Unit 1 (exam 1) Flashcards by Tara Mahon

produce changes in an individual’s physical nature. Genes inherited from parents, the development of the brain, height and weight gains, changes in motor skills, nutrition, exercise, the hormonal changes of puberty, and cardiovascular decline are all examples

biological processes

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holds that development reflects the influence of several environmental systems. The theory identifies five environmental systems: microsystem(setting in which the individual lives(family, peers, school, neighborhood)), mesosystem(relations between microsystems or connections between contexts. family experiences to school experiences, school to church experiences, family to peer(parents reject child, child has hard time developing positive relations with teachers)), exosystem(consists of links between a social setting in which the individual does not have an active role and the individual’s immediate context(child’s home experience, influenced by mother’s work experience)), macrosystem(involves the culture in which individuals live(culture=behavioral patterns beliefs and products passed down & cross-cultural info about generality of development)), and chronosystem(consists of the patterning of environmental events and transitions over the life course, as well as sociohistorical circumstances(divorce, opportunities for women to have a career have changed since the 1960s.))

Bronfenbrenner’s ecological theory

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an in-depth look at a single individual. (done when for either practical or ethical reasons, the unique aspects of an individual’s life cannot be duplicated and tested in other individuals.)

case study

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refer to changes in an individual’s thinking, intelligence, and language. (Watching a colorful mobile swinging above the crib, putting together a two-word sentence, memorizing a poem, imagining what it would be like to be a movie star, and solving a crossword puzzle all involve)

cognitive processes

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are due to a person’s time of birth, era, or generation but not to actual age. (In life-span development research)(important because they can powerfully affect the dependent measures in a study ostensibly concerned with age.)

cohort effects

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focuses on the degree to which development involves either gradual, cumulative change or distinct stages. (In terms of cumulative change an oak tree grows from seedling to giant tree. In terms of distinct stages, a child’s first word, seemingly abrupt or discontinuous, is actually result of weeks and months of growth and practice.

continuity-discontinuity issue

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a number based on a statistical analysis that is used to describe the degree of association between two variables.

correlation coefficient

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the goal is to describe the strength of the relationship between two or more events or characteristics. The more strongly the two events are correlated, the more effectively we can predict one event from the other.

correlational research

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a research strategy that simultaneously compares individuals of different ages. Might include three groups of children: 5-year olds, 8 year olds, 25 year olds etc. (compared with respect to dependent variables like IQ, memory, peer relations, etc.)

cross-sectional approach

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encompasses the behavior patterns, beliefs, and all other products of a particular group of people that are passed on from generation to generation

culture

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aims to observe and record behavior (for example, a researcher might observe the extent to which people are altruistic or aggressive toward each other)

descriptive research

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the pattern of movement or change that begins at conception and continues through the human life span

development

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does not follow any one theoretical approach but rather presents what are considered the best features of each theory. (In this way, it represents the study o f development as it actually exists-with different theorists making different assumptions, stressing different problems, and using different strategies to discover information.

eclectic theoretical orientation

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recently there has been increased interest in the transition between adolescence and adulthood, a transition that has been referred to as__.(occurs approximately from 18 to 25 years of age and is a time of considerable exploration and experimentation, especially in the areas of identity, careers, and lifestyles.

emerging adulthood

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eight stages of development unfold as we go through life. At each stage, a unique developmental task confronts individuals with a crisis that must be resolved. (trust versus mistrust, autonomy versus shame and doubt, initiative versus guilt, industry versus inferiority, identity versus identity confusion, intimacy versus isolation, generativity versus stagnation, integrity versus despair)

Erikson’s theory

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rooted in cultural heritage, nationality, race, religion, and language. (African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans)

ethnicity

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the study of the behavior of animals in their natural habitat.(stresses that behavior is strongly influenced by biology, is tied to evolution, and is characterized by critical or sensitive periods(during which the presence or absence of certain experiences has a long-lasting influence on individuals))

ethology

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a carefully regulated procedure in which one or more factors believed to influence the behavior being studied are manipulated while all other factors are held constant.

