Dev acr lifespan

chapters 1-8

Continuous development

Gradual, smooth changes over time (like growing taller)

Discontinuous development

development occurs in distinct stages with abrupt changes (like stages of thinking)

Nature

Genetic/biological influences on development

Nurture

environmental influences (experience/upbringing)

Albert Bandura-Social learning Theory

learning occurs through observing others (modeling) and imitation, especially when behaviors are rewarded

Erik Erikson- Psychosocial Theory

Development Occurs through stages involving social conflicts.

Trust vs. Mistrust

Autonomy vs. Doubt

Initiative vs guilt

Trust vs. Mistrust

Infants learn whether caregivers are reliable

Autonomy vs. Doubt

Toddlers develop independence or feel shame

Initiative vs. guilt

Children assert power through play or feel guilty

Lev Vygotsky- Sociocultural Theory

Cognitive development is shaped by social interaction and culture.

Scaffolding

Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

Scaffolding

Support given to help a child learn a task

Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

Tasks a child can do with help but not alone

Core knowledge Perspective

Infants are born with basic knowledge systems (like understanding objects or numbers)

Jean Piaget- Cognitive developmental Theory

Children actively construct knowledge through stages.

Adaptions

Assimilation

Accommodation

Adaptions

Adjusting to new information

Assimilation

Fitting new info into existing schemas

Accommodation

Changing schemas to fit new into

Cognitive Developmental Theory Stages

Sensorimotor: learning through senses/actions; object permanence develops

Object permanence: knowing objects exist even when unseen

Preoperational: symbolic thinking but limited logic

Cognitive Developmental Theory Stage Key Concepts

Symbolic activity: Using symbols (words/images)

Conservation: Quantity stays the same despite appearance changes

Egocentrism: difficulty seeing others’ perspectives

Hierarchical classifications: organizing objects into categories

Operations: logical mental rules

False beliefs

Understanding that others can hold beliefs that are incorrect

Multiples Interacting Forces

Development is shaped by many influences

Age-grades: linked to age (school, puberty)

History Graded: Shared by a generation (wars, technology)

Nonnormative: Unique personal events (accidents, divorce)

Experimental design

Manipulates variables to find cause and effect

Correlational design

Examines relationships, not causation

Cross-sectional

different ages studies at one time

Longitudinal

Same individuals studied over time

Phenotype

observable traits

Genotype

Genetic makeup

Dominant traits

Expressed with one copy

Recessive traits

Require two copies

Heterozygous

two different alleles

Homozygous

Two identical alleles

Zygote (fertilized egg)

Monozygotic twins: Identical (one zygote splits)

Dizygotic twins: fraternal (two eggs fertilized)

Epigenetics

Environment affects gene expression

Gene-environment correlations

Passive: Parents provide genets+ environment

Evocative: child traits evoke responses

Active: Child seeks environments

Teratogens

Harmful substances (e.g., drugs, school) that affect prenatal development

Synaptic pruning

removing unused neural connections

Plasticity

Brain ability to change with experience

Temperament

Innate personality traits in infancy

Easy: regular, adaptable

Difficult: Irritable, inconsistent

Slow-to-warm-up: Cautious, slow to adapt

Mary- Ainsworth- Strange situation

Attachment styles based on caregiver interaction

Secure: seeks comfort, easily soothed

Insecure avoidant: avoids caregiver

Insecure-resistant/ambivalent: clingy but hard to soothe

Nonsocial play

playing alone

Parallel play

playing near others, not interacting

Associative play

Interaction without structure

Cooperative play

Organized group play

Proactive (instrumental)

Goal-oriented aggression

Relational

Damaging relationships (exclusion)

Verbal

using words to harm

Theories of Gender Identity

Schema Theory: Children from gender-based categories

Social learning theory: Learn gender through observation/reinforcement

Cognitive development theory: Gender understanding develops in stages

Gender-schematic

Strongly follow gender norms

Aschematic

Less influenced by gender norms

Social learning Theory (Moral development theory)

Morality learned through rewards/punishment

Cognitive developmental theory (moral development theory)

Morality develops through reasoning and stages

Parenting styles

Authoritative, Authoritarian, Permissive, and Uninvolved

Authoritative

Warm, firm, supportive (best outcome)

Authoritarian

Strict, controlling, less warmth.

Permissive

warm but few rules

Uninvolved

Low warmth and control