
Does not describe development as happening in stages, individuals develop a gradually increasing capacity for processing information, complex knowledge and skills.
The longitudinal approach
a research strategy in which the same individuals are studied over time, usually several years or more.
nature-nurture
involves an old debate about whether development is primarily influenced by nature or by nurture.
Nature
refers to the child’s biological inheritance,
Nurture
to their environmental experiences.
Negative reinforcement
involves taking away something unpleasant to encourage behaviour.
Operant conditioning
the consequences of a behaviour produce changes in the future probability of the behaviour.
neurotransmitters
chemical messengers that facilitate communication between neurons in the brain and nervous system.
Piaget’s theory
states that children actively construct their understanding of the world and go through four stages of cognitive development.
Piaget’s 4 Theories
sensorimotor stage
preoperational stage
concrete operational stage
formal operational stage
Sensorimotor stage
1st Piaget stage, from birth to about 2 years of age In this stage, infants construct an understanding of the world by coordinating sensory experiences (such as seeing and hearing) with physical motor actions
Preoperational stage
2nd Piaget stage, approximately 2 to 7 years of age. In this stage, children begin to represent the world with words, images, and drawings.
Concrete operational stage
the third Piagetian stage, approximately 7 to 11 years of age. Children perform operations that involve objects, and they can reason logically as long as reasoning can be applied to specific or concrete examples.
Formal operational stage
Piaget’s fourth and final stage, between the ages of 11 and 15 and continues through adulthood. In this stage, individuals move beyond concrete experiences and think in abstract and more logical terms.
Psychoanalytic theories
describe development as primarily unconscious (beyond awareness) and as heavily coloured by emotion, emphasize that behaviour is merely a surface characteristic and that a true understanding of development requires analyzing the symbolic meanings of behaviour and the deep inner workings of the mind. Psychoanalytic theorists also stress that early experiences with parents extensively shape development.
resilience
a capacity that can be developed and involves having access to resources and the opportunities to practice coping skills in the presence of supportive relationships.
scientific method
a four-step process:
(1) conceptualize a process or problem to be studied
(2) collect research information (data)
(3) analyze data
(4) draw conclusions
Social cognitive theory
states that behaviour, environment, and cognition are the key factors in development.
Socioemotional processes
produce changes in relationships with other people, emotions, and personality.
Active (niche-picking) genotype-environment
correlations occur when children seek out environments that they find compatible and stimulating.
Niche-picking
refers to finding a setting that is suited to one’s genetically influenced abilities.
amnion
a “sac” bag or an envelope and contains a clear fluid in which the developing embryo floats.
Behaviour genetics
is the field that seeks to discover the influence of heredity and environment on individual differences in human traits and development.
