Ch, 1 Vocab Flashcards
(38 cards)
human development
the scientific study of age-related changes in behavior, thinking, emotion, and personality
norms
average ages at which developmental milestones are reached
maturation
the gradual unfolding of a genetically programmed sequential pattern of change
norm-referenced tests
standardized tests that compare an individual child’s score to the average score of others her age
lifespan perspective
the current view of developmentalists that important changes occur throughout the entire human lifespan and that these changes must be interpreted in terms of the culture and context in which they occur; thus, interdisciplinary research is critical to understanding human development
physical domain
changes in the size, shape, and characteristics of the body
cognitive domain
changes in thinking, memory, problem solving, and other intellectual skills
social domain
changes in variables that are associated with the relationship of an individual to others
nature-nature debate
the debate about the relative contributions of biological processes and experiential factors to development
quantitative change
changes in amount
qualitative change
change in kind or type
stages
qualitatively distinct periods of development
normative age-graded changes
changes that are common to every member of a species
social clock
a set of age norms defining a sequence of life experiences that is considered normal in a given culture and that all individuals in that culture are expected to follow
ageism
prejudicial attitudes about older adults that characterizes them in negative ways
normative history-graded changes
changes that occur in most members of a cohort as a result of actors at work during a specific, well-defined historical period
non-normative changes
changes hat result from unique, unshared events
critical period
a specific period in development when an organism is especially sensitive to the presence (or absence) of some particular kind of experiences
sensitive period
a span of months or years during which a child may be particularly responsive to specific forms of experience or particularly infused by their absence
naturalistic observation
the process of studying people in their normal environments
case study
an in-depth examination of single individual
laboratory observation
observation of behavior under controlled conditions
survey
a data-collection method in which participants respond to questions
population
the entire group that is of interest to a researcher
