psych (mod. 45 - 52)

a branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive, and social change throughout the life span.

genetics vs experience

gradual vs continuous

persistence of traits throughout life

the fertilized egg; it enters a 2-week period of rapid cell division and develops into an embryo.

the developing human organism from about 2 weeks after fertilization through the second month.

the developing human organism from 9 weeks after conception to birth.

agents, such as chemicals and viruses, that can reach the embryo or fetus during prenatal development and cause harm.

* derived from “monster maker”

physical and cognitive abnormalities in children caused by a pregnant woman’s heavy drinking.

when something touches their cheek, babies turn toward that touch, open their mouth, and vigorously root for a nipple

decreasing responsiveness with repeated stimulation. as infants gain familiarity with repeated exposure to a visual stimulus, their interest wanes and they look away sooner.

biological growth processes that enable orderly changes in behavior, relatively uninfluenced by experience.

use it or lose it

inability to remember anything before 3-4 years

* first conscious memory usually around 3.5 years

all the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating.

18-30 month old childrens may fail to distinguish the size of an object and attempt to complete impossible tasks with it.

a concept or framework that organizes and interprets information.

interpreting our new experiences in terms of our existing schemas.

adapting our current understandings (schemas) to incorporate new information.

from birth to about 2 years of age, during which infants know the world mostly in terms of their sensory impressions and motor activities.

* no object permanence until appx. 6 months

the awareness that things continue to exist even when not perceived (contrary to “out of sight out of mind”)

from about 2 to about 6 or 7 years of age, during which a child learns to use language but does not yet comprehend the mental operations of concrete logic.

the principle that properties such as mass, volume, and number remain the same despite changes in the forms of objects.

* piaget’s concrete operational reasoning

in piaget’s theory, the preoperational child’s difficulty taking another’s point of view. (heavy use of only first-person pronouns)

people’s ideas about their own and others’ mental states—about their feelings, perceptions, and thoughts, and the behaviors these might predict.

a disorder that appears in childhood and is marked by significant deficiencies in communication and social interaction, and by rigidly fixated interests and repetitive behaviors.

from about 6 or 7 to 11 years of age, during which children gain the mental operations that enable them to think logically about concrete events.

normally beginning about age 12, during which people begin to think logically about abstract concepts.

inner speech; by age 7, children become increasingly capable of thinking in words and of using words to work out solutions to problems. they do this by internalizing their culture’s language and relying on inner speech.

when children are developmentally ready to learn a new skill through mentoring/social interaction.

the fear of strangers that infants commonly display, beginning by about 8 months of age.

an emotional tie with another person; shown in young children by their seeking closeness to the caregiver and showing distress on separation.

infants bond with surrogate mothers because of bodily contact and not because of nourishment (monkey w/ cloth mother monkey)

he found they spent more time where they were provided stability and security, instead of nourishment (just out of necessity).

an optimal period early in the life of an organism when exposure to certain stimuli or experiences produces normal development.

the process by which certain animals form strong attachments during an early-life critical period.

a person’s characteristic emotional reactivity and intensity.

according to erik erikson, a sense that the world is predictable and trustworthy; said to be formed during infancy by appropriate experiences with responsive caregivers.

all our thoughts and feelings about ourselves, in answer to the question, “who am I?”

impose rules and expect obedience

submit to their children’s desires, make few demands and use little punishment

both demanding and responsive. they exert control by setting rules and enforcing them, but they also explain the reasons for rules.

with older children, they encourage open discussion when making the rules and allow exceptions.

completely uninvolved, disengaged. expect little, invest little

the socially constructed roles and characteristics by which a culture defines male and female.

any physical or verbal behavior intended to hurt or destroy.

a set of expected behaviors for males or for females.

a set of expectations (norms) about a social position, defining how those in the position ought to behave.

our sense of being male or female.

the theory that we learn social behavior by observing and imitating and by being rewarded or punished.

the acquisition of a traditional masculine or feminine role.

an umbrella term describing people whose gender identity or expression differs from that associated with their birth sex.

the transition period from childhood to adulthood, extending from puberty to independence.

the first menstrual period

before age 10, self-interest; obey rules to avoid punishment or gain concrete rewards.

* if you are rewarded then it is okay

* if you are punished, the act must be wrong

early adolescence, uphold laws and rules to gain social approval or maintain social order.

* look at morality based on trying to fit in

adolescence and beyond, actions reflect belief in basic rights and self-defined ethical principles.

