D202 Section 2

Flashcards covering physical, cognitive, psychosocial, and identity development in middle childhood and adolescence.

Physical Growth in Middle Childhood

On average, children gain about five to seven pounds a year and grow about two to three inches per year.

Child's growth spurt

Typically begins two years earlier for females (9 years old) than males (11 years old).

Gross motor skills (involving large muscles)

Boys typically outperform girls, while with fine motor skills (small muscles), girls outperform boys.

Myelin sheath

An electrically insulating layer that covers neurons and increases the speed of messages.

Behavioral interventions for overweight children

Helping children practice resisting unhealthy foods and parents being warm and supportive without using shame or guilt.

Puberty

A period of rapid growth and sexual maturation, occurring between ages 8 and 14.

Primary sexual characteristics

Changes in reproductive organs.

Secondary sexual characteristics

Visible changes not directly linked to reproduction but signal sexual maturity.

Gender Role Intensification

During puberty, gender roles gain more importance for many teenagers.

Concrete operational stage

Children ages 7 to 11 are in this stage, capable of understanding logic in concrete, tangible ways.

Generalized intelligence

Includes the abilities to acquire knowledge, to reason abstractly, to adapt to novel situations, and to benefit from instruction and experience.

Specific intelligence

A measure of specific skills in narrow domains.

Chronosystem

Ecological Model of Contextual Development

Industry

Middle childhood is a period where children develop skills and behaviors outside of their specific households, focusing on school, hobbies, and peer relationships.

Inferiority

Children comparing themselves to their peers and experiencing feelings of inadequacy.

Self-Efficacy

If a child believes they can solve a problem, they are more likely to solve the problem!

Friendships

Changes from a more egocentric understanding to one based on mutual trust and commitment.

Homophily

Teens usually hang out with others who are like them in behavior and beliefs.

Phinney’s Model of Ethnic Identity Formation

The process involves exploring and then committing to an understanding of one’s ethnicity.

Unexamined Ethnic Identity

Individuals haven’t really thought about their ethnicity.

Ethnic Identity Search

Individuals start to explore their cultural background.

Achieved Ethnic Identity

Individuals develop a clear and confident sense of their ethnic identity.

Erikson's 5th Stage: Identity vs. Role Confusion

Identity may consist of career identity, political identity, sexual identity, religious identity, interests/hobbies, physical identity, etc.

Diffusion

Occurs when a person is not actively searching for an identity (no crisis) and they are not currently committed to an identity

Moratorium

Occurs when a person is actively searching for an identity (crisis) but they have not yet committed to one.

Foreclosure

Occurs when a person did not actively search for an identity (no crisis), but they have committed to one.

Achievement

Occurs when a person actively searched for an identity (crisis) and they committed to an identity

MAMA cycling

Refers to how we may move back and forth between moratorium and achievement throughout our lives.

Low self-esteem (Adolescence)

A broad and personal judgement about who they are. This is less susceptible to influence from others as it is deeply personal.

Self-concept (Adolescence)

A person's self-description that includes both their external and internal qualities. This can be influenced by other people's comments and judgements.

Peer Relationships (Adolescence)

Peers may also be more influential in adolescents' lives

Piaget's 4th Stage: Formal Operational Thought

Capable of abstract thinking

Personal fable

Teenagers see themselves as being unique and potentially invulnerable

Imaginary Audience

Teenagers believe everyone is looking at them all the time (always on stage)

Puberty (Girls)

Typically, girls experience breast development first followed by pubic hair and armpit hair.

Puberty (Boys)

Typically, boys experience growth in genitalia first followed by pubic hair, voice changes, first ejaculation.

Deviant peer contagion

The process by which peers reinforce problem behavior by laughing or showing other signs of approval that then increase the likelihood of future problem behavior.