Child Development: Theories and Themes

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms related to theories and themes in child development, providing definitions to enhance understanding of the subject.

Lifespan Development

The examination of patterns of growth, change, and stability throughout an individual's life.

Age-Graded Influences

Biological and environmental influences that are similar for individuals in particular age groups.

History-Graded Influences

Biological and environmental influences associated with particular historical moments, including cohort effects.

Sociocultural-Graded Influences

Social and cultural factors present at a particular time for a particular individual, influenced by variables such as ethnicity and social class.

Non-Normative Life Events

Atypical events that occur in a person's life at a time when such events do not typically happen to most people.

Continuous Change

Gradual development that is quantitative, involving a matter of degree rather than kind.

Discontinuous Change

Development occurring in distinct stages that are qualitative in nature.

Critical Periods

Absence or presence of environmental influences during specific times can lead to permanent, irreversible consequences.

Sensitive Periods

Absence of certain environmental influences may hinder development, but later experiences can overcome these deficits.

Nature vs. Nurture

A debate concerning hereditary information (nature) versus environmental influences (nurture) on development.

Ethological Theory

An evolutionary perspective focusing on adaptive behaviors that provide survival value and attachment processes.

Psychosexual Theory

Sigmund Freud's theory highlighting the conflict between individual instincts and societal norms, focusing on stages of development.

Psychosocial Theory

Erik Erikson's theory emphasizing social and cultural influences through a sequence of stages defined by unique crises.

Ecological Systems Theory

Urie Bronfenbrenner's framework describing various environmental influences on development through a series of embedded systems.

Information Processing Theory

A perspective likening the human mind to a computer, focusing on how information is processed and retained.

Evolutionary Theory

A theory proposing that evolution shapes behaviors and characteristics for survival, including intergenerational relationships.