Human Development Unit 1 Test Review

What is human development, and what makes it a lifelong process?

• the process in which someone stays the same and changes through conception to death

What are the main areas in which people develop? Explain what each area means in your own words.

• Physical: changes in the body

• Cognitive: learning to problem sove, memory, language development, changes in intelligence

• Emotional: learning how to manage feelings

• Social: involving yourself with family, friends, peers

What does it mean to say that development is multidirectional? Why is development not simply about getting better or bigger?

• we gain abilities while losing or changing others as we age

What are some of the different things that can influence how a person develops?

• genetics and biology, family, friends, relationships, school, life experiences, culture

What is the basic idea behind the nature-nurture discussion?

• Nature: biological and genetic makeup

• Nurture: environment experiences

Why is it difficult to explain development by looking at only biology or only a person's environment?

• a persons genetics can influence how they develop, but their experiences and surrounding can also shape them

Why might the timing of an experience matter when we are thinking about development?

• some experiences have a stronger effect during certain sensitive periods of development

What do the theories and researchers studied in this unit help us understand about human development?

• help us understand why and how people change and develop throughout their lives. Such as thinks like thinking, behaviour, relationships, the environment etc.

Why are early relationships and connections with caregivers important to development?

• help children develop attachment, trust, and expectations about relationships. Bowlby’s theory suggests that early caregiving can helpe create an internal working model which influences future relationships

How can a person's surroundings and relationships affect their development?

• family, school, friends, community and other relationships can provide support or stress.

• can influence their physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development

What is the main idea behind Bronfenbrenner's ecological approach to development?

• developer is influenced by different environmental systems that interact with each other, from close relationships like family and school to larger cultural and historical influences

Why is it useful to look at more than one environment when trying to understand a person's development?

• people are affected by many connected environments.

• E.g. problems at a parents workplace could effect the family, which could hen effect the child’s development

What is Erikson's theory trying to explain about people's development?

• explains psychosocial development across the entire lifespan

• proposed 8 stages where people face different developmental challenges

Why can adolescence be an important time for developing a sense of identity?

• a time where people behind to explore who they really are, their beliefs, values, goals, and roles

• Erikson’s theory in adolescence suggests identity vs confusion

What does resilience mean? Why doesn't being resilient mean that a person never experiences difficulties?

• resilience: ability to adapt, cope, and grow when facing adversity

• being resilient does not mean someone never struggles, it means they can use coping strategies to continue developing

What kinds of things can help a person cope with challenges and continue to develop in positive ways?

• positive attitudes, optimism, emotion regulation, learning from failure, supportive relationships, caring adults, safe environments

What are risk factors and protective factors? How can they affect a person's development?

• risk factors: things that can increase the chance of negative development outcomes (poverty, unsafe environments; family stress)

• positive factors: support and reduce the effects of risks (caring relationships, safe communities)

What are ACEs, and why are they important when studying human development?

• Adverse Childhood Experiences: difficult experiences durian childhood such as abuse, violence, or family related challenged

• important because they can affect learning, brain development, relationships, stress responses

How can difficult experiences affect development without determining a person's entire future?

• protective factors, resilience, support, positive experiences can help someone adapt, cope, and continue developing

Looking at Unit 1 as a whole, why is it important to consider many different influences when trying to understand how a person develops?

• development is influenced by biology, thoughts, behaviour, relationships, environment, culture, life experienced, and the ability to change