Human Development

A collection of vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts and terms from the Human Development lecture notes.

Developmental Psychology

The study of how behavior and mental processes change over time, including individual differences.

Post Hoc Fallacy

Assuming that because one event happened before another, the first event caused the second.

Bidirectional Influences

Continuous, reciprocal interactions between an individual and their environment where both shape each other.

Cohorts

Groups of individuals in developmental research defined by their age.

Longitudinal Design

Research design that examines development in the same group of people across multiple occasions over time.

Infant Determinism

The misconception that early experiences have a profound and unchangeable influence on later development.

Nature-Nurture Debate

Discussion about the relative contributions of genetics (nature) and environment (nurture) in shaping development.

Teratogens

Environmental factors that can negatively impact prenatal development.

Attachment Styles

Patterns of behavior in infants regarding their emotional responses to caregiver separation and return.

Kohlberg’s Moral Development

A theory outlining how morality evolves through three major stages: preconventional, conventional, and postconventional.

Stranger Anxiety

Fear of strangers that typically begins in infants at around 8–9 months of age.

Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

The phase of learning during which children can benefit from instruction, crucial for skill acquisition.

Cognitive Development

The process through which children acquire the ability to learn, think, communicate, and remember as they grow.

Erikson's Stages of Development

The model highlighting eight stages characterized by psychosocial crises throughout the lifespan.

Physical Development in Adolescence

Dramatic physical changes during the transition from childhood to adulthood, including puberty.

Motor Development Milestones

Key physical achievements in infants such as sitting up, crawling, and walking.

Trust vs. Mistrust

The first stage of Erikson's psychosocial development, where infants develop a sense of security based on caregiver interactions.

Cognitive Function in Late Adulthood

Cognitive decline in many areas, but stability or increase in tasks involving recognition and vocabulary.

Authoritative Parenting

A parenting style characterized by support and firm limits, associated with the best outcomes in children's development.