Unit 3: Developmental

Developmental psychology

A subfield of psychology that studies physical, cognitive, and social change throughout the life span.

Cognition

All mental processes associated with thinking, knowing, and remembering.

Schemas

Concepts or mental frameworks that organize and interpret information.

Assimilation

Interpreting new experience in terms of existing schemas.

Accomodation

Adapting current schemas to incorporate new information.

Sensorimotor Stage

In Piaget's theory, the stage (from birth to about 2 years of age) during which infants learn about the world through their sensory impressions and motor activities.

Object Permanence

The awareness that things continue to exist even when you cannot see or hear them.

Preoperational Stage

In Piaget's theory, the stage (from about 2 to 6 or 7 years of age) during which a child learns to use language but cannot yet think logically.

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 forms of objects.

Egocentrism

In Piaget's theory, the inability of the preoperational child to take another person's point of view or to understand that symbols can represent other objects.

Concrete Operational Stage

In Piaget's theory, the stage of cognitive development (from about 6 or 7 to 11 years of age) during which children gain the mental skills that let them think logically about concrete events.

Formal Operational Stage

In Piaget's theory, the stage of cognitive development (beginning about age 12) during which people begin to think logically about abstract concepts and form strategies about things they may not have experienced.

Stranger anxiety

The fear of strangers that infants commonly display, beginning by about 8 months of age.

Attachment

The emotional tie with another person shown by seeking closeness to the caregiver and showing distress on separation.

Critical period

The optimal period shortly after birth when an organism's exposure to certain experiences produces proper development.

Imprinting

The process by which certain animals form attachments during a critical period early in life.

Authoritarian parenting

A style of parenting marked by imposing rules and expecting obedience.

Permissive Parenting

A style of parenting marked by submitting to children's desires, making few demands, and using little punishment.

Authoritative parenting

A style of parenting marked by making demands on the child, being responsive, setting and enforcing rules, and discussing the reasons behind the rules.

Jean Piaget

Pioneer in the study of developmental psychology who introduced a stage theory of cognitive development that led to a better understanding of children's thought processes.

Konrad Lorenz

Researcher who focused on critical attachment periods in baby birds, a concept he called imprinting.

Adolescence

The transition period from childhood to adulthood, extending from puberty to independence.

Erik Erikson

Created an eight-stage theory of social development

Social Clock

The culturally preferred timing of social events such as marriage, parenthood, and retirement

Emerging Adulthood

A period from the late teens to the mid-twenties (and sometimes later), bridging the gap between adolescent dependence and full independence and responsible adulthood

Trust vs. Mistrust (infancy-1)

If needs are dependably met, infants develop a sense of basic trust (1st stage)

Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt (1-3)

Erikson's stage in which a toddler learns to exercise will and to do things independently; failure to do so causes shame and doubt (2nd stage)

Initiative vs. Guilt (3-6)

preschoolers learn to initiate tasks and carry out plans, or they feel guilty about their efforts to be independent (3rd stage)

Industry vs. Inferiority (6-puberty)

children learn the pleasure of successfully applying themselves to tasks, or they feel inferior (4th stage)

identity vs. role confusion (teens-20s)

teenagers work at refining a sense of self by testing roles and then integrating them to form a single identity, or they become confused about who they are (5th stage)

Intimacy vs. Isolation (20s-40s)

young adults struggle to form close relationships and to gain the capacity for intimate love, or they feel socially isolated (6th stage)

Generativity vs. Stagnation (40s-60s)

middle aged people discovered sense of contributing to the world, usually through family and work, or they may feel a lack of purpose (7th stage)

integrity vs despair (60s and up)

reflecting on his or her life, an older adult may feel a sense of satisfaction or failure (8th stage)

preconventional morality

first level of Kohlberg's stages of moral development in which the child's behavior is governed by the consequences of the behavior

conventional morality

second level of Kohlberg's stages of moral development in which the child's behavior is governed by conforming to the society's norms of behavior

postconventional morality

third level of Kohlberg's stages of moral development in which the person's behavior is governed by moral principles that have been decided on by the individual and that may be in disagreement with accepted social norms

Lawrence Kohlberg

Famous for his theory of moral development in children; made use of moral dilemmas in assessment

naturalistic observation

A research method used in psychology to watch subjects in their typical environment without interference. It helps to gain insights into behavior in real-life settings.

cognitive perspective

An approach in psychology that emphasizes the role of mental processes in understanding behavior, including thoughts, perceptions, and problem-solving.

informed consent

The process of obtaining permission from participants before involving them in research, ensuring they understand the nature, risks, and benefits of the study.

debriefing

The process of informing participants about the study's purpose and procedures after their involvement, often including an explanation of any deception used.

ethics

Principles that guide research conduct, ensuring participant welfare, integrity, and scientific honesty.

deception

The use of false information or misleading participants about the true nature of a study, typically to maintain the study's integrity and validity.

secure attachment

A strong emotional bond between a child and caregiver, characterized by trust and the ability to explore the environment while knowing they can return for comfort.

resistant attachment

A type of attachment where a child is clingy and overly dependent on the caregiver, yet shows distress and anger upon separation, often exhibiting ambivalence toward them.

avoidant attachment

A type of attachment characterized by a child's apparent indifference to a caregiver's presence and absence, often avoiding or ignoring the caregiver upon return.