Common Course Assesment

Epigenetic theory

Focuses on how genes and the environment interact to influence
development.

Vygotsky’s theory

Emphasizes social interaction and gradual guidance (e.g.,
scaffolding)

Skinner

Associated with operant conditioning—learning through rewards and
punishments

Chomsky

Believes in an inborn capacity for language acquisition

Piaget

Known for stages of cognitive development, including preoperational thinking.

Freud

Linked to psychosexual stages (e.g., oral stage tied to habits like overeating

Classical conditioning

Learning through association (e.g., associating doctor’s office
with pain)

Operant Conditioning

Behavior shaped by reinforcement or punishment

Zone of Proximal Development (vygotsky)

Skills a child can develop with help from
others

Cross-sectional

Compares people of different ages at one point in time

Longitudinal

Studies the same individuals over time

Cross-sequential

Combines both to separate age effects from cohort effects

Experimental

Tests cause-and-effect by manipulating variables

Nature

Traits based on genetics (e.g., inherited at conception)

Nurture

Traits shaped by environment and experiences

Recessive genes

Hidden when a dominant gene is present

Height

Reflect gene-environment interaction

What is the first active system in prenatal development?

Nervous system

Germinal period

Begins with implantation in uterus

Teratogens

Substances that increase risk of birth defects (e.g., alcohol, infections)

Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)

Caused by alcohol exposure during pregnancy

Preoperational stage

Characterized by focus on appearance, lack of conservation

Conservation

Understanding that quantity remains the same despite changes in shape

Chomsky (language development)

Argues for a universal inborn ability to acquire language

Skinner (language development)

Language learned through reinforcement and imitation

Extroversion

Often linked to sociability and preference for people

Stability

increases with age; 35-year-olds tend to be most stable

Secure attachment

Most common pattern in infants; signals healthy bonding

Child maltreatment

Includes abuse, neglect, and endangerment—intentional or
avoidable

Hospice

Supports the terminally ill by helping them die peacefully and comfortably, not
to be cured.