Lifespan_Psychology_PPT_Y11

Lifespan Psychology

The study of continuity and change throughout the lifespan.

Developmental Stages

The different phases of growth individuals go through: prenatal, infancy, childhood, adolescence, early adulthood, middle age, and older age.

Physical Development

Changes in physical attributes, including gross and fine motor skills throughout the lifespan.

Cognitive Development

Changes in the ability to think, reason, and use language throughout the lifespan.

Social and Emotional Development

Changes in personal identity, emotional responses, and relationships with others over time.

Fine Motor Skills

Small muscle movements, such as writing or grasping.

Gross Motor Skills

Larger muscle movements, such as running and jumping.

Tip-of-the-Tongue Phenomenon

The inability to recall a word or name despite feeling that it is just out of reach.

Self-awareness

The ability for an individual to understand their own thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.

Self-concept

An individual’s perception of their strengths, weaknesses, likes, and dislikes.

Prenatal Stage

The development stage from conception to birth.

Infancy Stage

The developmental period from birth to 1 year.

Childhood Stage

The developmental period from 1 to 12 years old.

Adolescence Stage

The developmental stage from 12 to 20 years.

Early Adulthood Stage

The developmental stage from 20 to 40 years.

Middle Age Stage

The developmental stage from 40 to 65 years.

Older Age Stage

The developmental stage from 65 years and beyond.

Neuroplasticity

The brain's ability to change and reorganize itself in response to experience.

Developmental Plasticity

The ability of the brain to reorganize itself during critical periods like infancy and adolescence.

Adaptive Plasticity

The brain’s ability to compensate for loss of functions or to acquire new capabilities.

Myelination

The process of coating the axons of neurons with myelin to improve communication speed.

Synaptic Pruning

The process of eliminating weaker synaptic connections while strengthening others.

Proliferation

The rapid growth and multiplication of neurons and synapses that occurs primarily during infancy.

Circuit Formation

The process by which neurons establish connections and form network circuits.

Self-esteem

An individual's overall subjective emotional evaluation of their own worth.

Centration

Focusing on one aspect of a situation while ignoring others; a cognitive limitation in young children.

Object Permanence

The understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen.

Egocentrism

The inability to differentiate between self and other, characteristic of early childhood.

Symbolic Thinking

The ability to use symbols, such as words or drawings, to represent objects and ideas.

Concrete Operational Stage

Piaget's stage (7-11 years) when children become capable of logical thought about concrete objects.

Formal Operational Stage

Piaget's last stage (age 11 and up) when individuals can think abstractly and logically.

Assimilation

The process of integrating new experiences into existing schemata.

Accommodation

The adjustment of existing schemata to incorporate new experiences.

Maternal Deprivation

Consequences that result from a child being separated from their mother during formative years.

Internal Working Model

A mental representation of self and others formed through early interactions with caregivers.

Secure Attachment

A healthy attachment style characterized by trust and security in relationships.

Insecure Avoidant Attachment

Attachment style where infants appear indifferent to their caregiver's presence or absence.

Insecure Resistant Attachment

An attachment style where infants are anxious and show ambivalence (mixed feelings) towards their caregiver.

Critical Period

A time frame in which certain experiences must occur for normal development to take place.

Feral Children

Children who have grown up with minimal human contact and thus have not developed normal human behaviors.

Rhesus Monkeys

Species used in Harlow’s attachment experiments to study infant attachment behavior.

Harlow's Experiment

Research that demonstrated the importance of contact comfort over food in forming attachments.

Strange Situation

An experimental procedure developed by Ainsworth to observe attachment behaviors in infants.

Exploration and Secure Base Behavior

How confident a child feels to explore their environment while using their mother as a safe haven.

Stranger Anxiety

The fear or anxiety a child may display when encountering a stranger.

Separation Anxiety

The distress experienced by infants when separated from their primary caregiver.

Response to Reunion

The behavior exhibited by an infant when reunited with their primary caregiver after separation.

