Chapter 5: Theories of Growth & Development

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering developmental theories, defense mechanisms, and foundational concepts of growth and development from Chapter 5 lecture notes.

Growth

An INCREASE IN PHYSICAL SIZE involving measurable, quantifiable changes in height, weight, and organ size.

Development

The ACQUISITION OF SKILLS AND FUNCTION and the increasing complexity of behavior and ability.

Maturation

The TOTAL PROCESS by which skills and potential emerge, regardless of practice or training; it is biologically driven.

Cephalocaudal

Growth proceeding from the HEAD downward toward the FEET (e.g., infants control head before legs).

Proximodistal

Growth proceeding from the CENTER OF THE BODY outward to the EXTREMITIES (e.g., torso control before fingers).

Individualized Rates

A characteristic of development where each person progresses at their own growth timetable and should never be compared to another.

Genetics (Heredity)

The biological blueprint inherited from parents that determines the CEILING of potential for physical and intellectual development.

Environment

Every external influence from conception onward, including nutrition, family structure, culture, and educational opportunities.

Personality

The behavior patterns that distinguish one person from another, identifiable throughout the lifespan.

ID

The PLEASURE PRINCIPLE present from birth that is primal, instinctive, and demands immediate satisfaction.

EGO

The 'executive of the mind' most closely related to reality; it may DELAY gratification and mediates between the id and superego.

SUPEREGO

The CONSCIENCE that judges, controls, and punishes; it develops in early childhood through moral teaching.

Defense Mechanisms

Mental processes used to protect the ego from anxiety; they are helpful short-term (adaptive) but can prevent growth if overused (maladaptive).

Denial

Refusing to accept a painful reality, such as stating 'I don't have cancer' as a first response to bad news.

Rationalization

Explaining behavior with logical-sounding but untrue reasons, such as 'I failed because the test was unfair.'

Suppression

Consciously choosing NOT to think about a distressing topic.

Regression

Reverting to childlike behaviors under stress, such as a hospitalized adult crying uncontrollably.

Displacement

Redirecting emotions to a safer substitute, like snapping at family after a bad day with a supervisor.

Projection

Attributing your own feelings to someone else (e.g., a nurse saying 'My patient hates me' when the nurse actually dislikes the patient).

Sublimation

Redirecting unacceptable impulses into socially acceptable activities, like channeling aggression into sports.

Compensation

Overemphasizing strengths in one area to offset perceived weaknesses in another.

Identification

Adopting characteristics of an admired person or group to feel more secure.

Reaction Formation

Behaving in the OPPOSITE way of your true feelings, such as being overly kind to someone you dislike.

Undoing

Attempting to cancel out an unacceptable act through a symbolic gesture, such as apologizing excessively.

Conversion

Transforming psychological conflict into physical symptoms (e.g., blindness) with no organic cause.

Freud's Oral Stage

The stage from Birth to $1$ yr where the mouth is the source of comfort and sucking/biting are primary activities.

Freud's Anal Stage

The stage from $1-3$ yrs where pleasure shifts to organs of elimination and toilet training provides the first sense of self-control.

Freud's Phallic Stage

The stage from $3-6$ yrs involving Oedipus/Electra complexes and curiosity about genitals.

Erikson's Trust vs. Mistrust

Psychosocial stage (Birth to $18$ mo) where the task is to develop basic trust in the parenting figure.

Erikson's Autonomy vs. Shame/Doubt

Psychosocial stage ($18$ mo to $3$ yr) where the child asserts independence; failure leads to shame if too controlled.

Erikson's Initiative vs. Guilt

Psychosocial stage ($3-6$ yr) where the child takes initiative in play; guilt results if initiative is overly restricted.

Erikson's Industry vs. Inferiority

Psychosocial stage ($6-12$ yr) where the child gains competence through school and social tasks.

Erikson's Identity vs. Role Confusion

Psychosocial stage ($12-20$ yr) where the adolescent explores values, beliefs, and roles to form a stable sense of self.

Erikson's Intimacy vs. Isolation

Psychosocial stage ($20-30$ yr) centered on forming intense, lasting relationships or commitments.

Erikson's Generativity vs. Stagnation

Psychosocial stage ($30-65$ yr) focused on achieving life goals and considering future generations.

Erikson's Ego Integrity vs. Despair

Psychosocial stage ($65$ yr to death) where the individual reviews life to derive meaning and self-worth.

Piaget's Sensorimotor Stage

Cognitive stage (Birth to $2$ years) characterized by learning through senses and motor actions, including the development of object permanence.

Piaget's Preoperational Stage

Cognitive stage ($2-6$ years) where thinking is egocentric and child uses simple language but cannot take others' perspectives.

Piaget's Concrete Operational Stage

Cognitive stage ($6-12$ years) where logic is applied, understanding cause and effect, reversibility, and classification.

Piaget's Formal Operational Stage

Cognitive stage ($12-15+$ years) where abstract, hypothetical, and deductive reasoning develops.

Physiological Needs

Maslow's Priority #1: Includes air, water, food, shelter, sleep, and medical priorities like ABCs (Airway, Breathing, Circulation).

Kohlberg's Pre-Conventional Thinking

Moral development (Ages $4-10$) where morality is based on consequences, specifically avoiding punishment or seeking rewards.

Kohlberg's Conventional Thinking

Moral development (Ages $10-13$) where morality is based on social approval and conformity to laws and rules.

Kohlberg's Post-Conventional Thinking

Moral development (Post-adolescence) based on individual principles, social contracts, and universal ethics; not all adults reach this level.