Developmental Psychology: Stages and Theories

Developmental Psychology

Study of systematic human changes across life-span.

Infancy

Period including physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional development.

Prenatal Period

Development from conception to birth, influenced by multiple factors.

Brain Development

Early experiences shape individual identity and growth.

Cognitive Development

Memory, attention, and language comprehension evolve rapidly.

Language Development

Involves Broca's and Wernicke's Areas for language processing.

Social & Emotional Development

Recognizing emotions in others involves the amygdala.

Sensitive Periods

Times when experiences significantly impact development.

Individual Differences

Variability in developmental milestones among individuals.

Brain Plasticity

Ability of the brain to adapt and change.

Structural Plasticity

Physical changes in brain structure due to experiences.

Functional Plasticity

Brain functions shift from damaged to healthy areas.

Adolescence

Rapid physical growth and identity exploration phase.

Nature vs Nurture

Debate on genetic vs environmental influences on development.

Continuity & Discontinuity

Development can be gradual or involve abrupt changes.

Universal Development

One developmental path with variations among individuals.

Context-Specific Development

Multiple developmental paths influenced by cultural factors.

Biopsychosocial Framework

Integration of biological, psychological, and sociocultural forces.

Late Adulthood

Period of potential physical decline and reflection.

Freudian Theory

Childhood personality development through fixed stages.

Erikson's Theory

Eight stages of development, each with unique crises.

Erogenous Zone

Genitals are the focus during the genital stage.

Cognitive Development Milestones

Typical age ranges for cognitive skills emergence.

Psychosocial Development

Development of self-concept and relationships with others.

Physical Development

Growth in strength, motor skills, and health.

Emotional Development

Understanding and managing one's own emotions.

Social Development

Interaction and relationships with peers and adults.

Cognitive Plasticity

Brain's ability to adapt in response to learning.

Psychosexual Stages

Freud's theory of personality development stages.

Fixation

Getting stuck in a developmental stage due to unresolved conflicts.

Oral Stage

First stage focusing on trust through needs being met.

Anal Stage

Second stage focusing on control during toilet training.

Anal Expulsive Personality

Messy, destructive personality type from anal stage issues.

Anal Retentive Personality

Stingy, stubborn personality type from anal stage issues.

Phallic Stage

Third stage focusing on sexual identity and curiosity.

Castration Anxiety

Fear in boys of losing their penis.

Penis Envy

Girls' feelings of inferiority due to lacking a penis.

Oedipus Complex

Boys' attraction to mothers and rivalry with fathers.

Electra Complex

Girls' attraction to fathers and rivalry with mothers.

Latency Stage

Period of social and intellectual development.

Generativity

Focus on nurturing the next generation.

Assimilation

Integrating new experiences into existing schemas.

Accommodation

Adjusting schemas to incorporate new information.

Bronfenbrenner's Theory

Development influenced by multiple environmental systems.

Microsystem

Immediate environment affecting individual development.

Mesosystem

Interconnections between different microsystems.

Exosystem

External social settings affecting individual indirectly.

Macrosystem

Cultural and societal influences on development.

Chronosystem

Temporal changes affecting development over time.

Sensorimotor Stage

First stage focusing on sensory and motor interactions.

Object Permanence

Understanding objects exist even when unseen.

Preoperational Stage

Second stage emphasizing language and symbolic thinking.

Animism

Belief that inanimate objects are alive.

Egocentrism

Inability to see perspectives other than one's own.

Centration

Focusing on one feature of an object.

Conservation

Understanding quantity remains unchanged despite appearance.

Concrete Operations Stage

Logical thinking develops with concrete examples.

Formal Operations Stage

Stage where abstract and hypothetical thinking emerges.

Kohlberg's Theory

Moral development theory focusing on internal morality.

Piagetian Theory

Theory stating children progress through four cognitive stages.

Moral Development

Understanding right and wrong through cognitive growth.

Preconventional Morality

Moral reasoning based on rewards and punishments.

Conventional Morality

Morality based on societal rules and expectations.

Postconventional Morality

Personal moral code based on individual judgment.

Life-span Perspective

Development is lifelong and influenced by various factors.

Development is Multidimensional

Includes biological, cognitive, and socioemotional dimensions.

Development is Multidirectional

Developmental dimensions can expand or contract over time.

Development is Plastic

Development can change in response to experiences.

Developmental Science

Interdisciplinary study of human development.

Normative Age-graded Influences

Similar influences experienced by individuals of a specific age.

Normative History-graded Influences

Common influences due to historical events affecting generations.

Non-normative Life Events

Unusual events impacting individuals differently.

Vygotsky's Theory

Emphasizes social influences on cognitive development.

Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

Difference between independent and assisted task performance.

Scaffolding

Support provided by skilled individuals during learning.

Sociocultural Contexts

Development shaped by cultural and social environments.

Cross-cultural Studies

Comparative analysis of different cultural aspects.

Socioeconomic Status (SES)

Position in society based on economic and educational factors.

Stages of Language Development

Progression of language skills crucial for communication.

Transgender

Individuals whose gender identity differs from assigned sex.

Social Policy

Government actions aimed at promoting citizen welfare.

Technology in Development

Impact of technology on all developmental stages.

Biological Processes

Physical changes in an individual's nature.

Cognitive Processes

Changes in thought, intelligence, and language.

Socioemotional Processes

Changes in relationships, emotions, and personality.

Three Developmental Patterns of Aging

Describes aging stages: childhood, adulthood, and old age.

Four Ages

Categorizes human life into four distinct age groups.

Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience

explores links between development, cognitive processes, and the brain.

Developmental Social Neuroscience

examines connections between socioemotional processes, development, and the brain.

Normal Aging

characterizes most individuals, for whom psychological functioning often peaks in early middle age and shows a modest decline through the early eighties.

Pathological Aging

characterizes individuals who show greater than average decline as they age through the adult years.

Successful Aging

characterizes individuals whose positive physical, cognitive, and socioemotional development is maintained longer, declining later in old age than is the case for most people.

Toddler

child from about 1.5 years to 3 years old. Transitional phase from infancy to early childhood.

Early Childhood

developmental period from 3 through 5 years of age; also called the 'preschool years'. Children become more self-sufficient, care for themselves, and develop school readiness skills.

Chronological Age

number of years that have elapsed since birth. But time is a crude index of experience, does not cause anything; not the only way to measure age.

Biological Age

age in terms of biological health. Involves knowing the functional capacities of a person's vital organs.

Psychological Age

adaptive capacities compared to those of other individuals of same chronological age.

Social Age

connectedness with others and the social roles individuals adopt. Individuals who have better social relationships with others are happier and more likely to live longer than individuals who are lonely.

Early Adulthood

period from 20s to early 30s. Time of establishing personal and economic independence, advancing in a career, selecting a mate, learning to live with that person in an intimate way, starting a family, and rearing children.

Middle Adulthood

40 to about 60 years of age. Expanding personal and social involvement and responsibility; of assisting the next generation in becoming competent, mature individuals; and of reaching and maintaining satisfaction in a career.