Developmental Psychology Quiz

Heredity and Traits

• Heredity is the passing of traits from parents to offspring.
• Conception and fertilization are related processes.

Lifespan Perspective

• Development is a lifelong process, continuing throughout adulthood.
• Development involves both gains and losses.
• Development is multi-directional, proceeding in multiple ways simultaneously.
• Development is shaped by historical and cultural contexts.

Child Development Perspectives

• Socio-cultural experience is evident when schools organize events like a UN street parade, showcasing different cultures.
• Cognitive development is involved in learning through fun activities like music and dance.

Child Development Stages

• Infancy is the initial stage, marked by emotional attachment to the mother.
• Early childhood is characterized by readiness for schooling and increasing independence, but not necessarily maturity.

Nature vs. Nurture

• The debate on nature versus nurture examines the influence of genes (nature) and environment (nurture) on development.
• Heredity refers to inherited traits/characteristics, while environment encompasses the surroundings and learning experiences.

Nature (Biological Influences)

• Biological factors, including inherent traits, are examples of nature's influence on development, such as skin color.

Freud's Psychoanalytic Theory

• Teacher appealing to national heroes: This is related to a child's superego, the facet of personality concerned with moral values.
• Latency stage: This stage is characterized by a lack of sexual interest, with focus on friendships with same-sex peers.

Piaget's Cognitive Developmental Stages

• Sensorimotor stage: Infants acquire knowledge through their senses and behavioral schemes.
• Pre-operational stage: Pre-schoolers lack logical reasoning and operate from an egocentric perspective.
• Concrete operational stage: Children can conserve quantities despite changes in shape or size; this marks an understanding of concrete operations, and logic.
• Formal operational stage: Older children and adults can make abstract reasoning and hypothetical judgments

Piaget's Concrete Operational Stage

• Conservation: Understanding that quantity remains the same despite changes in appearance.

Piaget's Pre-operational Stage

• Animism: The belief that inanimate objects have life-like qualities; interest in stories involving talking objects.

Erikson's Psychosocial Theory

• Autonomy vs. shame and doubt: Toddlers asserting independence.

• Initiative vs. guilt: Young children trying out new behaviors.

• Epigenetic principle: Personality unfolds in stages, like a growing tree.

• Modern universities: Integrating wellness activities supports vital values.

Kohlberg's Stages of Moral Development

• Preconventional morality: Actions motivated by avoiding punishment or seeking rewards.
• Conventional morality: Adherence to rules and societal norms.
• Postconventional morality: Actions based on universal ethical principles.

Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development

• The zone of proximal development is the difference between what a child can learn independently and what they can learn with assistance.

Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory

• Microsystem: A child's immediate surroundings (e.g., family, school).
• Exosystem: External systems affecting the child (e.g., parent's workplace).

Prenatal Development

• Stages of prenatal development: fertilization, zygote division, attachment to uterine wall.

Brain Development

• Most brain neurons are produced before birth.
• Development continues throughout life.

Physical Development

• Cephalocaudal growth pattern: Development proceeds from head to toe.

Language Acquisition

• Chomsky's Language Acquisition Device (LAD): Suggests that humans have an innate ability to learn language quickly.

Play Styles

• Onlooker play: Children observe others playing without participation.

Parenting Styles

• Authoritative parenting: Encourages independence but sets clear limits.
• Permissive parenting: Allows children considerable freedom, with few rules.
• Authoritarian parenting: Strict rules and little flexibility.
• Neglecting parenting: Lack of parental involvement or attention.

Socioemotional Development

• Emotional attachment to parents is a key aspect of socioemotional development.

Cognitive Development

• Reading comic books: Indicates a longer attention span and interest in sequential stories.

Self-Esteem

• Strong sense of personal traits/qualities can foster self-belief and acceptance.

Friendship and Socialization

• Teachers can foster friendships by providing opportunities for interaction.

Adolescence

• Adolescents experience a growth spurt, both physical and emotional, that leads to transformations in thinking and feelings.

Adolescence (Cognitive Development)

• Metacognition: Understanding one's own thought processes.
• Egocentrism: A tendency to focus excessively on oneself.

Adolescence (Emotional Development)

• Emotional competence: The ability to understand and regulate emotions.

Physical Changes in Adolescence

• Puberty: physical changes and sexual maturation.
• Menarche: Female's first menstrual period.

Gender Differences

• Chromosome differences exist (XX for females; XY for males).
• Hormones affect development (e.g., testosterone in boys; estrogen and progesterone in girls).

Heredity and Environment Interplay

• Heredity and environment are complex factors, intertwined in influencing development.
• The relative importance of each can vary among individuals during development

Lifespan Perspective in Education

• Schools engaging children in co-curricular activities show that learning is a lifelong process.

Developmental Theories

• Psychosocial theory: Addresses the social and emotional aspects of development across the lifespan.

Cognitive Development (Toddlers)

• Infants and toddlers learn language quickly with appropriate stimulation.
• Communication through babbling and cooing.

Developmental Stages (and Features)

• Prenatal: Physical growth.

• Early childhood: Developing physical skills, school-related skills and values and independence.

Summary of Question 41

• A teacher in a deprived area values a child’s socio-economic status given the importance of it understanding the community context.

Summary of Question 42

• Self-competence is a key characteristic in intermediate school age.