Human Growth and Development Clep Practice

The theory that children actively construct knowledge through stages of cognitive development.

Piaget cognitive developmental theory

The view that cognitive development is shaped by social interaction, language, and cultural tools.

Vygotsky sociocultural theory

Which example is this? An adult gives guided help during a task so that a child can perform at a level just beyond independent ability.

Vygotsky Sociocultural theory

The theory that development unfolds through lifespans stages maked by central psychosocial conflicts

Erikson psychosocial theory

An example, an adolescent explores identity, values, and future roles instead of simply repeating childhood patterns

Erikson psychosocial theory

A research design that follows the same participants over time to observe developmental change?

Longitudinal study

In context, a psychologist measures language growth in one group of children every year from age three to age ten.

Longitudinal Study

A research design that compares participants of different ages at one point in time

Cross-sectional study

In context, a researcher compares memory scores from children, teenagers, adults, and older adults during the same semester.

Cross-sectional Study

An environmental agent that can disrupt prenatal development and cause harm to the embryo or fetus.

Teratogen

In context, a physician warns that certain drugs and alcohol exposure during pregnancy can increase the risk of birth defects.

Teratogen

The period of sexual maturation in which hormones trigger rapid physical and reproductive development.

Puberty

The capacity of the nervous system to adapt and reorganize in response to experience, learning, or injury.

Brian Plasticity

Decreasing responsiveness to a repeated stimulus after it becomes familiar.

Habituation

A time in development when certain experiences have especially strong effects on later abilities.

Sensitive period

The understanding that objects continue to exist even when they are out of sight.

Object permanence

The realization that quantity remains the same despite changes in shape or arrangement.

Conservation

The set of cognitive processes used for planning, inhibition, working memory, and flexible control of behavior.

Executive function

The developmental process through which children learn vocabulary, grammar, and communication patterns.

Language acquisition

The social rules governing how language is used in context.

Pragmatics

The use or development of two languages, often with varying levels of proficiency across contexts.

Bilingualism

An assessment intended to measure aspects of problem solving, reasoning, or related cognitive abilities.

Intelligence test

The idea that heredity sets limits within which environment influences the development of intelligence.

Reaction Range

The emotional bond that develops between an infant and caregiver and supports security and exploration.

Attachment

The growth of reasoning about right, wrong, fairness, and obligation.

Moral Development

The process of learning behaviors by observing others and the consequences they experience.

Social Learning

A parenting style high in both responsiveness and reasonable control.

Authoritative parenting

The theory that development is shaped by nested environmental systems from immediate settings to broader cultural forces.

Bronfenbrenner ecological systems theory

In context, a student’s growth is influenced by family life, school expectations, neighborhood resources, and national policy at the same time.

Bronfenbrenner ecological systems theory

The developmental and social processes through which people understand loss, bereavement, and mortality across the lifespan.

Death and Dying

Biologically influenced differences in emotional reactivity, self-regulation, and activity level that appear early in life.

Temperament

The processes used to monitor, manage, and respond to emotional experiences.

Emotional Regulation

Specialized services provided as early as possible to address developmental delays or risks.

Early intervention

The gradual process through which people form work interests, skills, and career-related choices across the lifespan.

Occupational Development

A developmental condition involving persistent differences in social communication and restricted or repetitive patterns of behavior.

Autism Spectrum Disorder

A disorder marked by persistent patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that impair functioning.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

A teacher recognizes that younger children may struggle with conservation tasks because their reasoning is still tied to more concrete stages.

Piaget cognitive developmental theory

An adult gives guided help during a task so that a child can perform at a level just beyond independent ability.

Vygotsky sociocultural theory

An adolescent explores identity, values, and future roles instead of simply repeating childhood patterns.

Erikson psychosocial theory

A psychologist measures language growth in one group of children every year from age three to age ten

Longitudinal Study

A researcher compares memory scores from children, teenagers, adults, and older adults during the same semester.

Cross-sectional study

A physician warns that certain drugs and alcohol exposure during pregnancy can increase the risk of birth defects.

Teratogen

Parents notice accelerated growth, changing body composition, and the development of secondary sex characteristics in early adolescence.

Puberty

A child recovering from an early injury gradually develops language skills through repeated therapy and alternative neural pathways.

Brain Plasticity

An infant initially turns toward a new sound but shows less reaction after hearing the same sound many times.

Habituation

Researchers find that early visual input is especially important for normal depth perception and other perceptual development.

