Final Developmental Psych Exam

What is Lifespan Development?

Study of how people grow, change, and stay the same from birth to death

What are the three domains of development?

Cognitive: This is how we think, learn, and solve problems

Physical: This includes the body’s growth and changes

Psychosocial: This includes emotions, relationships, and personality

Nature

Traits you're born with (genes)

Nurture

Traits shaped by your environment and experiences

Continuity

Slow, steady changes throughout the development

Discontinuity

Sudden big changes in stages of development

What is a cohort?

A group of people born at the same time who experience similar things

Socioeconomic Status (SES)

You’re family’s income, education, and job status that influences development and opportunities

What is culture in development?

The beliefs and practices of a group that affect how people grow

Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory

People go through 8 stages where they face different life challenges

Social Learning Theory

We learn by watching others and copying them (modeling)

Piaget’s Cognitive Developmental Theory

Kids build knowledge as they grow through 4 stages

Information Processing Theory

Mind works like a computer taking in, storing, and using info

Cross-sectional Study

Different ages studied at the same time. It’s fast, but does not show change over time

Longitudinal Study

Same people studied over time. It shows development, but it takes a long time

Chromosomes

Carry all the genetic info

Genes

The actual instructions that decide these traits (eye color, hair color)

Genotype

Your full genetic makeup

Behavioral genetics

Study of how genes and environment affect behavior

Epigenetics

How environment changes the way genes work without changing the genes themselves

Proximodistal

Development happens from center of body outward

Cephalocaudal

Development happens from head to toe

Brain plasticity

The brain can change and adapt based on experience

Synaptic blooming

A burst of new brain connections forming

Synaptic pruning

The brain removes unused connections

Myelination

Fatty coating (myelin) grows on neurons to help them work faster

Piaget’s Sensorimotor Stage (0–2 years)

Babies learn through their senses and actions

Object permanence

Knowing something exists even if you can’t see it

Attachment

Strong bond between baby and caregiver

Secure attachment

Cries when parent leaves, comforted when they return

Avoidant attachment

Doesn’t show much emotion

Ambivalent attachment

Clingy and hard to comfort

Disorganized attachment

Confused or fearful

Piaget’s Preoperational Stage (2–7 yrs)

• Can use symbols (like words or images)

• Still very egocentric (only sees their own view)

Egocentrism

Child believes everyone sees the world like they do

Theory of Mind

Understanding that others have different thoughts or feelings

Conservation Task

Understanding that things stay the same even if they look different (like water in cups)

Piaget’s Concrete Operational Stage (7–11 yrs)

• Thinks logically about real things

• Can do conservation and math

• Understands identity constancy (people stay the same even if appearance change)

Erikson’s Stages for Childhood

• Early Childhood: Initiative vs. Guilt → Trying new things

• Middle Childhood: Industry vs. Inferiority → Learning skills and feeling capable

Puberty

Body changes to become able to reproduce

Primary characteristics

Related to reproduction (boobs, penis..)

Secondary characteristics

Body hair, voice change, etc

Distalproximal development

Growth happens from the outside in

What happens to teen sleep?

Circadian rhythm changes—teens stay up late, want to sleep in

Piaget’s Formal Operations Stage

Teens can think about abstract ideas and future possibilities

Personal fable

“No one understands me"

Imaginary audience

“Everyone is watching me"

Risky Behavior in Teens

Due to brain changes and feeling invincible

Information Processing in Teens

• Working memory gets better

• Thinking speed increases

Identity vs. Role Confusion (Erikson)

Teens figure out who they are and what they believe. It can continue into emerging adulthood

Marcia’s Identity Statuses

• Diffusion: No direction

• Foreclosure: Made choice without exploring

• Moratorium: Exploring options

• Achievement: Found identity

MAMA Cycling

Teens may go back and forth between exploring and choosing identity

Ethnic Identity

How you feel about your cultural background

Cliques

Small, close groups

Crowds

Larger groups with labels (jocks, nerds)

Deviant Peer Contagion

Bad behavior spreads in friend groups

Teen Autonomy

Teens want independence. This causes some conflict with parents

Supportive Parenting

Warm, understanding, allows independence

Emerging Adulthood

A stage (around ages 18–25) between adolescence and full adulthood.

