Lifespan Development - Key Concepts and Theories (Flashcards)

A comprehensive set of practice flashcards covering key concepts, theories, and terms from the Lifespan Development lecture notes.

What is lifespan development?

The study of how you change and remain the same across the life span, across physical, cognitive, and psychosocial domains.

What are the three domains of lifespan development?

Physical development, Cognitive development, and Psychosocial development.

What is the Normative approach in lifespan development?

Studying large numbers of children to determine norms (average ages) for when most children reach specific developmental milestones.

What is the difference between continuous and discontinuous development?

Continuous development views growth as gradual accumulation; discontinuous development views growth as occurring in distinct stages at specific times.

Nature vs. Nurture in development?

The debate over the roles of biology/genetics (nature) and environment/culture (nurture) in shaping development; they interact dynamically.

What is reliability in research?

The consistency and reproducibility of a given result or measurement.

What is validity in research?

The accuracy of a test or measure in capturing what it is designed to measure.

Inter-rater reliability

Agreement among observers on how they record and classify a given event.

Test-retest reliability

Stability of a measure over time when the same individuals are tested on different occasions.

Internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha)

How well items on a test measure the same construct; internal consistency is often quantified by Cronbach’s alpha.

Parallel forms reliability

Consistency between different forms of the same test.

What is the IRB?

Institutional Review Board; a committee that reviews research proposals involving human participants to protect their rights and welfare.

Informed consent

Process of informing participants about what to expect in a study and obtaining their voluntary agreement to participate, including disclosure of risks and confidentiality.

Deception in research

Deliberately misleading participants about aspects of a study to prevent bias, used only when necessary and ethically justifiable.

Debriefing

Providing complete and truthful information about the study to participants after participation, especially if deception was used.

What is IACUC?

Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee; reviews proposals involving non-human animals to ensure ethical treatment and minimize pain.

What are teratogens?

Environmental agents (biological, chemical, or physical) that can cause damage to a developing embryo or fetus.

Examples of teratogens

Alcohol, smoking, drugs, radiation, and certain viruses (e.g., HIV, rubella).

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) effects

Physical: small head size, abnormal facial features. Cognitive: poor judgment, impulse control, higher ADHD risk, learning issues, lower IQ.

Germinal stage (Weeks 1-2)

Conception occurs; zygote divides via mitosis and implants in the uterus; placenta begins to form.

Embryonic stage (Weeks 3-8)

Organ formation begins; heart begins to beat; major body structures develop; embryo implants in the uterine lining.

Fetal stage (Weeks 9-40)

Brain development continues and the fetus grows in size and weight toward full-term.

Placenta

Structure that connects the developing embryo to the uterus and provides nourishment and oxygen via the umbilical cord.

Prenatal care

Medical care during pregnancy to monitor the health of the mother and fetus.

Newborn reflexes

Rooting, sucking, grasping, and Moro reflexes—automatic responses aiding survival.

Newborn sensory abilities

Vision is least developed at birth; newborns prefer their mother’s voice and can distinguish maternal from non-maternal scents.

Blooming vs. pruning (brain development)

Blooming: rapid formation of neural connections in infancy; pruning: selective elimination of connections later to improve efficiency.

Motor development distinctions

Fine motor skills involve small muscles (e.g., writing); gross motor skills involve large muscles (e.g., walking, running) and develop in an orderly sequence.

Piaget: Sensorimotor stage (0-2 years)

World experienced through senses and actions; object permanence and early memory; stranger anxiety arises.

Piaget: Preoperational stage (2-6 years)

Symbolic thinking, imaginative play, egocentrism; lack of logical reasoning.

Piaget: Concrete operational stage (7-11 years)

Develops logical thinking about concrete events; understands conservation and reversibility.

Piaget: Formal operational stage (12+ years)

Abstract reasoning, hypothetical thinking, and moral reasoning.

