Developing Through the Life Span

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to human development throughout the lifespan, including prenatal, infancy, childhood, adolescence, and psychosocial stages.

Nature vs. Nurture

A major developmental issue discussing the roles of genetics and environment in human development.

Continuity and Stages

A significant developmental debate regarding whether development is gradual and continuous or occurs in distinct stages.

Stability and Change

Refers to the issue of whether traits persist through life or if they evolve over time.

Zygote

A fertilized egg that results from the union of a sperm cell and an egg, marking the beginning of human development.

Embryo

The developing human organism from about 2 weeks after fertilization through 2 months.

Fetus

The developing human organism from 9 weeks after conception until birth, recognizably human at this stage.

Teratogen

An agent that can reach the embryo or fetus during prenatal development and cause harm.

Object Permanence

The understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be observed, typically developed around 8 months.

Egocentrism

The inability to take another person's viewpoint, characteristic of the preoperational stage in Piaget's theory.

Theory of Mind

The ability to understand that others have different thoughts, beliefs, and perspectives, which develops during early childhood.

Habituation

A decrease in response to a stimulus after repeated presentations, commonly used to study infant behavior.

Secure Attachment

A type of attachment where children feel comfortable exploring their environment and show distress when separated from their caregivers.

Insecure Attachment

A type of attachment characterized by anxiety or avoidance, leading to clinginess or reluctance to explore.

Authoritative Parenting

A parenting style that is demanding but responsive; encourages independence while maintaining control.

Moral Development

The process of learning to distinguish right from wrong and develop moral reasoning.

Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development

The theory proposing three levels of moral reasoning: preconventional, conventional, and postconventional.

Integrity vs. Despair

Final stage in Erikson's theory where individuals reflect on their lives, feeling a sense of satisfaction or failure.