PSY 9 Human Development

development

continuity and change in human capabilities over the course of a lifetime

cross sectional studies

 researchers assess characteristics of people of different ages at ONE timepoint – tells about age differences

flynn effect

intelligence has improved with more recent generations due to multiple factors- possibly because younger people took more tests in school

nature

biological inheritance/genes

nurture

environmental/social experiences

resilience

recovering from or adapting to difficult times - positive functioning in the face of adversity

germinal period (weeks 1 and 2)

conception, zygote is made up of 100-150 cells

embryonic period (weeks 3-8)

rate of cell differentiation intensifies, support systems for cells develop, organs begin to appear

fetal period (months 2-9)

continued organ development, high risk of teratogens

teratogen

any agent that can disrupt development of the fetus - viruses, nicotine, alcohol, drugs, STIs

FASDs

cluster of features that appear in the offspring of those who drink alcohol excessively during pregnancy

motor skills

locomotion, reaching, grasping 

preferential looking

giving an infant a choice of what object to look at

synapse

The gap between neurons that is bridged by chemical neurotransmitters - synaptic connections increase dramatically during childhood

cognitive development

how thought, intelligence, and language processes change as people mature

cognition

the way individuals think and their cognitive abilities

piaget’s theory of cognititve development

we use schemas to make sense of experience

schema 

mental concept or framework that organizes and provides a structure for interpreting information - you have a schema for what happens in a retaurant

assimilation

people incorporate new info into existing knowledge - apply old ways of doing things

accommodation

people adjust their schemas in response to new experiences - schemas are changed or new schemas are created

object permanence

term for understanding that objects and people continue to exist even when they cant be seen or heard or touched

operations

mental representations of changes that are reversible

what is preferential looking?

babies show a preference for things they look at longer

when does synaptic pruning happen?

age 3 - synapses that are unuses are removed and replaced

when does synaptic myelination happen?

begins prenatally and continues into adulthood - encasing axons with fat cells

child temperaments

easy, slow to warm up, difficult

Harry Harlow

contact comfort - hairy monkeys study that showed babies prefer comfort from mother

Erik Erikson

psychosocial developmental stages

Mary Ainsworth

strange situation test and attachment - study of leaving babies alone with strangers and seeing their reaction

Lawrence Kohlberg

moral development stages

Jean Piaget

cognitive development stages

John Bowlby

attachment styles between mother and infant - secure vs. insecure

Diana Baumrind

parenting styles - authoritarian, authoritative, permissive, neglectful

difference between accommodate and assimilate?

accommodating = elaborating on existing schemas

assimilate = apply old schemas to new experiences (boo calls sully “kitty”)

shortcomings of piaget’s theory?

he underestimated cognitive abilities of young children

sensorimotor stage (0-2 years)

object permanence develops, coordinate sensations with movements

preoperational stage (2-7 years)

symbolic thinking (words and images), intuitive reasoning (gut feelings), egocentrism (everything revolves around my POV)

concrete operational stage (7-11 years)

operational thinking, classification skills, reason logically in concrete contexts

formal operational stage (11-15ish years)

abstract and idealistic thoughts (algebra), hypothetical deductive reasoning

trust vs. mistrust - birth to 1.5 years

Sense of trust requires a feeling of physical comfort and minimal amount of fear about the future

autonomy vs. shame and doubt in toddlerhood

Starting to discover that they have a will of their own – assert their independence and autonomy

initiative vs. guilt early childhood

learning to assume responsibility - this can be difficult

industry vs. inferiority - 6yrs to puberty

mastering knowledge and intellectual skills

identity vs. role confusion in adolescence 10-20 years

finding out who you are and where you’re going in life

intimacy vs. isolation - early adulthood (20-30)

finding friendships or relationships or being alone - am I gonna find love or be alone forever

generativity vs. stagnation - middle adulthood (40s-50s)

assist the younger generation in developing and leading useful lives

integrity vs. despair - 60s+

overall life review and finding sense of meaning of your life

authoritarian parenting style

stern and punitive, demanding - lots of rules enforced harshly, you do this because I said so

authoritative parenting style

demanding but less harsh - sensitive and responsive - you do this because ___

permissive

let kids do whatever they want, hands off no rules

neglectful

not caring for the kid at all

preconventional

moral reasoning based on consequences and punishments from external world

conventional

standards learned from parents or society’s laws

postconventional

contracts, rights, abstract principles – alternative moral courses, explores options, develops moral code

prosocial behavior

behavior intended to benefit other people

puberty

rapid skeletal and sexual maturation mainly in early adolesence

adolescent egocentrism

belief that everyone is as preoccupied with them as they are - thinking that everyone is going to notice their pimple

exploration

investigating various options for career and personal values

commitment

making a decision about which identity path to follow and making a personal investment in attaining that identity

emerging adulthood

transitional period from adolescence to adulthood from 18-25 years of age

peak physical development

most adult reach this during their 20s - point when you are your healthiest, after this it begins to decline

cellular clock theory

cells can divide a max of 100 times and as we age they become less capable of dividing - therefore, there is a max life span

socioemotional selectivity theory

older adults are more selective in their social interactions to maximize positive, meaningful experiences