Lifespan Ch. 1

Laboratory observation

A controlled setting in which research can take place

Social policy

A government's course of action designed to promote the welfare of its citizens. Values, economics, and politics are all things that shape this.

Cross-sectional approach

Assess people at one point in time. Survey people in one class, publish those results.

When the zygote is formed

At what point is conception?

Pathological aging

Characterizes individuals who show greater the average decline as they age through the adult years. In early old age, they have mild cognitive impairment, develop Alzheimer disease later on, or have a chronic disease that impairs their daily functioning.

Successful aging

Characterizes individuals whose positive physical, cognitive, and socioemotional development is maintained longer, declining later in old age than is the case for most people

Cross-cultural studies

Compares aspects of two or more cultures. This provides info about the degree to which development is similar, or universal, across cultures, or is instead culture-specific.

Continuity

Development is gradual and a continuous process

Longitudinal approach

Development scientists study change over time. These talk about how people change.

Middle and late childhood

Developmental period approximately corresponding with elementary school years. Fundamental skills of reading, writing, and arithmetic are mastered.

Experiments research

Experimental design MUSt be paired with cause and effect. This can answer questions about cause and effect. Sometimes they are not ethical so you would go to a correlational study.

It might challenge the individual so it is important to be concerned and support people in these situations

Explain an orange flag event

Nature

Genes and biology - naturally born with it

Biological processes

Genes and our biology

Genetic predispositions

Give an example of a biological process

Teen pregnancy

Give an example of a non-normative life event

Being an older generation that does not understanding technology

Give an example of a normative history-graded influence

How we socially interact with people

Give an example of social processes

Reading, memory, attention, IQ

Give examples of cognitive processes

Retire at the age of 65, start kindergarten at the age of 5.

Give two examples of a normative age-graded influence

Cognitive processes

How we think

Non-normative life events

Influences that happen to some people that are not typical. These events do not happen to the majority of people.

Adolescence

Joey has shot up in height. He is preoccupied with hanging out with his friends rather than his family. He has grown facial hair.

Infancy

Jonathan is almost completely dependent and he is only beginning to acquire language skills. What stage of life is he in?

Correlational research

Looking for relationships between two variables. Can't say cause and effect.

Naturalistic observation

Observation that occurs in a real-world setting without any attempt to manipulate the situation

Socioeconomic Status (SES)

Refers to a person's position within society based on occupational, educational, and economic characteristics. This implies certain inequalities.

Socioemotional processes

Refers to social and emotional processes

Stability and change

Sometimes things are stable during development but other times they change a lot

Discontinuity

Stage theories are discontinuous theories. One day you're in this stage and the next day you wake up and you're in the next stage

Prenatal period

The _________ period is the time from conception to birth

Gender

The characteristics of people as females and males, is another important aspect of sociocultural contexts

Early childhood

The developmental period known as the "preschool years". Children learn to become more self-sufficient and to care for themselves. School readiness skills are there also.

Early adulthood

The developmental period that begins in the late teens or early twenties and lasts through the thirties. This is a time for establishing personal and economic independence.

Middle adulthood

The developmental period where the expansion of personal and social involvement and responsibility occurs. Typically in the late 40's.

Lifespan perspective

The idea that if we really want to understand development we must recognize that it continuously occurs throughout the lifespan. We don't stop developing and we don't randomly start developing something without leading causes. Development is a lifelong process and there are a lot of influences on our development.

Development

The pattern of movement or a change that starts at conception and continues through the lifespan.

Cohort effects

The people you are traveling through time with (millennials, YSU grade)

Context

The setting in which development occurs - this will influence an individuals development

Culture

This encompasses the behavior patterns, beliefs, and all other products of a particular group of people that are passed on from generation to generation. This results from the interaction of people over many years. Can be as large as the U.S. or as small as an isolated town

Ethnicity

This is rooted in cultural heritage, nationality, race, religion, and language

Late adulthood

This is the time of life review, retirement from work, and adjustment to new social roles

Descriptive research

Type of research that aims to observe and record behavior

Normative history-graded influence

Typical amongst most people which are influences that have t odd with the generation or cohort we are categorized in. Different groups of people who experienced different influences because of the time that they grew up in.

Normative age-graded influences

Typical influences amongst most people that are similar for people in an particular age group.

Observation

Watching people for a study

Nurture

caring for a baby, environmental or social influences

Normal aging

characterizes most individuals, for whom psychological functioning often peaks in early middle age, remains relatively stable until the late fifties to early sixties, and then shows a modest decline through the early eighties. This decline can occur as the individual nears death.