dev psych #1

Development

The pattern of movement or change that begins at conception and continues through the human life span.

Life-span perspective

The perspective that development is lifelong, multidimensional, multidirectional, multidisciplinary, and contextual.

Life expectancy

The average number of years that a person born in a particular year can expect to live.

Social Policy

A government’s course of action designed to promote the welfare of its citizens

Developmental Period

A time frame in a person’s life that is characterized by certain features.

Prenatal period

Conception to birth, approximately a 9 month period

Infancy

The development period from birth to 18 to 24 months

Toddler

1 ½ to 3 years of age, transition period between infancy and early childhod

Middle and late childhood

The developmental period from 6 to 11 years old.

Adolescence

Starts at 10 to 12 years of age and ends at 18-21 years of age

Emerging adulthood

The transition fro adolescence and adulthood. 18-25 years of age

Early Adulthood

20s to 30s

Middle Adulthood

40s to 60s

Late Adulthood

60-70s until death

First Age

Childhood and adolescence

Second age

Prime adulthood, ages 20 to 59

Third age

60-79

Fourth age

80 years and older

Normal Aging

characterizes most individuals, for whom psychological functioning often peaks in early middle age, remains relatively stable until the late fifties to early sixties, and then shows a modest decline through the early eighties. However, marked decline can occur as individuals approach death.

Pathological Aging

characterizes individuals who show greater than average decline as they age through the adult years. In early old age, they may have mild cognitive impairment, develop Alzheimer disease later on, or have a chronic disease that impairs their daily functioning.

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.

Chronological age

Number of years elapsed since birth

Biological Age

Person’s age in terms of biological health.

Psychological Age

An individual’s adaptive capacities.

Social Age

Refers to connectedness with others and the social roles individuals adopt.

Stability-Change Issue

Debate about whether we become older renditions of our early experience or whether we develop into someone different from who we were at an earlier point in development.

Continuity-Discontinuity Issue

Debate whether development involves gradual cumulative change or distinct stages.

Psychoanalytic Theories

Development as primarily unconscious and heavily colored by emotion.

Oral Stage

Birth to 1 ½ years

Anal Stage

1 ½ to 3

Phallic Stage

3 to 6 years

Latency Stage

6 years to puberty

Genital Stage

Puberty Onward