Lifespan Development – Key Vocabulary

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering major terms, theories, stages, and concepts from the Lifespan Development chapter, designed to aid exam review.

Lifespan Development

Scientific study of how people grow, change, and stay the same from conception to death.

Physical Development

Domain concerning growth and changes in the body, brain, motor skills, and health.

Cognitive Development

Domain involving learning, attention, memory, language, thinking, reasoning, and creativity.

Psychosocial Development

Domain focused on emotions, personality, and social relationships across the lifespan.

Normative Approach

Method that establishes average ages at which developmental milestones are reached.

Continuous Development

View that development is a gradual, cumulative process of quantitative change.

Discontinuous Development

View that development occurs in separate, qualitatively different stages.

Stage Theory

Perspective proposing universal, sequential stages of development.

Nature

Biological and genetic influences on development.

Nurture

Environmental and cultural influences on development.

Psychosexual Theory

Freud’s stage model linking early pleasure-seeking urges to adult personality.

Oral Stage

Freud’s first stage; pleasure centers on the mouth (0–1 yr).

Anal Stage

Freud’s second stage; pleasure focuses on bowel and bladder control (1–3 yrs).

Phallic Stage

Freud’s third stage; pleasure zone is the genitals (3–6 yrs).

Latency Stage

Freud’s fourth stage; sexual feelings are dormant (6–puberty).

Genital Stage

Freud’s final stage; mature sexual interests emerge (puberty onward).

Psychosocial Theory

Erikson’s eight-stage model emphasizing social interaction and ego identity.

Trust vs. Mistrust

Erikson stage (0–1 yr): infants learn to trust caregivers to meet needs.

Autonomy vs. Shame/Doubt

Erikson stage (1–3 yrs): development of independence and self-control.

Initiative vs. Guilt

Erikson stage (3–6 yrs): taking initiative in activities; risk feeling guilty.

Industry vs. Inferiority

Erikson stage (7–11 yrs): mastering academic & social skills vs feeling inadequate.

Identity vs. Role Confusion

Erikson stage (12–18 yrs): exploration of personal identity and values.

Intimacy vs. Isolation

Erikson stage (19–29 yrs): forming close relationships vs loneliness.

Generativity vs. Stagnation

Erikson stage (30–64 yrs): contributing to society and next generation.

Integrity vs. Despair

Erikson stage (65+): reflecting on life with satisfaction or regret.

Cognitive Theory (Piaget)

Model proposing that children construct knowledge through four cognitive stages.

Schema (Schemata)

Mental concept or framework for organizing and interpreting information.

Assimilation

Incorporating new information into existing schemata.

Accommodation

Modifying schemata to fit new information.

Sensorimotor Stage

Piaget stage (0–2 yrs): knowledge through senses & actions; object permanence emerges.

Object Permanence

Understanding that objects continue to exist when out of sight.

Preoperational Stage

Piaget stage (2–6 yrs): symbolic thought, language; lacks logical reasoning; egocentrism.

Egocentrism

Inability to take another’s perspective, common in preoperational children.

Concrete Operational Stage

Piaget stage (7–11 yrs): logical reasoning about concrete events; conservation achieved.

Conservation

Understanding that quantity remains the same despite changes in shape or appearance.

Formal Operational Stage

Piaget stage (12+): abstract, hypothetical, and moral reasoning develop.

Theory of Moral Development

Kohlberg’s model of pre-conventional, conventional, and post-conventional moral reasoning.

Prenatal Development

Growth from conception to birth, encompassing germinal, embryonic, and fetal stages.

Germinal Stage

First 2 weeks after conception; zygote forms and begins mitosis.

Zygote

One-cell organism formed by sperm fertilizing an egg.

Mitosis

Process of cell division producing identical cells during early development.

Embryonic Stage

Weeks 3–8; major organs form and the heart begins to beat.

Embryo

Multicellular organism in prenatal weeks 3–8.

Placenta

Structure providing nourishment and oxygen to embryo/fetus via umbilical cord.

Fetal Stage

Weeks 9–40; growth, brain development, and body maturation complete.

Teratogen

Any environmental agent causing harm to embryo or fetus.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)

Set of physical & cognitive abnormalities from heavy prenatal alcohol exposure.

Rooting Reflex

Newborn turns head toward cheek touch, aiding feeding.

Sucking Reflex

Automatic sucking on objects near the mouth.

Grasping Reflex

Newborn closes fingers around objects placed in hand.

Moro Reflex

Startle response where infant extends then retracts arms.

Blooming

Rapid formation of neural connections in infancy and toddlerhood.

Pruning

Elimination of unused neural connections during childhood and adolescence.

Fine Motor Skills

Small muscle movements of fingers, toes, and eyes for precise tasks.

Gross Motor Skills

Large muscle movements for actions like running and balancing.

Attachment

Long-lasting emotional bond between infant and caregiver.

Secure Base

Caregiver presence providing safety for child exploration (Bowlby).

Strange Situation

Ainsworth’s procedure for assessing infant attachment style.

Secure Attachment

Child distressed at separation but comforted at reunion; uses parent as base.

Avoidant Attachment

Child is indifferent to caregiver’s presence or return; unresponsive.

Resistant Attachment

Child is clingy yet rejects comfort; difficult to soothe at reunion.

Disorganized Attachment

Child shows odd, inconsistent behaviors; often linked to abuse.

Self-Concept

Awareness and evaluation of one’s own characteristics and identity.

Authoritative Parenting

Warm, responsive, and sets reasonable rules; linked to positive outcomes.

Authoritarian Parenting

High obedience demands, low warmth; rigid and controlling style.

Permissive Parenting

Few demands or punishments; indulgent and lenient.

Uninvolved Parenting

Indifferent, neglectful style with minimal responsiveness or demands.

Temperament

Innate patterns of mood and behavior influencing interactions.

Easy Temperament

Generally positive mood, adaptable, self-regulating infant behavior.

Difficult Temperament

Negative mood, poor adaptability, intense reactions in infants.

Puberty

Period of sexual maturation and attainment of reproductive capability.

Adrenarche

Maturation of adrenal glands initiating hormonal changes of puberty.

Gonadarche

Maturation of sex glands producing gametes and sex hormones.

Menarche

First menstrual period, typically around ages 12–13.

Spermarche

First ejaculation, typically around ages 13–14.

Cognitive Empathy

Ability to understand another’s perspective and feelings; increases in adolescence.

Emerging Adulthood

Developmental period from 18 to mid-20s focused on identity exploration.

Crystallized Intelligence

Accumulated knowledge and skills; tends to remain stable or improve with age.

Fluid Intelligence

Speed and efficiency of information processing; tends to decline with age.

Socioemotional Selectivity Theory

Idea that older adults narrow social networks to close, meaningful relationships.

Five Stages of Grief

Kubler-Ross model: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance.