Development (9) Flashcards
Developmental psychology
The study of changes, over the life span, in physiology, cognition, emotion, and overall behaviour. Subfield examines how genes interact with early experiences to make each of us different. Researchers seek to understand how, while remaining, individual,s people become members of society.
Synaptic pruning
The synaptic connections in the brain that are used are preserved, while those that are not used decay and disappear. Allows every brain to adapt well to any environment in which it may find itself.
Teratogens
Agents that harm the embryo or fetus. These agents can impair development in the womb, potentially with terrible consequences. Include drugs, alcohol, viruses, bacteria, and chemicals.
The physical effects may be obvious at birth, but impact on cognitive and emotional behaviour and abilities may not be obvious until the child is older.
Damage is determined by amount and length of exposure.
Dynamic systems theory
The view that development is a self=organising process, in which new forms of behaviour emerge through consistent interactions between a biological being and cultural and environmental contexts.
Development advances in any domain occur through both the person’s active exploration of an environment and the constant feedback that environment provides.
Infantile amnesia
The inability to remember events from early childhood. Term was coined by Freud. Researches and psychologists have offered varied explanations, including immature memory systems, lack of developed language, immature perception of contexts, lower ability to encode new information etc.
Attachment
A strong, intimate, emotional connection between people that persists over time and across circumstances. Building blocks of a successful social life later on. An adaptive trait.
A fundamental need infants have.
Secure attachment
The attachment style for a majority of infants. Child is confident enough to play in an unfamiliar environment as long as the caretaker is present. If caretaker leaves, will be distressed, whine and cry. Child is readily comforted by the caregiver during times of distress (when caregiver returns).
Insecure attachment
The attachment style for a minority of infants; the infant may exhibit insecure attachment through various behaviours, such as avoiding contact with the caregiver (avoidant) or by alternating between approach and avoidance behaviours (ambivalent, anxious). Insecurely attached infants have learned that their caregiver is not available to soothe them when distressed or is only inconsistently available. May be emotionally neglected or actively rejected.
Associated to poor outcomes later in life, such as depression and behavioural problems.
Assimilation
The process by which new information is added/placed within an existing scheme. (Piaget)
Accommodation
The process by which a new scheme is created or an existing scheme is dramatically altered to include new information that would not otherwise fit into the scheme. (Piaget)
Sensorimotor stage
The first stage in Piaget’s theory of cognitive development; during this stage, infants acquire information about the world through their senses and motor skills. Reflexive responses develop into more deliberate actions through the development and refinement of schemes. From birth to age 2.
Object permanence
Important cognitive concept that develops in the sensorimotor stage. The understanding that an object continues to exist even when it cannot be seen. Full comprehension of object permanence is a key accomplishment of this stage.
Preoperational stage
2-7 years. The second stage in Piaget’s theory of cognitive development. During this stage, children think symbolically about objects, but they reason based on intuition and superficial appearance rather than logic. Cognitive limitation characteristic is egocentrism, view the world through their won experiences. Can understand how others feel, and they have the capacity to care about others. But, they tend to engage in thought processes that revolve around their own perspectives.
Concrete operational stage
The third stage in Piaget’s theory; during this stage, children begin to think about and understand logical operations, and they are no longer fooled by appearances. They can reason logically about problems, and begin to understand with much more depth how other people view the world and feel about things. Can reason only about concrete things.
Formal operational stage
Final stage of Piaget’s theory, during which people can think abstractly, and they can formulate and test hypotheses through deductive logic. Using information to systematically find answers to problems. Occurs after about age 12.