experiment

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the characteristics of people as females and males, is another important aspect of sociocultural contexts.

gender

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specific assertions and predictions that can be tested

hypothesis

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emphasizes that individuals manipulate information, monitor it, and strategize about it.(Does not describe development stage-like. instead individuals develop a gradually increasing capacity for processing information, which allows them to acquire increasingly complex knowledge and skills)

information processing theory

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a controlled setting where many of the complex factors of the “real world” are absent.

laboratory

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views development as lifelong, multidimensional, multidirectional, plastic, multidisciplinary, and contextual, and as a process that involves growth, maintenance, and regulation of loss.

life-span perspective

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a research strategy in which the same individuals are studied over a period of time, usually several years or more (70 year time span)

longitudinal approach

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means observing behavior in real-world settings and making no effort to manipulate or control the situation.

naturalistic observation

concerns the extent to which development is influences by nature and by nurture. Nature refers to an organism's biological inheritance, nurture to its environmental experiences.

nature-nurture issue

unusual occurrences that have a major impact on the individual's life. These events do not happen to all people, and when they do occur they can influence people in different ways. (death of parent, teen pregnancy, fire, lottery)

nonnormative life events

common to people of a particular age group. These influences include biological processes such as puberty and menopause, beginning formal education, and retirement.

normative age-graded influences

common to people of a particular generation because of historical circumstances. For example, in their youth AMerican baby boomers shared the experience of the cuban missle crisis, the assassination of J.F.K., and the beatles invasion.

normative history-graded influences

states that children go through four stages of cognitive development as they actively construct their understanding of the world.(two processes underlie this cognitive construction of the world: organization and adaptation. (sensorimotor(symbolic thought), preoperational(words and images), concrete operational(reason logically and classify objects), formal operational(abstract, idealistic and logical))

Piaget's theory

brain, use one hemisphere to be able to do any type of function. The ability for the brain to change through new experiences. (Create new neurons and networks, adapt and grow over time, influenced by various factors such as genetics, environment, and learning)(the ability to materials or living tissues to change shape or function under stress or stimulation)

plasticity

describe development primarily in terms of unconscious processes that are heavily colored by emotion. (emphasize that behavior is merely surface characteristic and that a true understanding of development requires analyzing the symbolic means of behavior and the deep inner workings of the mind.

psychoanalytic theories

hold that development can be described in terms of behaviors learned through interactions with our surroundings.

social cognitive theory

refers to a person's position within society based on occupational, educational, and economic characteristics.

socioeconomic status (SES)

involve changes in an individual's relationships with other people, in emotional regulation, and in personality.(infant smile in response to parent's touch)

socioemotional processes

involving the degree to which early traits and characteristics persist or change over time.

stability-change issue

has uniform procedures for administration and scoring. (allow performance comparisons)

standardized test

an interrelated, coherent set of ideas that helps to explain phenomena and make predictions

theory

a sociocultural cognitive theory that emphasizes how culture and social interaction guide cognitive development. (learn from knowledgeable others, scaffolding, zone of proximal development)

Vygotsky's theory

investigators seek to discover whether the behavior and psychological characteristics of adopted children are more like those of their adoptive parents, who have provided a home environment, or more like those of their biological parents, who have contributed heredity.

adoption study

widely used to assess the health of newborns at one and five minutes after birth. (heart rate, respiratory, muscle tone, body color, and reflex. 0-2 scoring. 7-10=good, 5-maybe developmental difficulties, 3& under-emergency

apgar scale

the field that seeks to discover the influence of heredity and environment on individual differences in human traits and development(twin studies and adoptive families

behavior genetics

the formation of a connection, especially a physical bond, between parents and the newborn in the period shortly after birth. the process of nurturing social connection, attachment that develops between parents and children. (emotions of affection and trust)

bonding

threadlike structures made up of deoxyribonucleic acid

chromosomes

a complex molecule with a double helix shape that contains genetic information

DNA

a caregiver who provides continuous physical, emotional, and educational support for the mother before, during, and after childbirth. remain with parents through labor, attends a child birthing woman. (greek-a woman who helps)

doula

a chromosomally transmitted form of intellectual disability, caused by the presence of an extra copy of chromosome 21.

