Introduction to Developmental Psychology

A collection of vocabulary flashcards from the lecture notes on developmental psychology, focusing on key concepts and theories.

Life-span Perspective

The view that development occurs throughout the entire life, involving growth, maintenance, and loss regulation.

Development

The pattern of movement or change that begins at conception and continues throughout the human lifespan.

Multidirectional Development

The principle that some dimensions of development expand while others shrink throughout the lifespan.

Plasticity

The capacity for change in development, indicating that younger individuals are more likely to develop new skills.

Ecological Theory

A theory emphasizing environmental factors and the interconnections between various environmental systems.

Socioemotional Processes

Changes in an individual's relationships with others, emotions, and personality throughout development.

Normative Age-graded Influences

Influences that are similar for individuals in a particular age group, such as puberty and starting school.

Nonnormative Life Events

Unusual occurrences that have a major impact on an individual's life, such as the death of a parent or surviving a disaster.

Cognitive Processes

Changes in thought processes, intelligence, and language throughout an individual's development.

Psychosocial Theory

Erikson's theory that development occurs in stages based on social and emotional influences, characterized by conflicts that must be resolved.

Sensorimotor Stage

Piaget's first stage of cognitive development in which infants understand the world through sensory experiences and physical actions.

Preoperational Stage

Piaget's second stage of cognitive development where children begin to represent the world with words and images but lack logical operations.

Concrete Operational Stage

Piaget's third stage where children gain a better understanding of mental operations and can think logically about concrete events.

Formal Operational Stage

Piaget's final stage of cognitive development in which individuals develop the ability to think abstractly and systematically.

Observational Learning

Learning that occurs by observing others, as emphasized in Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory.

Attachment Theory

The theory developed by John Bowlby emphasizing the importance of attachment to a caregiver in early life for future development.