* rights of all people, often takes precedence over laws coming into conflict. most adults do not reach this level

our sense of self; according to erikson, the adolescent’s task is to solidify a sense of self by testing and integrating various roles.

the “we” aspect of our self-concept; the part of our answer to “who am I?” that comes from our group memberships.

to 1 year, trust vs. mistrust. if needs are dependably met, infants develop a sense of basic trust.

* feeding

1 to 3 years, autonomy vs. shame and doubt. toddlers learn to exercise their will and do things for themselves, with some shame and doubt

* toilet training

3 to 6 years, initiative vs. guilt. preschoolers learn to initiate tasks and carry out plans, or they feel guilty about their efforts to be independent.

* independence

6 years to puberty, competence vs. inferiority. children learn the pleasure of applying themselves to tasks, or they feel inferior.

* school

teen years into 20s, identity vs. role confusion. teenagers work at refining a sense of self by testing roles then integrating them to form a single identity, or they become confused about who they are. → identity crisis

* peers

20s to early 40s, intimacy vs. isolation. young adults struggle to form close relationships and to gain the capacity for intimate love, or they feel socially isolated.

40s to 60s, generativity vs. stagnation. in middle age, people discover a sense of contributing to the world, usually through family and work, or they may feel a lack of purpose.

late 60s and up, integrity vs. despair. reflecting on his or her life, an older adult may feel a sense of satisfaction of failure.

in erikson’s theory, the ability to form close, loving relationships; a primary developmental task in late adolescence and early adulthood.

for some people in modern cultures, a period from the late teens to mid- twenties, bridging the gap between adolescent dependence and full independence and responsible adulthood.

fetal positioning, feeling like falling

stroking sole of foot causes toe movement

most newborns see clearly when faces or objects are between 4 and 30 inches away.

their visual acuity initially is only about 20/600, binocular vision develops later (2-4 months).

see prior units for definition, develops at 5 months

roll over → sit up (6 months) → crawl (8-9 months) → walk (10-18 months)

the genetic instructions for stages of development

developed iq tests and noticed that many children got the same answers wrong → lead to standardization

contrary to binet, he attempted to investigate cognitive processes through development and the difference in thinking between children and adults.

a form of insecure attachment in which child avoids mother and acts coldly

child remains closer to the mother and remains distressed despite her attempts to comfort

social development, neo-freudian who worked with anna freud.

thought our personality was influenced by our experiences with others. each stage of life associated with a specific psychological struggle that contributes to a major component of personality

major physical changes in both primary and secondary sex characteristics as adolescents become capable of reproduction

caregiver: responds quickly and positively to child’s needs

child: distressed when caregiver leaves, happy when caregiver returns, seek comfort from caregiver when scared or sad

caregiver: unresponsive, uncaring, dismissive

child: no distress when caregiver leaves, does not acknowledge return of caregiver, does not seek or make contact with caregiver

caregiver: responds to child inconsistently

child: distress when caregiver leaves, not comforted by return of caregiver

caregiver: abusive or neglectful, responds in frightening, or frightened ways

child: no attaching behaviors, often appear dazed confused, or apprehensive in presence of caregiver

the “we” aspect of our self-concept; the part of our answer to “who am i?” that comes with identity discovery

theory of identity acheivement

refers to the extent to which an adolescent is actively involved in choosing alternatives in one’s life; occupation, beliefs, values, etc. may be under scrutiny.

refers to the degree of personal investment that the adolescent is putting in the belief, value, or occupational choice he or she is making.

very little self-direction, may avoid getting involved in school, work, or personal relationships. does not consider major issues, may appear to be avoiding.

* have little sense of purpose in life.

is aware of being in crisis, has given thought to identity questions but has found no satisfactory answers, is generally dissatisfied with whatever she/he is doing.

* may follow wishes of parents or want to follow in their footsteps.

has begun to make some commitments, but does not yet have everything in order, but is working on it.

* any trauma will bring back the identity crisis, but the hope of recovery and advancement is good

has no doubt about occupational choice, values, and beliefs, often accepts and endorses the occupational choice, values, and choices. appears self-assured, knows where she or he is going; is not troubled by doubts or fears

* some people skip to this stage at an early age

characterized by a disdain for, or hostility toward roles and behaviors that are desired within the family or community.

ex. cults and gangs require a stable set of behaviors and relieve the number of choices one has to make.