It exists because people now marry, work, and live independently later than before

Intimacy vs. Isolation (Erikson)

Middle-aged adults want to help the next generation. If not, they may feel stuck or unfulfilled

What influences love?

• Similarity: We like people like us

• Self-disclosure: Sharing personal thoughts builds closeness

• Proximity: We like people who are physically near us

• Mere exposure: The more we see someone, the more we tend to like them

Romantic Attachment Styles

• Secure: Trusting and comfortable with closeness

• Avoidant: Distant, avoids closeness

• Anxious: Clingy and worried
  Attachment can change over time with experience

Cultural Influences on Marriage

• Endogamy: Marrying within your group (culture, religion, etc.)

• Homogamy: Choosing a partner similar to you

• Arranged Marriages: Family or others choose partner

Communication in Married Couples (Gottman)

Healthy couples:

• Use kindness

• Manage conflict well
  Unhealthy patterns (called the “Four Horsemen”):

• Criticism

• Contempt

• Defensiveness

• Stonewalling

Bidirectional Influence

Parents affect children, and children also affect parents

Big Five Personality Traits

• Openness: Curious, imaginative

• Conscientiousness: Organized, responsible

• Extraversion: Outgoing, energetic

• Agreeableness: Kind, helpful

• Neuroticism: Anxious, moody

How do personality traits change over time?

Neuroticism (emotional instability) decreases over time, while conscientiousness and agreeableness increase. Life experiences can cause changes

What is a Midlife Crisis?

Not everyone has one!
Some people reevaluate life choices, but many feel stable and fulfilled

Biological Changes in Middle Adulthood

• Primary Aging: Natural aging process

• Secondary Aging: Caused by lifestyle (smoking, stress, etc.)

What is presbyopia?

Age-related trouble seeing things up close (need reading glasses)

Brain Changes in Middle Adulthood

Processing slows, but it is still capable of learning and memory

Fluid vs. Crystallized Intelligence

• Fluid: Quick thinking, problem-solving → decreases with age

• Crystallized: Knowledge and skills → stays strong or improves

What is Postformal Thought?

Thinking becomes more flexible and practical. Adults see "gray areas" and can deal with contradictions

Biological Aging: What causes it?

• Longer life due to medicine, health care

• Life expectancy: Average length of life

• Healthy life expectancy: Years you live without major illness

Gender and Life Expectancy

Women usually live longer than men.
Why? Genetics, lifestyle, and social support

Sensory Changes in Old Age

• Presbyopia: Trouble seeing up close

• Presbycusis: Trouble hearing high-pitched sounds

• Smell/taste decline: Can lead to weight loss in the oldest-old

Young-Old vs. Oldest-Old

• Young-Old (65–74): Generally healthy and active

• Oldest-Old (85+): More likely to need help and have health issues

Brain Atrophy

Brain shrinks with age, especially in memory-related areas

What is Scaffolding Theory of Aging?

Older adults use new brain areas or skills to make up for losses in others

What helps people age well (Successful Aging)?

• Staying active

• Staying social

• Healthy lifestyle

• Good coping skills

Crystallized Intelligence Advantage

Older adults do better at tasks needing experience and knowledge

Memory Self-Efficacy

Believing you have good memory skills confidence helps performance

Selective Optimization with Compensation

Older adults:

• Select what’s important

• Optimize strengths

• Compensate for losses

Activity Theory

Staying involved in activities helps older adults stay happy and healthy

Ego Integrity vs. Despair (Erikson)

Older adults look back on life:

• Integrity: Proud and content

• Despair: Regretful or disappointed