lifespan development
age related changes from birth to death
infancy
birth to 2 years
childhood
2 - 10 years
adolescence
10/12 to 20/24 years old
early adulthood
20 - 40 years old
middle age
40 - 65 years old
older age
65 - death
physical development
changes in body and body systems
social development
changes in relationships with others and skills in interacting with others
cognitive development
changes in an individual's mental abilities
emotional development
changes in how an individual experiences feelings and emotions
continuous development
the theory that development is continuous and gradual
discontinuous development
the theory that development involves distinct and separate stages like steps
quantitative changes
refers to a change in the amount or quantity in a developmental change (ie speaks more words)
qualitative changes
refers to a change in quality or type (ie from walking to running)
heredity (nature)
genetics. Biological characteristics from parents
environment (nurture)
experiences, objects and events we are exposed to
maturation
the orderly and sequential developmental changes that occur as a result of our genes
principle of readiness
states that unless the body structures are ready, no amount of practice will produce the behaviour
sensitive period
a period of time when an individual is more responsive (sensitive) to certain influences in the environment
longitudinal study
a study which follows the same group over an extended period of time
cross sectional study
selects and compares groups of participants of different ages over a short period of time
monozygotic twins
formed from the same egg. Identical twins
dizygotic twins
two separate eggs. Non-identical twins