What is the focus of Developmental Psychology?
Changes over the life span in physiology, cognition, emotion, and social behaviour
It explores how much of who we are is determined by biology (nature) and environment (nurture).
Define myelination.
Forming a myelin sheath; increasing the speed of nerve impulses
It is crucial for efficient neural communication.
What is synaptic pruning?
Used synaptic connections are preserved; not used = lost
This process helps in optimizing brain function.
What are teratogens?
Agents that harm the embryo or fetus
Examples include drugs, alcohol, bacteria, viruses, and chemicals.
What condition is caused by maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy?
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)
It is a serious condition affecting physical and cognitive development.
What is the common sequence for motor development in babies?
Babies learn to walk
Culture/environment can influence the timing of this development.
What is the first social interaction of a baby?
Imitation
It signifies the infant’s preparedness to learn.
What technique is used to determine an infant’s visual acuity?
Preferential-looking technique
Infants’ visual acuity for distant objects is poor.
What is infantile amnesia?
The inability to remember events from early childhood
It suggests limitations in memory development during infancy.
What is the Mozart effect?
Listening to Mozart leads to higher scores on intelligence tests
However, problems exist in generalizing from the original study.
Define attachment.
A strong emotional connection that persists over time and across circumstances
It begins in infancy and is adaptive.
What is imprinting?
A sensitive period of development during which young animals become strongly attached to a nearby animal
Described by Konrad Lorenz.
What are the two types of attachment styles identified by Ainsworth?
- Secure attachment
- Insecure attachment
Secure attachment involves comfort in unfamiliar environments, while insecure attachment includes avoidant or ambivalent behaviors.
What are Piaget’s four stages of cognitive development?
- Sensorimotor Stage (Birth to 2 Years)
- Preoperational Stage (2 to 7 Years)
- Concrete Operational Stage (7 to 12 Years)
- Formal Operational Stage (12 Years to Adulthood)
Each stage represents different cognitive abilities.
What is object permanence?
The understanding that an object continues to exist even when it cannot be seen
This concept is acquired during the Sensorimotor Stage.
What cognitive limitation is associated with the preoperational period?
- Centration
- Egocentrism
Centration is the inability to think about more than one detail at a time, while egocentrism is the tendency to view the world solely from one’s own experience.
What is the formal operational stage characterized by?
Thinking abstractly and formulating and testing hypotheses through deductive logic
This stage begins at 12 years and continues into adulthood.
What is theory of mind?
The ability to understand that other people have mental states that influence their behaviour
It is crucial for social interactions.
What are the three levels of Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Judgment?
- Preconventional
- Conventional
- Postconventional
Each level represents different bases for moral reasoning.
Define inequity aversion.
A preference to avoid unfairness when making decisions about the distribution of resources
It reflects a moral consideration in social interactions.
What did Twenge & Campbell (2018) find regarding screen time?
Beyond about 2 hours of screen time per day, more screen time was associated with lower well-being
It suggests that excessive screen time can be harmful.
What is the difference between sex and gender identity?
- Sex: genetic state (XX or XY chromosomes)
- Gender Identity: experienced sense of gender (female, non-binary, male)
Sex is often assumed to be binary, but it is not.
What is puberty?
The onset of physical sexual maturity that marks the beginning of adolescence
It involves significant physical and hormonal changes.
What happens to the frontal lobes as people age?
They typically shrink
This can contribute to slower processing speed and cognitive decline.
