Study guide: lifespan development quiz one review

What does it mean that development is lifelong?

No age period dominates development.

What does it mean that development is multidimensional?

Development includes biological, cognitive, and socioemotional aspects.

What does it mean that development is multidirectional?

Some abilities increase while others decrease.

What does it mean that development is plastic?

Development has the capacity for change.

What does it mean that development is contextual?

It is shaped by history, environment, and culture.

What are normative age-graded influences?

Typical by age (e.g., puberty, menopause, starting school).

What are normative history-graded influences?

Shared by a generation (e.g., WWII, internet, COVID-19).

What are nonnormative life events?

Unique, individual experiences (e.g., car accident, early death of a parent).

What are biological processes in development?

Physical changes such as health, genetics, puberty, and cardiovascular decline.

What are cognitive processes in development?

Thinking, intelligence, and language.

What are socioemotional processes in development?

Emotions, relationships, and personality.

What is Freud’s psychoanalytic theory focused on?

Unconscious drives and early childhood, especially sexual drives.

What is Erikson’s psychosocial theory focused on?

Stages of development across the lifespan; both early and later experiences matter.

What did Skinner believe about development?

It is shaped by behavioral conditioning (rewards and punishments).

What did Bandura believe about development?

Learning occurs through social observation and modeling.

What is the evolutionary theory of development?

Development is influenced by adaptation, survival, and reproduction.

What are the steps of the scientific method?

1) Conceptualize a problem, 2) Collect data, 3) Analyze data, 4) Draw conclusions.

What is a genotype?

An individual’s genetic makeup (all genetic material).

What is a phenotype?

Observable traits such as hair color or eye color.

What is a passive genotype–environment correlation?

Parents provide both genes and environment (e.g., musical parents create musical home).

What is an evocative genotype–environment correlation?

A child’s traits elicit responses from others (e.g., happy baby gets more social interaction).

What is an active genotype–environment correlation (niche-picking)?

A child actively seeks environments that match traits (e.g., athletic child joins sports).