developmental psychology
a branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive, and social changes throughout the life span
zygote
the fertilized egg; it enters a 2-week period of rapid cell division and develops into an embryo
embryo
the developing human organism from about two weeks after fertilization through the second month
fetus
the developing human organism from 9 weeks after the conception of birth
teratogens
(literally monster maker) agents, such as toxins, chemicals, and viruses, that can reach the embryo or fetus during prenatal development and cause harm
fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)
physical and cognitive abnormalities in children caused by a pregnant woman's heavy drinking. In severe cases, symptoms include noticeable facial misproportions
habituation
decreasing responsiveness with repeated stimulation. As infants gain exposure to a visual stimulus, their interest wanes and they look away sooner
maturation
biological growth process that enables orderly changes in behavior, relatively influenced by experience
critical period
an optimal period early in life of an organism when exposure to certain stimuli or experiences produces normal development
cognition
the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering and communicating
schema
a concept or framework that organizes and interprets information
assimilation
interpreting out new experiences in terms of our existing schemas
accommodation
in developmental psychology, adapting to our current understandings (schemas) to incorporate new information
sensorimotor stage
in Piaget's theory, the stage (from birth to about 2 years of age) during which infants know the world mostly in terms of their sensory impressions and motor activities
object permanence
the awareness that things continue to exist even when they are not perceived
preoperational stage
in Piaget's theory, the stage (from about 2 to about 6 or 7 years of age) during which a child learns to use language but does not yet comprehend the mental operations of concrete logic
conservation
the principle (which piaget believed to be a part of concrete operational reasoning) that properties such as mass, volume, and number remain the same despite changes in the form of object
egocentrism
in Piaget's theory, the pre operational child's difficulty taking another's point of view
theory of mind
peoples' ideas about their own and others mental states
concrete operational stage
in Piaget's theory, the state of cognitive development (from about 6 or 7 to 11 years of age) during which children gain the mental operations that enable then to think logically about operational events
autism
a disorder that appears in childhood and is marked by deficient communication, social interaction, and understanding of others' states of mind
formal operational stage
in Piaget's theory, the stage of cognitive development (normally beginning at age 120 during which people begin to think logically about abstract concepts
stranger anxiety
the fear of strangers that infants commonly display, beginning by about 9 months of age
attachment
an emotional tie with the another person; shown in young children by their seeking closeness to the caregiver and showing distress on separation
imprinting
the process by which certain animals form attachments during a critical period very early in life
temperament
a person's characteristic emotional reactivity and intensity
basic trust
according to Eric Erikson, a sense that the world is predictable and trustworthy; said to be formed during infancy by appropriate experiences with responsive caregivers
List the stages of Piaget's Stages of Cognitive development. Also, give the age in which each stage takes place.
- sensorimotor = birth to nearly 2 years
- preoperational = 2 - about 6 or 7
- concrete operational = 7-11 yrs.
- formal operational = 12- adulthood
Describe Piaget's sensorimotor stage and its developmental phenomena
- description: experiencing the world through senses and actions (looking hearing touching mouthing and grasping)
- phenomena: object permanence, stranger anxiety
describe Piaget's pre operational stage and its developmental phenomena
- description: representing things with words and images; using intuitive rather than logical reasoning
- phenomena: pretend play, egocentrism
describe Piaget's concrete operational stage and its developmental phenomena
- description: thinking logically about concrete event; grasping concrete analogies and performing arithmetical operations
- phenomena: conservation, mathematical transformations
describe Piaget's formal operational stage and its developmental phenomena
- description: abstract reasoning
- phenomena: abstract logic, potential for mature moral reasoning
The biological process called (blank) describes why most children begin walking by about 12 to 15 months
- maturation
Object permanence, pretend play, conservation, and abstract development are all milestones for which of Piaget's stages, respectfully?
object permanence = sensorimotor stage
pretend play = pre operational stage
conservation = concrete operational stage
abstract logic = formal operational stage
thinking about abstract concepts such as freedom is an example of what stage?
Formal operational
enjoying imaginary play is an example of what stage?
preoperational
understanding that physical properties stay the same even when the object changes form is an example of what stage?
concrete operational
having the ability to reverse math operations is an example of what stage?
concrete operational
understanding that something is not gone for good when it disappears from sight, as when mom disappears behind the shower curtain is an example of what stage?
sensorimotor
having difficulty taking another persons point of view (as when blocking someones view of the TV) is an example of what stage?
Preoperational
What distinguishes imprinting from attachment?
Attachment is the normal process by which we form emotional ties with important others. Imprinting occurs only in certain animals that have a critical period very early in their development during which they must form their attachments, and they do so in
The three parenting styles have been called "too hard, too soft, and just right". Which one is which and why?
The authoritarian style would be too hard. The permissive style would be too soft. The authoritative style would be just right. Parents using the authoritative style tend to have children with high self esteem, self-reliance, and social competence. Author
Between the ages of 3 and 6, the human brain experiences the greets growth in the (blank) lobes, which we use for rational planning and which continue developing at least until adolescence.
frontal
Why can't we consciously recall how we learned to walk as infants?
We have no conscious memories of events occurring before age 3.5 in part because major brain areas have not yet matured
Although Piaget's stage theory continues to inform our understanding of children's thinking, many researchers still believe that ...
Piaget's stages begin earlier and development is much more continuous than he realized
Why was the Harlow's monkeys finding important?
Before these studies, many psychologists believed that infants became attached to those who nourished them
From the very first week of life, infants differ in their characteristic emotional reactions with some infants being intense and anxious, while others are easy going and relaxed. These differences are usually explained as differences in (blank).
temparment
What findings support the stage theory of development? What findings challenge these ideas?
Stage theory is supported by the work of Piaget (cognitive development) , Kohlberg (moral development) and Erikson (psychological development), but it is challenged by the findings that change is more gradual and less culturally universal than these theor
What are the three major issues that developmental psychology focuses on?
- Nature and Nurture
- Continuity and Stages
- Stability and Change
What findings in psychology support the idea of stability in personality across the lifespan? What findings challenged this idea?
some traits, such as temperament, of exhibit remarkable stability across many years. But we do change in other ways, such as in our social attitudes, especially during life's early years.
The first two weeks of prenatal development is the period of the (1). The period of the (2) lasts from 9 weeks after conception until birth. The time between those two prenatal periods is considered the period of the (3).
1) zygote
2) fetus
3) embryo
Developmental researchers who emphasize learning and experience are supporting (1), those who emphasize biological maturation are supporting (2).
1) continuity
2) stages
Although development is lifelong, there is stability of personality over time. for example....
temperament tends to remain stable throughout life
Body organs first begin to form and function during the period of the (1); within 6 months, during the period of the (2), the organs are sufficiently functional to allow for a chance of survival.
1) embryo
2) fetus
Stroke a newborn's cheek and the infant will root for a nipple. This illustrates...
a reflex
Stages" theories of moral development
Lawrence Kohlberg
Stages" theories of psychological development
Erik Ericson
Stages" theories on cognitive development
Jean Piaget