Human Development Lecture

Flashcards covering key concepts, stages, principles, and contextual factors related to human development.

What is the scientific study of the systematic processes of change and stability in people from "womb to tomb" called?

Human development

Which domain of human development involves changes in size, shape, and characteristics of the body?

Physical domain

What term describes the process of generating new neurons in the brain?

Neurogenesis

What is the process of forming new synapses (connections) between neurons called?

Synaptogenesis

Which developmental domain includes changes in thinking, memory, problem-solving, and other intellectual skills?

Cognitive domain

What is metacognition?

Awareness and understanding of one’s own thought processes—"thinking about thinking."

Which domain concerns changes in relational characteristics, emotional intelligence, and personality expression?

Psychosocial domain

Name the first stage of human development identified by the PRC.

Prenatal development (conception to birth)

At what point does the stage of infancy end?

When basic communication skills are established (around the first three years)

Which developmental stage ends with the start of puberty?

Middle childhood

During which stage does development reach its peak before or after age 18?

Adolescence

According to the PRC, at what age does late adulthood begin?

Age 60

How do heredity and environment interact in maturation?

They work together to influence the rate and direction of development, producing individual differences.

Give one positive way low socioeconomic status can affect maturation.

It can motivate individuals to strive harder and mature earlier to assist their families.

Define culture in the context of development.

The shared beliefs, values, practices, and social norms that shape how a group thinks, behaves, and interacts.

What is a cohort?

A group of people who share the same or nearly the same birth year.

Give one example of a normative age-graded change.

Experiencing puberty (e.g., menstruation or voice deepening) within a typical age range.

What type of developmental change is unique to an individual and not shared by their cohort?

A non-normative change

Differentiate a critical period from a sensitive period.

Critical period: absence/presence of stimuli has drastic, irreversible effects; Sensitive period: heightened responsiveness that facilitates adaptation but with less severe consequences if missed.

Which life-span principle states that gains in one area may coincide with losses in another?

Development is multidirectional.

According to Cattell, which type of intelligence peaks in early adulthood?

Fluid intelligence (Gf)

Which type of intelligence tends to increase with age due to accumulated knowledge and experience?

Crystallized intelligence (Gc)

What does the life-span approach say about the relative importance of developmental periods?

Development is lifelong; no period is more or less important than another.

What is plasticity in human development?

The capacity for significant improvement through training and practice, reflecting the brain’s and behavior’s adaptability.

Provide an example of changing resource allocations across the life span.

Youth: time & energy, little money; working adult: money & energy, little time; older adult: money, less energy & time.

Which contextual factor includes customs like greetings, dining etiquette, and holiday celebrations?

Culture

How did COVID-19 restrictions illustrate a normative history-related change?

They altered children’s social play and development due to a shared historical event affecting a generation.

What are the three kinds of developmental changes outlined in the lecture?

Normative age-graded, normative history-related, and non-normative changes

What quotation by Gabor Maté summarizes the nature-versus-nurture debate?

"In the real world there is no ‘Nature vs. Nurture’ argument, only an infinitely complex and moment-to-moment interaction between genetic and environmental effects."

Why are the physical, cognitive, and psychosocial domains considered interconnected?

Because changes in one domain influence and are influenced by changes in the other two domains.