ch 9 - development

Question 1

developmental psychology

Answer 1

studies of human behavior across lifetime

Question 2

nature via nurture

Answer 2

our genes lead us to seek out certain environments

Question 3

gene-environment interactions

Answer 3

the effect of genes depends on the environment in which they are expressed (ex: James Fallon)

Question 4

how does the environment affect gene expression

Answer 4

Certain genes are turned on or off by environmental signals

Question 5

epigenetics

Answer 5

Environmental factors can change how genes work without changing the DNA sequence.

Question 6

post-hoc fallacy

Answer 6

our tendency to assume that A -> B, just b/c A happened before B

Question 7

bidirectional relationship

Answer 7

we should consider that 2 variables can influence each other

Question 8

time (cohort effects)

Answer 8

3 factors: how long to collect data? how long between measurements? what current events?

Question 9

cross-sectional design

Answer 9

recruiting participants from diff. age groups at a single point in time
(pro: simple & quick; con: doesn’t control for cohort effects)

Question 10

cohort effects

Answer 10

generational effect – different life experiences between generations

Question 11

longitudinal design

Answer 11

tracking the development of the same group of participants over a period of time

Question 12

pros and cons of longitudinal design

Answer 12

pros: track real developmental change, no cohort effects, better to show cause & effect
cons: costly, usually not experimental design, attrition bias (patients drop out & skew data)

Question 13

prenatal development stages

Answer 13

zygote -> germinal stage -> embryonic stage -> fetal stage -> birth

Question 14

zygote

Answer 14

formed after sperm cell fertilizes egg

Question 15

germinal stage

Answer 15

zygote becomes Blastocyst: ball of identical cells that have not yet been specialized

Question 16

fetal stage

Answer 16

around 9th week, embryo becomes a fetus (bulking): major organs formed, heart begins to beat

Question 16

embryonic stage

Answer 16

embryo: cells begin to be specialized for different function, limbs, facial features, major organs form

Question 17

environmental factors: teratogens

Answer 17

ex: smoking, drugs, chicken pox ;alcohol ; depression & anxiety in mother during pregnancy

Question 18

fetal alcohol syndrome

Answer 18

teratogen; result of mother consuming alcohol during pregnancy

Question 19

genetic disorders

Answer 19

inherited disorders OR random errors in cell division (can have serious consequences)

Question 20

what are reflexes

Answer 20

involuntary, automatic responses to a stimulus

Question 21

premature birth

Answer 21

born prior to 36 weeks (37-42 is normal)
- viability point is 25 weeks

Question 22

reflexes

Answer 22

automatic motor behaviors we are born with (ex: sucking & rooting/eating)

Question 23

motor behaviors

Answer 23

voluntary movements learned gradually through practice and maturation

Question 24

adolescence physical changes

Answer 24

puberty triggers hormonal changes; influenced by environment & genetic factors

Question 25

stage-like vs continuous theory

Answer 25

develop happens gradually or occurs in clear steps

Question 26

domain-specific vs general theory

Answer 26

cognitive skills may develop independently at different rates or all together

Question 27

physical source of learning theory

Answer 27

learning comes from physical experience, social interaction, and biological maturation

Question 28

2 major theorists:

Answer 28

jean piaget & lev vygotsky

Question 29

piagets theory

Answer 29

stage-like, domain-general, physical experience

Question 30

2 learning mechanisms for equillibrium:

Answer 30

(to balance one's experiences in the word and what one already knows): assimilation & accommodation

Question 31

assimilation

Answer 31

fitting knowledge into existing schemas (eg. zebra = horse with stripes)

Question 32

accommodation

Answer 32

modify schemas or knowledge, update worldviews (eg. zebra is not a horse)

Question 33

4 stages for cognitive development (piaget)

Answer 33

sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operations, and formal operations

Question 34

sensorimotor stage

Answer 34

(0-2 yrs) solely based on physical interactions with object/people; mental representation (ability to think beyond present) limitations: lack of object permanence and deferred imitation

Question 35

preoperational stage

Answer 35

(2-7 yrs) using symbolic behavior, language, drawings, objects to represent ideas limitations: ecocentrism, lack of conservation, and unable to perform mental operations

Question 36

concrete operation stage

Answer 36

(7-11 yrs) can perform mental operations limitations: struggle w/ abstract/hypothetical thinking & need physical experience to anchor ideas

Question 37

formal operation stage

Answer 37

(11-adulthood) hypothetical reasoning, understanding logical concepts & abstract questions metacognition (ability to see others' perspectives/thoughts)

Question 38

2 infant tendencies:

Answer 38

temperament & stranger anxiety

Question 39

temperament

Answer 39

biologically based: easy, difficult, slow-to-warm, and behavioral inhibition

Question 40

stranger anxiety

Answer 40

begins around 8-9 months & declines around 12-15 months

Question 41

Ainsworth's Strange Situation

Answer 41

observed how babies respond to separation & reunion, identifying different attachment styles

Question 42

attachment types

Answer 42

secure, anxious, avoidant, disorganized

Question 43

parenting styles

Answer 43

authoritarian, authoritative, permissive, neglectful

Question 44

erikson's identity theory

Answer 44

eight psychosocial stage from infancy through late adulthood where each stage has a crisis to solve (identity crisis in adolescence)

Question 45

kohlbergs morailty stages

Answer 45

- preconventional: based on rewards & punishments - conventional: based on social rules & approval - postconventional: based on personal moral principles