Module 10: Lifespan Development - Stages of Development

Vocabulary flashcards covering the core concepts, major developmental areas, key theoretical issues, and biological/cultural influences from Module 10: Lifespan Development.

Developmental Psychology

The scientific study of human development.

Physical (Biological) Development

The development of our brains and bodies at each stage of life.

Cognitive Development

The development of our mind, encompassing thinking, memory, language, reasoning, and related intellectual processes.

Social (Psychosocial) Development

The development of our relationships with others and ourselves, including attachment, emotional development, and peer relationships.

Normative Approach to Development

An approach in developmental psychology that identifies typical developmental milestones children usually achieve at specific ages to assess regular progress and detect potential issues.

Developmental Milestones

Specific biological, cognitive, or social-emotional skills and behaviors that children typically reach or display at particular ages.

Nature and Nurture Issue

A foundational developmental issue that explores how genetic inheritance (DNA) and life experiences guide development across the lifespan.

Change and Stability Issue

A developmental psychology question exploring the ways we change as we grow older versus the ways our traits and behaviors stay the same.

Continuity and Stages (Discontinuity) Issue

A developmental question that addresses whether human growth is a slow, gradual progression or a series of discrete leaps into new ways of thinking and behaving.

Continuous Development

The concept that development unfolds gradually and cumulatively over time as a smooth slope of progression.

Discontinuous Development

The concept that development progresses through distinct, discrete stages or bursts of qualitative change.

Cross-Cultural Similarities in Development

Developmental areas that remain the same across the world due to universal biological maturation of the brain and body, such as puberty, brain development, and language acquisition.

Cross-Cultural Differences in Development

Variations in developmental milestones and timing between different countries influenced by child-rearing practices and environmental experiences, including motor onset (walking age), cognitive skills, and emotional development.

Epigenetics

The scientific study of how environmental influences and experiences impact the way genes are turned on or off.