down syndrome

the period of prenatal development that occurs from two to eight weeks after conception. During this period, the rate of cell differentiation intensifies, support systems for cells form, and organs develop.

embryonic period

emphasizes that development is the result of an ongoing, bidirectional interchange between heredity and environment.

epigenetic view

emphasizes the importance of adaptation, reproduction, and "survival of the fittest" in shaping behavior.

evolutionary psychology

the process of a single sperm cell from a male unites with an ovum in a female's fallopian tube

fertilization

a cluster of abnormalities and problems that appear in the offspring of mothers who drink alcohol heavily during pregnancy. (facial deformities, defective limbs, heart, learning problems)

fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD)

lasts about seven months, is the prenatal period that extends from two months, after conception until birth in typical pregnancies. Growth and development continue their dramatic course during this time

fetal period

a genetic disorder that results from an abnormality in the x chromosome, which becomes constricted and often breaks. (more frequent in males) (intellectual disability, autism, a learning disability, or short attention span)

fragile x syndrome (FXS)

the interaction of a specific measured variation in DNA and a specific measured aspect of the environment

Gene x Environment (G x E) interaction

units of hereditary information composed of DNA. Direct cells to reproduce themselves and manufacture the proteins that maintain life

genes

a person's genetic heritage; the actual genetic material

genotype

the period of prenatal development that takes place in the first two weeks after conception. (includes the creation of the fertilized egg (zygote), cell division, and the attachment of the multicellular organism to the uterine wall.

germinal period

involves skin-to-skin contact in which the baby, only wearing a diaper, is held upright against the parent's bare chest(2-3 hours a day, extended in early infancy)

kangaroo care

a chromosomal disorder in which males have an extra x chromosome, making them xxy instead of xy. (undeveloped testes, enlarged breasts, and become tall)

Klinefelter syndrome

weight less than five pounds and eight ounces at birth

low birth weight infants

a specialized form of cell division that occurs to form eggs and sperm (or gametes)

meiosis

cellular reproduction in which the cell's nucleus duplicates itself with two new cells being formed, each containing the same DNA as the parent cell, arranged in the same 23 pairs of chromosomes

mitosis

a childbirth method in which no drugs are given to relieve pain or assist in the birth process. The mother and her partner are taught to use breathing methods and relaxation techniques during delivery.

natural childbirth

nerve cells that handle information processing at the cellular level in the brain. (born with about 100 billion, in prenatal development more to specific locations and start to become connected)

neurons

organ formation that takes place during the first two months of prenatal development

organogenesis

the way an individual's genotype is expressed in observed and measurable characteristics

phenotype

involves a major depressive episode that typically occurs about four weeks after delivery . (have strong feelings of sadness, anxiety, or despair that for at least a 2 week period.)

postpartum depression

the period after childbirth when the mother adjusts, both physically and psychologically to the process of childbearing. This period lasts for about 6 weeks or until her body has completed its adjustment and returned to a nearly prepregnant state.

postpartum period

this childbirth strategy is similar to natural childbirth but includes a special breathing technique to control pushing in the final stages of labor and more detailed anatomy and physiology instruction. (developed by French obstetrician Lamaze.)

prepared childbirth

are born three weeks or more before the pregnancy has reached its full-termin other words, 35 or fewer weeks after conception.

preterm infants

any agent that can potentially cause a birth defect or negatively alter cognitive and behavioral outcomes

teratogen

a chromosomal disorder in females in which either x chromosome is missing, making the person xo instead of xx, or part of one x chromosome is deleted. (short in stature, webbed neck)

turner syndrome

a study in which the behavioral similarity of identical twins is compared with the behavioral similarity of fraternal twins

twin study

a chromosomal disorder in which the male has an extra y chromosome. (cognitive defects and more externalizing and internalizing problems)

xyy syndrome

the fertilized egg ( a diploid cell resulting from the fusion of two haploid gametes; a fertilized ovum.

