Human Development Key Terms

Unit 3 SUPA Psychology

biological development

how biological factors like genetics, brain structure, and neurochemistry interact with environmental influences to shape a person's physical, cognitive, and behavioral development from conception through adulthood

2 stage theories of development

1. piaget

2. erikson

self-determination theory

people are driven by innate needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness.

zone of proximal development

the "sweet spot" for learning where a task is challenging but not too difficult, as it's "just right" for developing new skills with support.

heritability

a statistical measure of how much of the variation in a trait within a population is due to genetic differences among individuals

personality traits

Openness

Contentiousness

Extroversion

Agreeableness

Neuroticism

risk factors

conditions or behaviors that increase the likelihood of a negative outcome (ex: mental health problem, academic failure)

protective factors

characteristics that decrease that likelihood or reduce the impact of risk factors, thereby promoting resilience (ex: supportive family relationships)

harlow experiment

infant monkeys preferred a surrogate mother made of cloth for "contact comfort" over a wire surrogate that provided food. this demonstrated that emotional and physical comfort, not just nourishment, are crucial for infant development and attachment.

maslow’s hierarchy of human needs

1. self-actualization

2. esteem

3. love and belonging

4. safety needs

5. physiological needs 

2 forms of attachment

1. bowlby

2. ainsworth

4 types of parenting styles

1. authoritarian

2. authoritative

3. permissive

4. uninvolved

authoritarian parenting style

strict, high-control style where parents set high demands for obedience but offer little warmth, responsiveness, or negotiation

authoritative parenting style

a balanced approach that combines high expectations with warmth and support, setting clear rules while explaining the reasoning behind them

permissive parenting style

high warmth and low demands, “kids will be kids”

uninvolved parenting style 

low responsiveness and low demands, where parents are emotionally distant, provide little guidance or support, and fulfill only basic needs like food and shelter

bowlby & ainsworth say…

the emotional and social development of an infant is profoundly shaped by their relationship with their primary caregivers

piaget

children's intelligence progresses through four distinct, sequential stages: the sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational stages. this development occurs as children actively construct knowledge through interacting with their environment.

erikson

personality develops over a lifetime through eight stages, each with a specific crisis that must be resolved.

1. infancy (trust vs. mistrust)

2. early childhood (autonomy vs. shame and doubt)

3. preschool (initiative vs. guilt)

4. school age (industry vs. inferiority)

5. adolescence (identity vs. role confusion)

6. young adulthood (intimacy vs. isolation)

7. middle adulthood (generosity vs. stagnation)

8. maturity (ego integrity vs. despair)