Theoretical Perspectives on Human Development

A set of flashcards covering key concepts from the lecture on theoretical perspectives in human development.

Theory

A way of organizing observations or facts into a comprehensive explanation of how something works.

Falsifiable

A characteristic of a good theory that allows it to generate hypotheses that can be tested and potentially refuted.

Psychoanalytic Theories

Theories that describe development and behavior as a result of the interplay of inner drives, memories, and conflicts that we are unaware of.

Freud's Psychosocial Theory

A theory developed by Sigmund Freud focusing on psychosexual stages, where unconscious drives target different body parts for pleasure.

Psychosexual Stages

Periods identified by Freud in which unconscious drives are focused on different parts of the body, leading to pleasure from stimulation.

Erikson's Psychosocial Theory

A theory proposed by Erik Erikson that emphasizes the role of society and culture in shaping development, with less focus on instinctual drives.

Unconscious Processes

Mental processes that occur without our awareness, significant in Freud's theories.

Hypotheses

Proposed explanations for a given phenomenon that can be tested by research.

Lifespan Development

The study of how individuals develop and change throughout their life.

Early Family Experience

The influence of family dynamics and interactions during early life stages on overall development.