Chapter 4 Part 1: Developmental Psychology

Question 1

What does developmental psychology study?

Answer 1

Changes in biological, physical, psychological, and behavioural processes over course of lifetime.

Question 2

Define and describe the difference between critical and sensitive periods.

Answer 2

Critical period: Age where experiences must occur for normal development
Sensitive period: Optimal age range where brain is primed to learn

Difference: Development can still take place outside sensitive period (just more difficult), cannot develop outside of critical period.

Question 3

Describe cross-sectional research designs and their considerations.

Answer 3

Compares different ages at the same time.

Consideration: cohort effects: Differences in experience between cohorts.

Question 4

Describe longitudinal research designs and their considerations.

Answer 4

Tests same cohort at different times

Considerations: More reliable results than cross-sectional, however more expensive and time consuming.

Question 5

Describe sequential research designs and their considerations.

Answer 5

Combination of cross-sectional and longitudinal designs; tests several cohorts as they age.

Considerations: most reliable results, most expensive and time consuming.

Question 6

What are the three phases of prenatal development?

Answer 6

Germinal, Embryonic, Fetal

Question 7

Describe the germinal phase of prenatal development (how long and what happens?).

Answer 7

First two weeks following conception. Zygote attaches to uterine wall.

Question 8

Describe the embryonic phase of prenatal development (how long and what happens?).

Answer 8

2nd to 8th week. Placenta and umbilical cord develop, cells begin to specialize (heart, brain, eyes).

Question 9

Describe the fetal phase of prenatal development (how long and what happens?).

Answer 9

9th week to birth. Fetus reaches viability around 28th week (likely to survive in case of premature birth).

Question 10

How does the TDF (testis determining factor) gene work?

Answer 10

Around 6 to 8 weeks after conception, secretes androgens to assign fetus biologically male. Initiates development of testis.

Question 11

What are teratogens?

Answer 11

Environmental agents that may cause abnormal fetal development.

Question 12

Describe some symptoms of fetal alcohol syndrome.

Answer 12

Abnormal facial features, underdeveloped brains, intellectual disabilities, attentional/perceptual deficits, impulsivity, poor social skills.

Question 13

Newborns are very (near/far)sighted at birth.

Answer 13

near; 20/800 at birth, 40 times worse than normal adult 20/20

Question 14

Describe the preferential looking procedure.

Answer 14

Method to determine what newborns can see by how long they look at stimulus.

Used to determine when ‘detail’ becomes interesting to the infant.

Question 15

What are examples of significant stimuli babies orient to?

Answer 15

Mother’s face, voice, smell, optimizing access to food, warmth, social stimulation

Question 16

Sound localization follows a ___-shaped function.

Answer 16

U-shaped; disappears after 4 months, reappears after 6 months.

Question 17

By what age does universal phoneme discrimination disappear?

Answer 17

1 year.

Question 18

The __________ Procedure is used to determine what newborns can hear by recording looking time.

Answer 18

Habituation.

Question 19

Infants can imitate adult facial expressions as soon as ___________ old

Answer 19

one day

Question 20

What is the Cephalocaudal Principle?

Answer 20

The principle that development is prioritized from the head downwards.

Question 21

What is the Proximodistal Principle?

Answer 21

Development occurs from innermost point outwards.

Question 22

At birth, the brain weighs ___% of the adult brain. By 6 months, it weighs ___%.

Answer 22

25, 50.

Question 23

Which region of the brain is first to develop? Which is last?

Answer 23

Brainstem is first due survival function, associative areas of cortex are last.

Question 24

What are the four stages in Piaget’s Stage Theory?

Answer 24

Sensorimotor, Pre-operational, Concrete Operational, Formal Operational

Question 25

In relation to schemas, describe assimilation and accommodation under Piaget’s Stage Theory.

Answer 25

Assimilation: New experiences are incorporated into existing schemas
Accommodation: New experiences cause existing schemas to change

Question 26

What are two traits acquired during the Sensorimotor Stage?

Answer 26

Language and object permanence.

Question 27

During the Pre-operational Stage, children do not understand __________.

Answer 27

conservation

Question 28

During the Concrete Operational Stage, children can easily perform _________, but have difficulty with ________.

Answer 28

basic mental operations, abstract thinking and reasoning

Question 29

From the Formal Operational Stage onwards, children can form and test _________.

Answer 29

hypotheses

Question 30

What are some criticisms of Piaget’s Stage Theory?

Answer 30

Development is complex and variable
- Children acquire skills at earlier ages than Piaget believed
- Development within each stage proceeds inconsistently
- Culture influences cognitive development

Question 31

Vygotsky emphasized the role of ________ in development.

Answer 31

Social context.

Question 32

What does the zone of proximal development refer to?

Answer 32

The difference between what children can do independently vs with assistance.

Question 33

Information processing approaches argue that cognitive development is ________ rather than occurring stage by stage.

Answer 33

continuous

Question 34

What are the six universal human emotions?

Answer 34

Joy, sadness, disgust, anger, interest/surprise, fear

Question 35

How does Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory define its stages?

Answer 35

By 8 psychological crises that must be resolved.

Question 36

What are the three attachment styles observed by Ainsworth in the strange situation test?

Answer 36

Secure (type A), insecure avoidant (type B), and insecure resistant (type C).

Question 37

Match each of the three attachment styles to the following behaviours:
shows few signs of attachment
reacts positively to strangers
not soothed even after mother returns

Answer 37

Insecure avoidant (type B), Secure (type A), insecure resistant (type C)