All flashcards
Flashcard 1: What is the primary concern of behavioral developmental theories?
Answer: Observable behaviors and their environmental determinants. Focus on measurable behaviors rather than internal mental processes.
Flashcard 2: Who proposed the theory of moral development in children?
Answer: Lawrence Kohlberg. Identified six stages of moral reasoning from childhood to adulthood.
Flashcard 3: What is the primary focus of behavioral genetics?
Answer: Understanding genetic and environmental influences on behavior. Studies how genes and environment interact to shape individual differences.
Flashcard 4: What does 'egocentrism' refer to in child development?
Answer: Difficulty seeing perspectives other than one's own. Common in preoperational children who assume others share their viewpoint.
Flashcard 5: Who conducted the famous Bobo doll experiment?
Answer: Albert Bandura. Demonstrated how children learn aggressive behaviors through observation and imitation.
Flashcard 6: What is the main focus of the attachment theory?
Answer: The bonds between infants and their caregivers. Essential for emotional development and later relationship patterns.
Flashcard 7: What concept did Lev Vygotsky introduce to developmental psychology?
Answer: The Zone of Proximal Development. The gap between what a child can do alone versus with help.
Flashcard 8: Which cognitive development stage involves abstract thinking?
Answer: Formal operational stage. Final stage in Piaget's theory, developing around age 11-12.
Flashcard 9: What is the main principle of the ecological systems theory?
Answer: Human development is influenced by different environmental systems. Bronfenbrenner's model showing nested environmental influences on development.
Flashcard 10: Identify an example of a teratogen.
Answer: Alcohol. Harmful substance that can cause fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
Flashcard 11: What is the 'strange situation' method used to assess?
Answer: Attachment style in infants. Mary Ainsworth's procedure revealing secure, avoidant, or anxious attachment.
Flashcard 12: Who proposed the theory of moral development in children?
Answer: Lawrence Kohlberg. Identified six stages of moral reasoning from childhood to adulthood.
Flashcard 13: What does the term 'scaffolding' mean in Vygotsky's theory?
Answer: Support provided to help a child achieve a task. Temporary assistance that's gradually removed as competence increases.
Flashcard 14: Identify the research method that involves manipulation of variables.
Answer: Experiment. Allows researchers to establish cause-and-effect relationships in development.
Flashcard 15: In which stage of Piaget's theory do children learn conservation?
Answer: Concrete operational stage. Ages 7-11 when logical thinking develops for concrete objects.
Flashcard 16: What does 'egocentrism' refer to in child development?
Answer: Difficulty seeing perspectives other than one's own. Common in preoperational children who assume others share their viewpoint.
Flashcard 17: What is a cohort effect?
Answer: Differences due to the unique experiences of a particular age group. Historical events shape generations differently, confounding age effects in research.
Flashcard 18: What is a sequential research design?
Answer: Combines cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. Allows researchers to separate age effects from cohort effects.
Flashcard 19: What is the term for a child's ability to understand the feelings of others?
Answer: Empathy. Critical for prosocial behavior and healthy social relationships.
Flashcard 20: Name a method used to study infant perception.
Answer: Habituation method. Measures decreased attention to familiar stimuli, indicating learning has occurred.
Flashcard 21: Define 'resilience' in developmental psychology.
Answer: The ability to recover from adversity. The capacity to bounce back and thrive despite facing challenges.
Flashcard 22: What is the main focus of lifespan development?
Answer: Development from birth to death. Emphasizes that development continues throughout the entire human lifespan.
Flashcard 23: What is a teratogen?
Answer: An agent causing birth defects during prenatal development. Environmental factors like drugs, diseases, or toxins affecting fetal development.
Flashcard 24: What is the main critique of Kohlberg's theory of moral development?
Answer: Cultural bias and gender insensitivity. Theory primarily reflected Western male perspectives on moral reasoning.
Flashcard 25: What is the focus of the preoperational stage in Piaget's theory?
Answer: Symbolic thinking and egocentrism. Children ages 2-7 can use symbols but struggle with logic.
Flashcard 26: Define 'object permanence'.
Answer: Understanding that objects continue to exist when not seen. Key milestone typically achieved during Piaget's sensorimotor stage.
Flashcard 27: Which stage of prenatal development is the longest?
Answer: Fetal stage. Spans from 9 weeks to birth, when major organ development occurs.
Flashcard 28: What concept explains why infants develop stranger anxiety?
Answer: Attachment theory. Infants prefer familiar caregivers and show wariness of strangers.
Flashcard 29: What is the significance of the 'critical period' in development?
Answer: A specific time when certain skills or abilities are most easily learned. Missing this window may make later learning more difficult or impossible.
Flashcard 30: Name the first stage in Erikson's psychosocial development.
Answer: Trust vs. Mistrust. Occurs in infancy when babies learn whether caregivers are reliable.