Topic 9 - Human development

Question 1

Define critical periods

Answer 1

a fixed and crucial time during the early development of an organism when it is able to learn things which are essential to survival.

Question 2

What is an alternative perspective to developmental stages?

Answer 2

Continuous development, characterised less by major transformations than by steady and gradual change

Question 3

What are developmental stages?

Answer 3

Relatively discrete steps through which everyone progresses in the same sequence.

Question 4

What are cross-sectional studies?

Answer 4

compare groups of participants of different ages at a single time to provide a picture of age differences.

Question 5

What are longitudinal studies?

Answer 5

Assess the same individuals over time, providing the opportunity to assess age changes.

Question 6

What are sequential studies?

Answer 6

minimise cohort effects by studying multiple cohorts longitudinally.

Question 7

What are the 3 stages in the prenatal period?

Answer 7

Germinal, embryonic, foetal

Question 8

What reflexes are infants born with and why?

Answer 8

Rooting & sucking - to ensure they will get nourishment.

Question 9

What did Piaget argue?

Answer 9

That children develop knowledge by constructing reality out of their own experience, mixing what they observe with their own ideas about how the world works.

Question 10

What is egocentric?

Question 11

What did Vygotsky develop?

Answer 11

Zone of proximal development

Question 12

What is the zone of proximal development (ZPD)?

Answer 12

ZPD reflects a continuum of cognitive development, ranging from the child’s individual capacity for problem solving to a more advanced and collaboratively based level of cognitive development.

Question 13

What do neo-piagetian theorists do?

Answer 13

attempt to integrate an understanding of the broad stages of Piaget’s theory with an information-processing approach; an important factor in qualitative changes in development is an increasing capacity for working memory.

Question 14

What are 5 aspects of cognitive decline in later life?

Answer 14

Processing speed
Working memory capacity 
Explicit memory retrieval 
Problem-solving strategies 
Fluid intelligence

Question 15

What is dementia?

Question 16

Define maturation.

Answer 16

Biologically based changes that follow an orderly sequence, each step setting the stage for the net step according to an age-related timetable.

Question 17

What influences development?

Answer 17

Genes & environment

Question 18

What are sensitive periods?

Answer 18

Times that are particularly important but not definitive for subsequent development.

Question 19

What is the alternative debate to critical periods?

Answer 19

Sensitive periods

Question 20

What occurs in the 3 stages of the prenatal period?

Answer 20

Germinal period - fertilised egg implants in the uterus

Embryonic period - Most important period in the development of the CNS and organs.

Foetal period - muscular development

Question 21

What are teratogens?

Answer 21

Environmental agents that harm the embryo or foetus.

E.g. drugs, radiation, toxic chemicals

Question 22

Define presbycusis.

Answer 22

Inability to hear high frequency sounds

Question 23

Define assimilation (Piaget)

Answer 23

Assimilation involves interpreting actions or events in terms of one’s present schemas - that is, fitting reality into one’s ways of understanding.

Question 24

According to Piaget, what is a schema?

Answer 24

An organised, repeatedly exercised pattern of thought or behaviour.

Question 25

What is Piagets process of accomodation?

Answer 25

The modification of schemas to fit reality.

Question 26

What is equilibration (Piaget)?

Answer 26

Balancing accomodation and assimilation.

Question 27

Define attachment.

Answer 27

The enduring emotional ties children form with their primary caregivers.
Includes proximity, sense of security & distress due to absence.

Question 28

What are the four patterns of infant attachment?

Answer 28

Secure
Avoidant
Ambivalent
Disorganised

Question 29

Define secure attachment.

Answer 29

Seek comfort from attachment figure.

Question 30

What is avoidant attachment.

Answer 30

Shutting off needs for attachment.

Question 31

What is ambivalent attachment.

Answer 31

Having difficulty being soothed.

Question 32

Define disorganised attachment.

Answer 32

Behave in contradictory ways that reflect their difficulty predicting or understanding the way their attachment figures will behave.

Question 33

Define socialisation.

Answer 33

The process by which children learn the rules, beliefs, values, skills, attitudes and behaviour patterns of their society.

Question 34

What are the four parenting styles?

Answer 34

Authoritarian - obedience & respect for authority.

Permissive - minimal controls on kids

Authoritative - enforce standards but explain their views and encourage verbal give-and-take

Uninvolved - place their own needs above needs of children.

Question 35

Define social cognition.

Answer 35

Understanding of oneself, others and relationships.

Question 36

What is persepctive-taking?

Answer 36

The ability to understand other people’s perspectives or viewpoints.

Question 37

What is gender constancy?

Answer 37

Knowledge that gender cannot be altered by changes in appearance or activities.

Question 38

What are psychosocial stages proposed by Erikson? How many are there?

Answer 38

Stages in the development of the person as a social being.

8 stages.