developmental psychology

cross-sectional study

studies people of different ages at the same time

disadvantage: cohort effect

longitudinal study

studies the same group over time

disadvantage: expensive, people drop out

zygote

fertilized egg, develops into embryo after rapid cell division for two weeks

embryo

developing human organism

heart beat at 6 weeks

fetus

developing human organism from nine weeks til birth

habituation

infants’ decreasing responsiveness to repeated stimuli

depth perception

babies learn this by the time they can crawl

gross motor skills

movements involving large muscle groups (walking, running)

fine motor skills

smaller and detailed movements that require hand-eye coordination (writing, drawing)

body contact, familitarity, responsive parenting

three things attachment is based on

critical period

optimal period after birth when certain events must take place to ensure proper development

imprinting

process where certain animals form attachments during a critical period early in life

secure attachment

explore and play comfortably when near mothers, distressed when she leaves

insecure attachment

cling to mothers, when she leaves they become upset, or seem indifferent to their mothers

avoidant and anxious-ambivalent

two types of insecure attachment

authoritarian, authoritative, permissive, rejecting-neglecting

four types of parenting

ecological systems theory

a child’s development is influenced by multiple layers of environmental systems

microsystem mesosystem exosystem macrosystem chronosystem

five systems of ecological systems theory

theory of mind

preschoolers, though still egocentric, learn to understand another’s mental state

scaffolding

letting a child learn independently when possible and providing when needed

zone of proximal development

gap between what a child can learn unaided and what they can learn with an adult or more capable peer

vygotsky

psychologist who believed development was a result of human communities and social interaction (sociocultural approach)

assimilation

interpreting new experiences in terms of existing mental structures

accomodation

changing existing mental structures to explain new experiences

lack of conservation

no awareness physical quantities remain constant in spite of changes in shape or appearance

centration

focusing on just one feature of a problem

invincibility fable

belief that bad things only happen to other people

personal fable

when adolescents think their thoughts, feelings, and experiences are unique and more important than others’

imaginary audience

tendency of adolescents to think their peers are constantly wathcing and evaluating their performance

social identity

an individual’s sense of who they are based on their membership in social groups (nationality, religion, profession, etc)

identity diffusion

state where individuals have not yet explored or committed to life choices, leading to uncertainty about sense of self

identity foreclosure

stage where individuals commit to goals, beliefs, or values without exploring alternatives, adopting to the expectations of family/society

identity moratorium

stage where indivudals actively explore different life paths but have not yet made a final commitment, leading to uncertainty and experimentation

identity achievement

stage where various life paths explored and a firm decision is made, resulting in a clear and stable sense of self