Psychology Lecture: Lifespan Development, Nature vs. Nurture, and Social Dynamics

A collection of vocabulary flashcards defining fundamental concepts of lifespan development, friendship styles, nature versus nurture, and cognitive changes throughout life.

Psychosocial development

Refers to the development of how a person relates to other people and how those social relationships in turn help shape that person's identity.

Side-by-side relationships

A style of friendship, generally characteristic of men, formed by engaging in shared activities and being brought together by similar interests.

Face-to-face friendships

A style of friendship, generally characteristic of women, that is based primarily on communication, shared thoughts, and mutual feelings.

Nature

The set of biological traits, capabilities, and genetic programming that come into existence at the exact instant of conception.

Nurture

The environmental circumstances, outside forces, experiences, and influences from other people that impact an individual from conception onward.

Learned helplessness

A phenomenon resulting from abuse or adverse experiences where an individual feels that their actions will make no difference, leading them to stop trying.

Postformal thought

The cognitive ability, developing beyond childhood and adolescence, to think complexly beyond what is directly presented and to generate independent ideas.

Wisdom

The shift in cognitive approach during late adulthood where an individual uses a store of life experience to compensate and plan ahead for natural age-related deficiencies.

Old man strength

A physical effect where an older individual uses a deep store of physical experience to accomplish physical tasks efficiently despite age-related declines in raw strength.