chapter 10:Developmental Psychology and Cognitive Development

These flashcards cover key concepts in developmental psychology, particularly focusing on cognitive development, attachment, and parenting styles as discussed in the lecture.

What is Cognitive Development

The study of how children acquire and develop cognitive abilities and skills.

What is Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development

A theory that outlines how children's thinking evolves through four stages from infancy to adolescence.

What is Sensori-Motor Stage

The first stage in Piaget’s theory, lasting from birth to approximately age 2, characterized by experiencing the world through senses and actions.

What is Object Permanence

The understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen.

What is Deferred Imitation

The ability to remember and replicate an action after a period of time has passed.

What is Preoperational Stage

The second stage in Piaget’s theory, occurring from ages 2 to 7, where children begin to engage in symbolic play but lack the ability to perform operations on objects.

What is Egocentrism

The inability of a child in the preoperational stage to see a situation from another person's perspective.

What is Centration

The tendency to focus on one aspect of a situation while neglecting others.

What is Identity Constancy

The understanding that a person’s identity remains the same despite changes in appearance.

What is Concrete Operational Stage

The third stage in Piaget’s theory, from ages 7 to 11, where children gain a better understanding of mental operations and can think logically about concrete events.

What is Conservation

The principle that quantity remains the same despite changes in shape or arrangement.

What is Formal Operational Stage

The fourth stage in Piaget’s theory, from ages 11 to 16, characterized by the ability to think abstractly and scientifically.

What is Attachment

An emotional bond between a child and caregiver, which plays a crucial role in personal development.

What is Harlow's Research

Experiments with infant monkeys demonstrating the importance of 'contact comfort' over food.

What is Ainsworth's Strange Situation

A procedure for assessing the attachment style of a child by observing their behavior in a new environment.

What is Secure Attachment

A healthy attachment style characterized by trust and a strong bond with a caregiver.

What is Avoidant Attachment

An insecure attachment style where the child appears indifferent to the caregiver's presence or absence.

What is Resistant Attachment

An insecure attachment style marked by extreme anxiety and distress upon separation from the caregiver.

What is Disorganized Attachment

A type of insecure attachment characterized by a lack of clear attachment behavior, often resulting in confusion.

What is Parenting Styles

Different approaches to parenting that can influence a child's emotional and social development.

What is Authoritative Parenting

A style where parents are responsive and demanding, leading to a well-balanced relationship with children.

What is Authoritarian Parenting

A style characterized by high demands and low responsiveness, often restricting a child’s autonomy.

What is Indulgent Parenting

A responsive style that permits children considerable freedom without teaching them social rules.

What is Neglecting Parenting

A style that is characterized by a lack of responsiveness and discipline.

When development proceeds in a stepwise fashion with periods of growth interrupted by periods where growth is not occurring, we’d say that development is taking a(n) ________ trajectory.

Discontinuous

Between birth and one year, infants are dependent on their caregivers; therefore, caregivers who are responsive and sensitive to their infant’s needs help their baby to develop a sense of the world as a safe, predictable place. In Erikson’s developmental theory, what is the primary developmental task of this stage?

Trust vs mistrust

________ are concepts (mental models) that are used to help us categorize and interpret information.

Schemata

During Piaget’s proposed ________ stage of development, children understand events and analogies logically, and they can perform simple mathematical operations. At the same time they lack the ability to think abstractly.

Concrete operational

Which parenting style is most encouraged in modern America?

Authoritative

One-year-old Ainsley learned the schema for trucks because his family has a truck. When Ainsley sees cars driving on television, he says, “Look mommy, truck!” This exemplifies ________.

Assimilation

Which of the following is not a developmental issue children face during the preoperational stage?

Object permanence

Umberto is a one year old, and his mother is sensitive and responsive to his needs. He is distressed when his mother leaves him, and he is happy to see her when she returns. What kind of attachment is this?

Secure

What does nurture refer to in the nature vs. nurture debate?

Environment and culture

________ development involves learning, attention, memory, language, thinking, reasoning, and creativity.

Cognitive

What are the three domains of development, and how are they different?

Physical = changes in the body,Cognitive = changes in thinking, Psychosocial = changes in emotions and relationships. They differ because each focuses on a different area—body, mind, and emotions/social life

What is the normative approach to development?

The normative approach to development looks at the typical patterns of growth that most people follow at certain ages.

What are the three major issues in development?

Continuity vs. discontinuity → Is development gradual or in stages?

One common course vs. many unique courses → Do people develop the same way or differently?

Nature vs. nurture → Is development influenced more by genetics or environment?

What is Freud’s theory of psychosexual development?

Freud’s theory says personality develops in five stages, each linked to a body part and a type of pleasure:

1. Oral (0–1 year): Mouth – sucking and chewing

2. Anal (1–3 years): Bowel/bladder control

3. Phallic (3–6 years): Genitals – focus on family relationships

4. Latency (6–12 years): Sexual feelings quiet; focus on school and friends

5. Genital (12+ years): Mature sexual relationships

What are the major tasks of child and adult psychosocial development according to Erikson?

Erikson’s theory outlines eight stages of psychosocial development, each with a key task:

1. Infancy (0–1 year): Trust vs. mistrust – learn to trust caregivers

2. Toddler (1–3 years): Autonomy vs. shame – learn independence

3. Preschool (3–6 years): Initiative vs. guilt – learn to take initiative

4. School age (6–12 years): Industry vs. inferiority – learn skills and competence

5. Adolescence (12–18 years): Identity vs. role confusion – develop a personal identity

6. Young adulthood (18–40 years): Intimacy vs. isolation – form close relationships

7. Middle adulthood (40–65 years): Generativity vs. stagnation – contribute to society and family

8. Late adulthood (65+ years): Integrity vs. despair – reflect on life and feel a sense of fulfillment

What is Piaget’s view of cognitive development, and how do his stages explain childhood thinking?

Piaget said children think differently at each age, and their thinking develops in four stages:

1. Sensorimotor (0–2 years): Learn through senses and actions; know things exist even if hidden.

2. Preoperational (2–7 years): Use language and symbols; focus on their own view.

3. Concrete Operational (7–11 years): Think logically about real things; understand that quantity stays the same even if appearance changes.

4. Formal Operational (12+ years): Think abstractly and solve hypothetical problems.

What is Kohlberg’s theory of moral development?

Kohlberg said people develop morals in stages:

1. Preconventional (children): Follow rules to avoid punishment or get rewards.

2. Conventional (teens): Follow rules to be good and gain approval.

3. Postconventional (adults, some people): Follow personal principles of justice, even if they break rules.