zygote

Piagetian concept of adjusting schemes to fit new information and experiences

accommodation

piagetian concept of using existing schemes to deal with new information or experiences

assimilation

developmental sequence in which the earliest growth always occurs at the top-the head-with physical growth in size, weight, and feature differentiation gradually working from top to bottom

cephalocaudal pattern

also called parentese, language spoken in a higher pitch, slower tempo, and with more exaggerated intonation than normal, with simple words and sentences

child-directed speech

recovery of a habituated response after a change in stimulation

dishabituation

a mechanism that Piaget proposed to explain how children shift from one stage of thought to the next

equilibration

involve more finely tuned movements, such as finger decterity.

fine motor skills

skills that involve large-muscle activities, such as moving one's arms and walking.

gross motor skills

the ability to produce and comprehend an endless number of meaningful sentences using a finite set of words and rules

infinite generativity

the ability to relate and integrate information from two or more sensory modalities, such as vision and hearing

intermodal perception

a form of communication whether spoken, written, or signed, that is based on a system of symbols. consists of the words used by a community and the rules for varying and combining them.

language

the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen, heard, or touched.

object permanence

the first of Piaget's stages, which lasts from birth to about 2 years of age; during this stage, infants construct an understanding of the world by coordinating sensory experiences with motoric actions.

sensorimotor stage

the use of short, precise words without grammatical markers such as articles, auxiliary verbs, and other connectives. Not limited to two words.

telegraphic speech

A method developed by Fantz to determine whether infants can distinguish one stimulus from another by measuring the length of time they attend to different stimuli.

visual preference method

as the infant or child seeks to construct an understanding of the world, the developing brain creates__. In Piaget's theory, actions or mental representations that organize knowledge.

schemas

occurs when information interacts with sensory receptors-the eyes, ears, tongue, nostrils, and skin.(the product of the interaction between the sensory receptors)

sensation

the name given to decreased responsiveness to a stimulus after repeated presentations of the stimulus. (decreased responsiveness to a stimulus after repeated presentations of the stimulus.

habituation

the collection of neural fibers that connects to the right and left hemispheres of the brain, permits them to communicate, and coordinate processing.

corpus callosum

the specialization of function in one hemisphere of the cerebral cortex or the other

lateralization

the process of encasing axons with fat cells, begins prenatally and continues throughout childhood, even into adolescence.

myelination

developmental perspective in which biological processes and environmental conditions influence the brain's development; the brain has plasticity and is context dependent; and cognitive development is closely linked with brain development.

neuroconstructivist view

proliferation of new immature neurons during 5th week. 200,000 neurons every min.

neurogenesis

most active during the first 5 weeks of life in the sensorimotor cortex and subcortical parts of the brain because these parts of the brain are important for other areas of the brain to connect to for normal functioning. (creation of new synapses, new connections, happens during whole life of a human being, most active is the first weeks of life.)

synaptogenesis

a sequence in which growth starts at the center of the body and moves toward the extremities. (ex. onfants control the muscles of their trunkand arms before they control their hands, and they use their whole hands before they control several fingers.

proximodistal pattern

the destruction of unimportant neurons to increase the processing speed of the nervous system (not negative its efficient)

pruning

the interpretation of what is sensed. (air waves that contact ears might be interpreted as noise or as musical sounds.

perception

a condition that occurs when an infant stops breathing, usually during the night, and suddenly dies without apparent cause (one main cause of infant death more than 2,000 cases annually.)

sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)

a life-threatening injury that occurs when an infant is forcefully shaken back and forth, a motion that ruptures blood vessels in the brain and breaks neural connections.

shaken baby syndrome

built-in reactions to stimuli, and they govern the newborn's movements. (genetically carried survival mechanisms that are automatic and involuntary)

reflexes

important accomplishments in gross motor skills during the first year, culminating in the ability to walk easily. (1) prone, lift head, 2)Prone, chest up, use arms for support, 3)roll over 4)support some weight with legs, 5)sit without support, 6)stand with support, 7)pull self to stand 8) walk using furniture for support, 9)stand alone easily 10)walk alone easily

motor milestones