Sensitive Period

A baby begins searching under a blanket for a toy that was hidden moments earlier.

Object permanence

A child eventually understands that water poured into a taller glass still represents the same amount.

Conservation

A student resists distraction, keeps steps in mind, and adjusts strategy while solving a multistep problem.

Executive Function

A toddler’s speech changes from one-word labels to simple sentences as exposure and practice increase.

Language Acquisition

A child learns to change tone and wording depending on whether speaking to a teacher, sibling, or friend.

Pragmatics

A child switches languages at home and school while gradually becoming more skilled in both settings.

Bilingualism

A school psychologist uses standardized scores as one part of a broader evaluation of student needs.

Intelligence test

Two children with similar inherited potential show different outcomes because of differences in nutrition, schooling, and support.

Reaction range

A toddler uses a trusted parent as a secure base when entering a new playroom.

Attachment

A child shifts from following rules to avoid punishment toward thinking about intentions and social principles.

Moral Development

A child imitates an older sibling’s helpful behavior after seeing that behavior praised.

Social Learning

Caregivers set clear limits, explain rules, and still remain warm and supportive when children make mistakes.

Authoritative parenting

A counselor adjusts grief support because children, adolescents, and older adults often understand loss differently.

Death and Dying

One infant adapts easily to new routines while another reacts intensely and takes longer to settle.

Temperament

A preschooler gradually learns strategies such as waiting, labeling feelings, and calming down before acting.

Emotional Regulation

A speech-language program begins in preschool after screening identifies a child who is falling behind in communication.

Early intervention

An adolescent explores possible professions through coursework, mentoring, and changing self-concept.

Occupational development

A child shows intense interest in a narrow set of topics and needs support with flexible social interaction.

Autism Spectrum Disorder

A student struggles to remain seated, sustain focus, and complete tasks despite repeated reminders.

ADHD

According to the evolutionary perspective, why are certain infant behaviors likely to be inherited?

They increase the infant’s chances of survival and receiving care

Two types of genes

Determine Traits

Predispose to Traits

Example of a Predisposed Trait

Potential for alcoholism

Defining Trait

Determines hair color

What is a key distinction made in the biological perspective

Some genes are inherited or predisposed

Behaviorist

Explains development through reinforcement and punishment

Positive reinforcement

Pleasant reward, Quick reward is best for new behavior

Negative reinforcement

Take away unpleasant threat, More chores to prevent nagging

Punishment

Unpleasant result (Physical or Social)

Where can Reinforcement come from

Parent, Teacher, or Environment

What does behaviorist perspective emphasize in human development

The role of reinforcement and punishment

What’s going on in the brain to learn and how to retain information

Information Processing

Who believed that we are continuously trying to maintain cognitive equilibrium or a balance or cohesiveness in what we see and know

Jean Piaget

Existing Framework

Schema

To match with something known

Assimilation

To expand the framework to ______ to the new situation

Accommodation

What is “accommodation” in Piaget’s cognitive development theory?

Adjusting existing schema to incorporate new information

Emphasizes the importance of culture and interaction in the development of cognitive abilities

Sociocultural theory

Who came up with the sociocultural theory

Lev Vygotsky

When was Lev Vygotsky work discovered in the US

1960s

When was Lev Vygotskys work more widely know in the US

1980s

When did Lev Vygotsky (Russian Psychologist) originally write

Early 1900s

To learn through guided participation, with a capable person a child can learn cognitive skills within a certain range?

Zone of Proximal Development

Parents or siblings; those who have direct, significant contact with the person.

Microsystems

Larger organizational structures such as school, family or religion that have direct, significant contact with a child.

Mesosystems

Large cultural elements such as global economic conditions, war, technological trends, values, philosophies, and a society’s responses to the global community for a child

Macrosystems

Who created Micro, Meso, and Macrosystems.

Urie Brofenbrenner

Helps us understand how our responses to one situation becomes attached to new situations

Classical Conditioning

A learned response is called a _____ response

Conditioned

Who tested classical conditioning on lab dogs?

Ivan Pavlov

What stimulus did Pavlov introduce to learn about condition stimulus to the dogs.

A bell

Who believed that most of our fears and other emotions are classically conditioned?

Watson

Who was the child Watson conditioned to fear objects, with a Childs natural fear of loud noises?

Albert

What is a Childs natural fear

Loud noises

What theory emphasizes more conscious type of learning than classical conditioning.

Operant Conditoning