Psych 1101: Lifespan Development

Exam 2

Physical Development

Growth and change in body and brain

Cognition Development

Changes in learning, attention, memory, language, thinking, reasoning

Psychosocial Development

Changes in emotion, personality, and social relationships

Environment

How your parents interact with you, friendships, cultural expectations, nutrition, health care, etc.

Reflex

Automatic response to certain sensory inputs. Present from birth (not learned). Infants have special ones which help them survive.

Synaptic Pruning

The elimination of unneeded neural connections. Increases processing speed and improves cognitive abilities

Gross Motor Skills

Ability to perform large movements (walking, jumping, etc)

Fine Motor Skills

Ability to perform small movements (writing, eating, playing with toys)

Crawling Age

6-8 months

Standing with Support

9-10 months

Walking age

11-15 months

Reaching for objects age

1-3 months

Reaching and grasping objects age

4-7 months

Mastering releasing objects age

~18 months

Attachment Style

Your “working model” for relationships. Your expectation for how people will respond to your needs in a relationship

Secure attachment style

Children use caregiver as a “home base”; Upset when caregiver leaves, happy upon return. Caregiver consistently responding to needs.

Avoidant Attachment Style

Does not seek mother when she returns; Focuses on environment; Little reaction to caregiver → not noticeably upset when caregiver leaves, ignores upon return. Caregiver inconsistently responding to needs

Anxious/Resistant/Ambivalent Attachment Style

Children “cling” to caregiver; Very upset when caregiver leaves, hard to calm upon return

Secure Attachment → Adult Attachment

Comfortable in relationships; Able to seek support from partner

Avoidant Attachment → Adult Attachment

Greater sense of autonomy; Tend to cut themselves off emotionally from partner

Ambivalent/Resistant Attachment → Adult Attachment

Fears rejection from partner; Strong desire to maintain closeness

Puberty

Maturation of sexual organs; Begins around 9-12 for girls, 10-13 for boys; Early onset advantageous for boys, bad for girls

Compared to adults teens are:

More sensitive to stress and pleasure; More reactive to peer influence and evaluation; Not able to accurately judge risk or predict consequences

Imaginary Audience

The feeling that everyone is constantly watching you and keeping track of your actions

Personal Fable

The belief that you are special or unique and immune to consequences

Depression in Adolescence

Most common psychological problem teenagers face. At least 1 in 5 teens have at least one episode. Girls 2x more likely to be diagnosed.

Friendship in Adolescence

Replace parents as the most influential people in a person’s life. Strongest source of social support. Help teenagers manage stress, but can also create more stress.

Co-rumination

Repeatedly discussing or mulling over problems without taking action or attempting to solve them; Can lead to anxiety or depression

Romance in Adolescence

When most begin dating; Introduces positives and negatives into adolescence’s social life

Healthy Relationships

Provide social support; Increase feelings of acceptance; Buffer against anxiety and depression

Break-Ups/ Rejection

Increase in loneliness; Rejection is painful; Can worsen anxiety and depression

Unhealthy Relationships

Increases in drug use, risky sexual behaviors, and delinquency; Poor academic achievement; Dating and relationship advice. “Early starters” (11-13) are at elevated risk

Social Clock

Cultural expectations for when major life events should occur. Varies between cultures; Being “on-schedule” increases self-esteem, Being “off-schedule” decreases self-esteem.

Physical Aging

Most signs aren’t very noticeable until middle adulthood (40-65)