NURS 300: Lifespan Development Study Guide

Vocabulary flashcards detailing key developmental milestones, theoretical stages, physiological changes, and clinical terms across the lifespan from newborn through middle adulthood.

Apgar Score

A standardized clinical evaluation conducted at $1$ and $5\text{ minutes}$ after birth assessing five components: Appearance/color, Pulse/heart rate, Grimace/reflex irritability, Activity/muscle tone, and Respiration, each scored $0$, $1$, or $2$ for a total of $0\text{--}10$ points.

Bonding

The strong emotional tie between a parent and newborn that begins quickly after birth and may even begin during pregnancy.

Attachment

The affectionate relationship between parent and child that develops gradually over time through repeated parent-infant interactions.

En Face

A face-to-face positioning that directly facilitates and supports eye contact between a caregiver and newborn.

Engrossment

The intense focus, absorption, and fascination that a father or partner develops with the newborn infant.

Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt

Erikson's psychosocial developmental stage during the toddler phase (ages $1\text{--}2\text{ years}$), characterized by developing a sense of independence and self-direction expressed by 'I can do it myself.'

Initiative vs. Guilt

Erikson's psychosocial developmental stage during the preschool phase (ages $2\text{--}6\text{ years}$), characterized by purposeful planning, exploration, and the attitude 'I have a plan.'

Receptive Language

The cognitive ability to comprehend and understand spoken words, which typically develops before a child is able to speak.

Expressive Language

The ability to produce and speak words to communicate thoughts, needs, or ideas.

Pincer Grasp

The fine motor coordination of grasping an object between the thumb and forefinger, which is well developed by age $1\text{ year}$.

Animism

A preoperational thinking characteristic wherein a child attributes lifelike qualities, thoughts, or feelings to inanimate objects and toys.

Magical Thinking

A preoperational cognitive belief that one's personal wishes, feelings, or thoughts directly cause external events, such as believing anger caused a parent's illness.

Egocentrism

A cognitive developmental characteristic in which a young child assumes that other people experience and perceive the world in the exact same manner they do.

Symbolism

The preoperational cognitive ability to use one object to represent another, such as pretending an ordinary box is a train.

Time-Out

A behavioral correction technique that removes a child to a safe location to regain self-control, governed by the rule of $1\text{ minute}$ per year of age and effective for ages $1\text{--}6\text{ years}$.

Parallel Play

A characteristic social play behavior around age $2\text{ years}$ in which children play alongside one another without sustained interpersonal interaction.

Cooperative Play

An interactive form of play emerging around ages $3\text{--}4\text{ years}$ that progresses to organized roles and shared goals by age $5\text{ years}$.

Industry vs. Inferiority

Erikson's central psychosocial developmental task for middle childhood (ages $6\text{--}12\text{ years}$), focused on mastering skills, achieving goals, and addressing the question 'Am I capable?'

Social Cognition

The developmental capacity to understand how one's actions affect others, emerging as early childhood egocentrism fades around age $7\text{ years}$.

Exercise

Planned, structured, and repetitive physical activity that is performed intentionally to achieve a specific fitness goal, distinct from incidental physical activity.

Latchkey Children

School-age children who are left unsupervised at home after school because their parents work and extended family is unavailable.

Puberty

The period of sexual maturation characterized by physical and psychological changes that result in the functional ability to reproduce.

Secondary Sex Characteristics

Bodily traits and physical features that appear during puberty that differentiate the sexes but are not directly involved in reproduction.

Asynchronous Growth

A normal pubertal growth pattern in which different body parts mature and grow at varying rates, often causing temporary physical awkwardness.

Menarche

The occurrence of the first menstrual period in females, typically occurring between ages $10\text{--}15\text{ years}$.

Spermatogenesis

The physiological production of sperm cells, which begins during mid-puberty in males.

Nocturnal Emissions

Involuntary ejaculations of semen occurring during sleep ('wet dreams') that represent a normal physiological pubertal event not necessarily linked to sexual activity.

Imaginary Audience

An adolescent cognitive phenomenon involving intense self-consciousness, wherein individuals believe that everyone around them is constantly watching and scrutinizing their appearance or behavior.

Identity vs. Role Confusion

Erikson's psychosocial developmental task during adolescence, focused on experimenting with styles and roles to establish a stable identity versus experiencing uncertainty about one's place in society.

Clique

A peer group characterized by exclusive, fixed membership that exerts a strong influence on adolescent behavior, standards, and social validation.

Gender Dysphoria

A clinical conflict and distress experienced when an individual's assigned biological sex does not align with their internal gender identity.

Intimacy vs. Isolation

Erikson's psychosocial developmental stage in young adulthood (ages $20\text{--}40\text{ years}$), centered on building warm, trusting, committed relationships versus remaining guarded, casual, and emotionally separated.

Postformal Thought

An advanced cognitive operational stage that moves beyond abstract reasoning to synthesize multiple, conflicting viewpoints, balance ambiguities, and evaluate long-term outcomes to solve complex real-world problems.

Murstein's Three Stages

A developmental model describing mate selection through three progressive phases: $1$) Stimulus (initial attraction and traits), $2$) Value comparison (assessing mutual values), and $3$) Role (evaluating long-term functional compatibility and commitment).

Generativity vs. Stagnation

Erikson's central psychosocial developmental task during middle adulthood (ages $40\text{--}65\text{ years}$), focused on contributing constructively to future generations, community, and society versus falling into self-absorbed disengagement.

Identity Accommodation

A healthy midlife psychological process of reshaping one's self-concept to align with current biological and practical realities rather than clinging to an unfulfilled earlier ideal.

Sandwich Generation

Middle-aged adults who bear the dual responsibility of simultaneously caring for aging parents while providing financial or developmental support to their dependent or emerging-adult children.

Midlife Transition

A healthy, reflective period of realignment with midlife priorities and the next life stage, often resulting in positive personal growth such as returning to education or pursuing healthier habits.

Midlife Crisis

A maladaptive response to aging characterized by reckless, unhealthy, and out-of-character behaviors in an attempt to undo time or compensate for perceived lost opportunities.

Climacteric

The broader physiological and hormonal transitional period that terminates female reproductive capability and causes a gradual decline in male sex hormones and sexual activity.

Menopause

The permanent cessation of menstruation caused by hormonal changes, typically occurring between ages $45\text{--}55\text{ years}$.

Hot Flashes

Vasomotor symptoms typical of menopause caused by sudden capillary dilation that produces flushing, heat, and sweating, followed by compensatory vasoconstriction and chills.