Lifespan Development Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering core concepts, theories, developmental stages, research methods, and ethical guidelines from Lifespan Human Development notes.

Lifespan Human Development

The ways people grow, change, and stay the same throughout life, from conception to death.

Physical Development

Changes in the body, brain, motor skills, and physical abilities.

Cognitive Development

Changes in thinking, memory, language, problem-solving, and other mental processes.

Socioemotional Development

Changes in emotions, personality, self-concept, and relationships.

Multidimensional

A characteristic of development meaning that it occurs in multiple areas, including physical, cognitive, and socioemotional development.

Multidirectional

A characteristic of development meaning that it includes both gains and losses.

Plasticity

The characteristic of development being changeable or malleable.

Context

The environments and circumstances in which development occurs.

Nature vs. Nurture Debate

A developmental debate where nature refers to genetics/biology and nurture refers to environmental experiences.

Continuous Development

Development characterized by gradual, ongoing change.

Discontinuous Development

Development that occurs in distinct stages or sudden changes.

Active Participant View

The perspective that people influence their own development through their interactions and choices.

Psychosexual Theory

Sigmund Freud's theory consisting of five stages focused mainly on unconscious impulses and psychosexual development.

Oral Stage

Freud's first psychosexual stage (Birth–18 months), focusing on the mouth, sucking, and feeding.

Anal Stage

Freud's second psychosexual stage (18 months–3 years), focusing on toilet training and control.

Phallic Stage

Freud's third psychosexual stage (3–6 years), focusing on the genitals and identification with the same-sex parent.

Latency Stage

Freud's fourth psychosexual stage (6 years–puberty), where sexual impulses are relatively quiet while children focus on school, sports, and friendships.

Genital Stage

Freud's fifth psychosexual stage (Puberty through adulthood), marked by mature sexual interests and relationships.

Psychosocial Theory

Erik Erikson's theory consisting of eight stages across the entire lifespan, focusing on psychosocial development and society/culture.

Trust vs. Mistrust

The first stage in Erik Erikson's psychosocial theory, spanning birth to 1 year.

Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt

The second stage in Erik Erikson's psychosocial theory, spanning 1–3 years.

Initiative vs. Guilt

The third stage in Erik Erikson's psychosocial theory, spanning 3–6 years.

Industry vs. Inferiority

The fourth stage in Erik Erikson's psychosocial theory, spanning 6–12 years.

Identity vs. Role Confusion

The fifth stage in Erik Erikson's psychosocial theory, spanning puberty to early adulthood.

Intimacy vs. Isolation

The sixth stage in Erik Erikson's psychosocial theory, occurring in early adulthood.

Generativity vs. Stagnation

The seventh stage in Erik Erikson's psychosocial theory, occurring in middle adulthood.

Integrity vs. Despair

The eighth stage in Erik Erikson's psychosocial theory, occurring in late adulthood.

Behaviorism

The study of observable behavior and how the environment influences it.

Classical Conditioning

Learning by forming an association between stimuli, associated with Ivan Pavlov.

Operant Conditioning

Learning in which consequences influence whether a behavior happens again, associated with B. F. Skinner.

Reinforcement

A consequence that makes a behavior more likely to occur again.

Punishment

A consequence that makes a behavior less likely to occur again.

Social Learning Theory

Albert Bandura's theory emphasizing observational learning, active thinking, and reciprocal determinism.

Observational Learning

Learning by watching other people.

Reciprocal Determinism

The concept that the person, behavior, and environment all influence one another.

Cognitive-Developmental Theory

Jean Piaget's theory consisting of four stages that views children as active explorers who learn by interacting with their environment.

Cognitive Schema

A mental framework used to organize and understand information.

Sensorimotor Stage

Piaget's first cognitive stage (Birth–2 years), involving learning through senses and motor actions.

Preoperational Stage

Piaget's second cognitive stage (2–6 years), where language develops, but thinking still has logical limitations.

Concrete Operational Stage

Piaget's third cognitive stage (7–11 years), involving logical thinking about concrete/tangible situations.

Formal Operational Stage

Piaget's fourth cognitive stage (12 years–adulthood), involving abstract, logical, and hypothetical thinking.

Information-Processing Theory

A theory that compares the mind to a system that takes in, processes, stores, and retrieves information.

Sociocultural Theory

Lev Vygotsky's theory emphasizing culture and social interaction in cognitive development.

Bioecological Theory

Urie Bronfenbrenner's theory emphasizing how multiple environmental systems interact with biological and psychological development.

Microsystem

In Bronfenbrenner's theory, the person's immediate environment, such as family, school, and friends.

Mesosystem

In Bronfenbrenner's theory, connections between parts of the microsystem.

Exosystem

In Bronfenbrenner's theory, environmental settings that indirectly affect the person.

Macrosystem

In Bronfenbrenner's theory, larger cultural and societal influences such as values, laws, and culture.

Chronosystem

In Bronfenbrenner's theory, changes and transitions that occur over time.

Ethological Theory

Theory focusing on the evolutionary basis of behavior and its survival value, associated with Konrad Lorenz and John Bowlby.

Evolutionary Developmental Theory

Theory examining how genetic and environmental mechanisms interact to influence development.

Theory

A comprehensive explanation that organizes observations and facts.

Hypothesis

A proposed explanation that can be tested through research.

Self-Report Method

A research method where participants provide information about their own experiences, beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors, such as interviews or questionnaires/surveys.

Naturalistic Observation

Observing behavior in a person's natural environment.

Participant Reactivity

When people change their behavior because they know they are being observed.

Structured Observation

Observing behavior in a controlled environment.

Operational Definition

A specific, measurable definition of the behavior or variable being studied.

Correlational Research

Research that examines relationships between variables, with the key principle that correlation does NOT equal causation.

Experimental Research

Research that manipulates a variable to test cause-and-effect relationships.

Independent Variable (IV)

The variable the researcher manipulates or changes.

Dependent Variable (DV)

The outcome or behavior the researcher measures.

Experimental Group

The group that receives the manipulation or independent variable.

Control Group

The group that does not receive the experimental manipulation.

Random Assignment

Giving each participant an equal chance of being placed in either group.

Cross-Sectional Research

Research comparing different age groups at one point in time.

Longitudinal Research

Research studying the same group of people over an extended period.

Cross-Sequential Research

Research studying multiple age groups and following them over time.

Institutional Review Board (IRB)

A board that reviews research to protect participants and ensure ethical standards are followed.

Informed Consent

Agreement to participate in research that is informed, rational, and voluntary.