Human Growth and Development Flashcards

Human growth and development

The study of physical, cognitive, language, social, and emotional changes across the lifespan.

Growth

Quantitative physical change, such as an increase in height, weight, or body size.

Development

Progressive changes in abilities, function, behavior, and adaptation over time.

Maturation

Biologically influenced unfolding of functions and capacities as the body and nervous system develop.

Developmental milestone

A skill or behavior commonly achieved within a typical age range; individual variation is expected.

Nature versus nurture

The debate about how inherited biological factors and environmental experiences influence traits and development.

Biopsychosocial model

A model explaining health and development through interacting biological, psychological, and social factors.

Cephalocaudal development

A general pattern of development that progresses from the head toward the lower body.

Proximodistal development

A general pattern of development progressing from the body's center outward toward the hands and feet.

Cognitive development

Changes in thinking, memory, reasoning, learning, problem-solving, and understanding.

Language development

The growth of receptive and expressive communication, including sounds, words, grammar, and meaning.

Social development

Changes in relationships, social skills, group participation, and interaction with others.

Emotional development

Changes in recognizing, expressing, and regulating emotions and forming a sense of self.

Attachment

An enduring emotional bond between an infant or child and a caregiver that supports security and exploration.

Temperament

Early-appearing patterns of emotional response, activity, and self-regulation.

Prenatal development

Development from conception through birth.

Zygote

The single cell formed when a sperm fertilizes an ovum.

Embryonic period

The early prenatal stage in which major body structures and organ systems begin to form.

Fetal period

The prenatal stage after the embryonic period, characterized by growth and maturation of body structures.

Teratogen

An exposure, such as certain drugs, infections, or chemicals, that can disrupt prenatal development.

Placenta

An organ that supports exchange of oxygen, nutrients, and waste between maternal and fetal blood without normally mixing the two blood supplies directly.

Apgar score

A rapid newborn assessment based on Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity, and Respiration.

Infancy

The first year or so of life, marked by rapid physical growth, sensory development, attachment, and emerging mobility.

Object permanence

The understanding that an object continues to exist even when it cannot be seen.

Separation anxiety

Distress that can occur when a young child is separated from a familiar caregiver.

Early childhood

The period commonly associated with preschool years and rapid language, motor, social, and self-regulation growth.

Middle childhood

The school-age period when skills, peer relationships, rule understanding, and concrete reasoning develop further.

Adolescence

The developmental period involving puberty, identity development, and transitions toward adult roles.

Puberty

The hormonal and physical process through which sexual maturation occurs.

Identity formation

The process of developing a coherent sense of self, values, roles, and personal goals.

Emerging adulthood

A transitional period in some developmental models involving exploration of education, work, relationships, and independence.

Adulthood

The lifespan period after adolescence, involving changing roles, relationships, work, family, and responsibilities.

Aging

A lifelong biological and social process involving changes in body systems, function, roles, and experience.

Erikson's psychosocial theory

A theory proposing that people face psychosocial conflicts across life stages, each offering a developmental task.

Trust versus mistrust

Erikson's infancy-stage conflict concerning whether caregivers and the environment are dependable.

Autonomy versus shame and doubt

Erikson's early-childhood conflict concerning developing independence and self-control.

Initiative versus guilt

Erikson's preschool-stage conflict concerning initiating activities and pursuing goals.

Industry versus inferiority

Erikson's school-age conflict concerning competence, skills, and productive achievement.

Identity versus role confusion

Erikson's adolescent conflict concerning a stable sense of identity and future direction.

Intimacy versus isolation

Erikson's young-adult conflict concerning close, committed relationships.

Generativity versus stagnation

Erikson's middle-adulthood conflict concerning contributing to others and society.

Integrity versus despair

Erikson's later-life conflict concerning acceptance of one's life or regret about it.

Piaget's cognitive theory

A theory describing how children's ways of thinking change through distinct stages.

Sensorimotor stage

Piaget's stage in which infants learn primarily through senses and actions.

Preoperational stage

Piaget's stage marked by symbolic thought and language but limited logical operations.

Concrete operational stage

Piaget's stage in which children reason logically about concrete objects and events.

Formal operational stage

Piaget's stage in which abstract, hypothetical, and systematic reasoning becomes possible.

Classical conditioning

Learning through association between stimuli, in which one stimulus comes to predict another.

Operant conditioning

Learning in which consequences influence the likelihood that a behavior will occur again.

Positive reinforcement

Adding a desirable consequence after a behavior to increase the future likelihood of that behavior.

Negative reinforcement

Removing an unpleasant condition after a behavior to increase the future likelihood of that behavior.

Authoritative parenting

A parenting style combining warmth and responsiveness with clear expectations and consistent limits.

Authoritarian parenting

A parenting style emphasizing obedience and strict control with relatively low responsiveness.

Permissive parenting

A parenting style marked by high warmth but few consistent limits or demands.

Neglectful parenting

A parenting style characterized by low responsiveness and low involvement or supervision.

Maslow's hierarchy of needs

A model organizing human needs from basic physiological and safety needs toward belonging, esteem, and self-actualization.

Grief

A person's emotional, cognitive, behavioral, social, or physical response to a loss.

Bereavement

The state of having experienced the death of someone significant.

Hospice care

Care focused on comfort, quality of life, and support for people approaching the end of life.

Palliative care

Care intended to relieve suffering and improve quality of life during serious illness, at any stage of disease.

Advance directive

A legal document communicating a person's healthcare wishes or designating a decision-maker if they cannot speak for themselves.

Ageism

Stereotyping, prejudice, or discrimination directed at people because of their age.