Theories of Human Development Flashcards

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Questions and Answers

What does the term 'growth' refer to?

Continuous series of conditions leading to behavior patterns

Change in complexity of body structures

Increase in physical size of any part of the body (correct)

Changes in behavior due to maturation and experience

What does maturation refer to?

Change in complexity of body structures.

Define development.

Continuous, orderly series of conditions leading to activities and patterns of behavior; increase in function and complexity.

What is learning?

Changes in behavior due to maturation and experience. Signup and view all the answers

Who is Jean Piaget?

Developmental theorist that studied how children learn. Signup and view all the answers

What is assimilation?

Interpreting one's new experience in terms of one's existing knowledge. Signup and view all the answers

Define accommodation.

Changing a pre-existing mental idea in order to fit new information. Signup and view all the answers

What is the sensorimotor stage?

The stage during which infants know the world mostly in terms of their sensory impressions and motor activities. Signup and view all the answers

What does 'object permanence' mean?

The awareness that things continue to exist even when not perceived. Signup and view all the answers

What is the preoperational stage?

The stage during which a child learns to use language but does not yet comprehend the mental operations of concrete logic. Signup and view all the answers

Define egocentrism.

A child only sees the world from their point of view. Signup and view all the answers

What is magical thinking?

Thinking based on assumptions that don't hold up to rational scrutiny. Signup and view all the answers

What is animism?

Attribute human/animal qualities to inanimate objects. Signup and view all the answers

What is the concrete operational stage?

The stage of cognitive development during which children gain the mental operations that enable them to think logically about concrete events. Signup and view all the answers

Define reflective reasoning.

Ability to understand mirrored ideas and equations. Signup and view all the answers

What is the formal operational stage?

The stage of cognitive development during which people begin to think logically about abstract concepts. Signup and view all the answers

Who is Sigmund Freud?

Developmental theorist that studied psychosexual development. Signup and view all the answers

Define the oral stage.

Freud's first stage of personality development from birth to about age 2, focusing on the mouth as the primary pleasure center. Signup and view all the answers

What is the anal stage?

Freud's second stage of personality development (1-3 years) where the anus is associated with pleasure. Signup and view all the answers

What occurs during the phallic stage?

Children obtain gratification primarily from the genitals. Signup and view all the answers

Define latency stage.

The fourth stage of psychosexual development where sexuality is repressed and children focus on same-sex peer relationships. Signup and view all the answers

What is the genital stage?

Freud's last stage of personality development from puberty through adulthood. Signup and view all the answers

What is the Oedipus complex?

A boy's sexual desires toward his mother and feelings of jealousy for the rival father. Signup and view all the answers

Define the Electra complex.

Conflict during the phallic stage in which girls love their fathers romantically and want to eliminate their mothers as rivals. Signup and view all the answers

Who is Erik Erikson?

Developmental psychologist known for his theory on psychosocial development. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Key Concepts of Human Development

Growth: Refers to the increase in physical size of an organism or its parts, as well as the increase in number and size of cells.
Maturation: Involves changes in the complexity of bodily structures over time.
Development: A continuous and orderly progression leading to enhanced functionality and complexity, which aids in survival.
Learning: Behavioral changes that arise from both maturation and experiential factors.

Jean Piaget's Stages of Development

Piaget's Framework: Developmental theorist known for his study of how children learn through four distinct stages.
Assimilation: Incorporating new experiences into existing knowledge frameworks.
Accommodation: Adjusting prior understandings to incorporate new information, such as reclassifying trucks when realizing they don’t fit into the “car” category.

Stages of Cognitive Development

Sensorimotor Stage: Birth to around 2 years, focusing on sensory experiences and motor actions; includes the development of object permanence.
Preoperational Stage: 2 to 6 or 7 years, characterized by language development but lacking in logical operations; features include egocentrism, magical thinking, and animism.
Concrete Operational Stage: 6 or 7 to 11 years; children develop logical thinking about concrete events and have an understanding of time, differentiating fact from fantasy; reflective reasoning emerges.
Formal Operational Stage: Starts around age 12, individuals gain the ability to think logically about abstract concepts and understand hypothetical situations and future consequences.

Sigmund Freud's Psychosexual Development Stages

Freud's Theories: Focuses on psychosexual stages where childhood experiences influence adult motivations.
Oral Stage: Birth to 2 years, centered on oral stimulation as a primary pleasure source.
Anal Stage: 1 to 3 years, involves pleasure centered around bowel and bladder control; may lead to anal-retentive or anal-expulsive personality traits.
Phallic Stage: Ages 4 to 7, where children gain gratification from their genitals; involves Oedipus and Electra complexes.
Latency Stage: Sexual urges are repressed; children engage in social interactions with peers of the same sex.
Genital Stage: Begins at puberty, involving the re-emergence of childhood sexual conflicts that are resolved during adolescence.

Key Terms and Concepts

Oedipus Complex: A boy's psychological struggles involving sexual feelings for his mother and rivalry with his father.
Electra Complex: A girl's psychosexual competition with her mother for her father's affection during the phallic stage.
Erik Erikson: Notably recognized for extending developmental theories, although details were not covered in the provided information.

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Description

Test your knowledge on key terminology related to human development with this flashcard quiz. Each card presents a definition for terms such as growth, maturation, and development, vital for understanding human biology and psychology. Prepare to enhance your understanding of developmental theories.