Cross-Cultural Patterns of Attachment

Variations in attachment styles across different cultures.

Individualistic Cultures

Cultures that emphasize personal independence and self-reliance.

Collectivist Cultures

Cultures that value group goals and the welfare of the community over individual desires.

Case Study of Genie

An examination of a feral child that highlighted the importance of enriched environments for language and social development.

Impact of Enriched Environments

The influence of a stimulating social and physical environment on cognitive development.

Case Study Method

Research involving an in-depth analysis of a person or group.

Cognitive Development

The progression of thinking skills, reasoning, and understanding over the lifespan.

Piaget's Stages of Development

The sequence of cognitive development stages identified by Jean Piaget.

Emotional Development

The progression of emotional understanding and regulation throughout life.

Physical Growth

Changes in body size, shape, and functioning throughout the lifespan.

Psychosocial Development

The interplay between psychological development and social relations.

Adolescence Crisis

A period of significant emotional, psychological, or social challenge during puberty.

Language Acquisition

The process by which humans gain the ability to perceive and comprehend language.

Verbal Fluency

The ability to produce speech with ease and effectiveness.

Brain Development

The growth and changes of the brain throughout different life stages.

Emotional Regulation

The ability to monitor and control emotional responses.

Neural Connections

Links formed between neurons through synapses, crucial for brain functioning.

Empathy Development

The ability to understand and share the feelings of another person.

Environmental Influences

Factors in the surrounding environment that can affect development.

Social Skills Development

The growth of the ability to interact effectively with others.

Behavioral Responses

The observable reactions of individuals to stimuli in their environment.

Attachment Theory

The psychological model explaining the dynamics of long-term interpersonal relationships.

Behavioral Regulation

The ability to manage reactions to social and emotional stimuli.

Cognitive Acuity

Sharpness of thought and mental clarity.

Functional Independence

The ability to perform tasks and make decisions without reliance on others.

Early Intervention

The provision of services and support to children with developmental delays.

Longitudinal Study

Research that follows the same subjects over a long period to observe changes.

Qualitative Research

Research focusing on understanding and interpreting human behavior and experience.

Quantitative Research

Research collecting numerical data for statistical analysis.

Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Disorders that impact the development of the nervous system, affecting cognition and behavior.

Developmental Milestones

Specific skills or behaviors that typically emerge at certain ages.

Cognitive Load

The total amount of mental effort being used in the working memory.

Resilience

The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties and adapt positively.

Attachment Figure

The main person a child forms a bond with, typically a caregiver.

Parental Sensitivity

The responsiveness of parents to their child's signals, crucial for secure attachment.

Behavioral Observations

Monitoring and recording the behavior of individuals in various settings.

Developmental Trajectory

The path that an individual's development follows over time.

Cognitive Schema

Mental structures that help organize and interpret information.

Temperament

The inherent personality traits that influence an individual’s consistent behaviors.

Peer Relationships

Connections individuals form with others of the same age group.

Adaptive Skills

Skills that help individuals cope with and adjust to their environment.

Quality of Life

The general well-being of individuals and societies encompassing health, comfort, and happiness.

Clinical Implications

The relevance of research findings to practical applications in mental health and development.

Evoked Potentials

Electrical activities produced by the brain in response to stimuli, used in developmental assessments.

Cognitive Facilitators

People or conditions that enhance cognitive performance and learning.

Multidimensional Development

The consideration of various domains (physical, cognitive, emotional) within growth.

Emotional Intelligence

The ability to recognize, understand, and manage one's own emotions, as well as those of others.

Peer Competence

Effectiveness and skillfulness in peer interactions and relationships.

Transitional Periods

Intervals in development where individuals progress from one phase to another.

Critical Thinking Skills

The ability to think clearly and rationally, understanding the logical connection between ideas.

Lifelong Learning

The ongoing, voluntary, and self-motivated pursuit of knowledge for personal or professional development.