Baillargeon’s critique of Piaget

Very young infants show object permanence earlier than Piaget suggested, based on looking-time studies.

Kohlberg’s levels of moral development

Three levels: Pre-conventional, Conventional, Post-conventional, with six stages overall.

Kohlberg: Level 1 – Pre-conventional morality

Stage 1: Obedience and punishment; Stage 2: Individual interest (self-interest and rewards).

Kohlberg: Level 2 – Conventional morality

Stage 3: Interpersonal relations (social approval); Stage 4: Authority and social order.

Kohlberg: Level 3 – Post-conventional morality

Stage 5: Social contract; Stage 6: Universal ethics (internal moral principles).

Erik Erikson’s psychosocial theory

Development across the lifespan with 8 stages; each stage has a psychosocial task shaping ego identity.

Erikson: Trust vs. Mistrust (0-1 year)

Basic needs met; sense that the world is reliable and caregiver is dependable.

Erikson: Autonomy vs. Shame/Doubt (1-3 years)

Develop independence in tasks and sense of self-control.

Erikson: Initiative vs. Guilt (3-6 years)

Initiative to try new activities; possible guilt if boundaries are overstepped.

Erikson: Industry vs. Inferiority (7-11 years)

Competence and mastery in school and social tasks; either sense of industry or inferiority.

Erikson: Identity vs. Role Confusion (12-18 years)

Exploration of identity and future roles; forming a stable sense of self.

Erikson: Intimacy vs. Isolation (19-29 years)

Forming intimate relationships and close friendships.

Erikson: Generativity vs. Stagnation (30-64 years)

Contributing to society and guiding the next generation.

Erikson: Integrity vs. Despair (65+)

Reflecting on life with a sense of fulfillment or regret.

Attachment theory (Bowlby) – Secure base

Healthy attachments rely on responsive caregiving; caregiver presence provides safety for exploration.

Harlow’s monkeys

Contact comfort mattered; cloth surrogate provided security more than the wire surrogate with milk.

Mary Ainsworth’s Strange Situation

Observational assessment identifying attachment styles: Secure, Avoidant, Resistant; Disorganized (later).

Secure attachment characteristics

Distress when caregiver leaves, happy when they return; caregiver is responsive.

Avoidant attachment characteristics

Unresponsive to caregiver; little distress when they leave or return.

Resistant (anxious) attachment characteristics

Clingy, distressed when caregiver leaves, hard to soothe upon return; caregiver inconsistently responsive.

Disorganized attachment characteristics

Inconsistent or odd behavior toward caregiver; often linked to abuse or fear.

Self-concept milestones

By 18 months, recognizing self in a mirror; by 24-46 months, recognizing self in photos; influences social behavior.

Baumrind’s parenting styles

Authoritative (warmth with limits), Authoritarian (high conformity, low warmth), Permissive (few demands), Uninvolved (indifferent or neglectful).

Temperament types

Easy temperament: positive, adaptable; Difficult temperament: negative, resistant to change; influences parenting style.

Adolescence: Pubertal developments

Adrenarche (adrenal maturation) and Gonadarche (sex organ maturation) with secondary sex characteristics.

Menarche and Spermarche

Menarche: first menstrual period (around 12-13); Spermarche: first ejaculation (around 13-14).

Emerging adulthood

18 years to mid-20s; identity exploration focused on work and love; culture and longer education influence delay in maturing.

Crystallized vs. Fluid intelligence

Crystallized: accumulated knowledge and skills; Fluid: processing speed and problem-solving; crystalline remains steady or improves with age, fluid tends to decline.

Socioemotional selectivity theory

As people age, social networks shrink but become more close-knit; prioritizing meaningful relationships.

Self-Determination Theory – three basic needs

Autonomy, Competence, and Relatedness are universal needs driving motivation.

Kubler-Ross five stages of grief

Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance.

Death and dying – cultural variations

Cultural and religious differences influence practices around death (burial, cremation, etc.).