lifespan development exam 1
Questions with Answers Correct
lifespan development - ANSWERSa field of study that examines patterns of growth,
change, and stability in behavior through the lifespan
what are the three topical areas in lifespan development? - ANSWERS1. physical
2. cognitive
3. social/personality
4 influences of development - ANSWERS1. history-graded
2. age-graded
3. sociocultural-graded influences
4. non-normative
history graded influences - ANSWERSboth environmental and biological factors
example of biological factors - ANSWERSthe covid19 pandemic
example of environmental factors - ANSWERSdepression
9/11
age-graded influences - ANSWERSsimilar in a particular age group
what is an example of an age-graded influence? - ANSWERShow every adolescents
experiences puberty
going to college
sociocultural-graded influences - ANSWERSsocial and cultural factors present at a
particular time for a particular individual
example of sociocultural graded influence - ANSWERSparents income
demographics
socioeconomic status
non-normative life events - ANSWERSnon typical events that happens to an individuals
example of non-normative influence - ANSWERScar crash where some passengers
lose their lives
life threatening illness
,what are the key issues in lifespan development? - ANSWERS- continuous vs.
discontinuous changes
- critical vs. sensitive periods
- nature vs. nurture
continuous change - ANSWERS- change is gradual
- achievements at one level build on previous level
- underlying developmental processes remain the same over the lifespan
discontinuous change - ANSWERS- change occurs in distinct steps or stages
- behavior and processes are qualitatively different at different stages
- stage theorists would view development as discontinuous
critical period - ANSWERS- certain environmental stimuli are necessary for normal
development
- emphasized by early developments
- time during development where an event has the greatest consequences (moms and
extracting rubella in the first 20 weeks vs. after 30 weeks)
sensitive period - ANSWERS- optimal time to receive certain inputs during these
periods
- people are susceptible to certain environmental stimuli, but consequences of absent
stimuli reversible
- current emphasis in lifespan development
- language development
lifespan approach - ANSWERScurrent theories emphasize growth and change
throughout life, relatedness of different periods
focus on particular periods - ANSWERSinfancy and adolescence emphasized by early
developmentalists as most important periods
nature - ANSWERS- genetic factor
- emphasis on discovering inherited genetic traits and abilities
nurture - ANSWERS- emphasis on environmental influences that affect a person's
development
how can nature and nurture interact together? - ANSWERSthe environment affects the
way your genes are expressed
correlational study - ANSWERSexamines the relationship between 2 or more variables
issues with correlational studies - ANSWERS1. directionality (which one effects the
other?)
2. third variable problem (there could be something else causing the relationship)
, 3. there is no causality
experimental design must have: - ANSWERS1. random assignment of IV
2. high levels of experimental control
(has high internal validity)
cons of experimental control - ANSWERS- not "naturalistic"
- hard to "control" for everything
- no always feasible or ethical
field study (including pros and cons) - ANSWERS+ capturing behavior in real-life
settings
+ used in correlational studies and experiments
pro: easier to recruit participants, get good quality behaviors or more naturalistic
con: hard to exert control over situations
laboratory study (including pros and cons) - ANSWERSdevelopmental experiments are
typically conducted in the lab (structured observation/correlational studies can also
occur in the lab)
pros: hold events constant (causality is then easier to establish)
con: it is difficult and costly
what are the 3 measures for developmental change? - ANSWERSlongitudinal
cross-sectional studies
sequential
longitudinal studies - ANSWERSmeasuring individuals change over time
ex. following a group of children throughout their lives
- only need a small group of participants
- child is basically tis own control group
cross-sectional studies - ANSWERSmeasuring people of different ages at the same
point in time
ex. getting a group of 3 year old, different group of 4 year olds, and a different group of
5 year olds and measuring their cognitive ability at the same point in time
- downside = need a lot of participants
- upside = takes shorter time than longitudinal
sequential studies - ANSWERSmixture of longitudinal and cross-sectional studies
ex. 3 different age groups you measure at a certain point in time and then you follow the
youngest age group to the time when they are as old as the oldest age group
preformationsism - ANSWERSthe idea that we look like little tiny babies at conception
even in the sperm
(formal def: organisms develop from miniature versions of themselves)
17th century
Questions with Answers Correct
lifespan development - ANSWERSa field of study that examines patterns of growth,
change, and stability in behavior through the lifespan
what are the three topical areas in lifespan development? - ANSWERS1. physical
2. cognitive
3. social/personality
4 influences of development - ANSWERS1. history-graded
2. age-graded
3. sociocultural-graded influences
4. non-normative
history graded influences - ANSWERSboth environmental and biological factors
example of biological factors - ANSWERSthe covid19 pandemic
example of environmental factors - ANSWERSdepression
9/11
age-graded influences - ANSWERSsimilar in a particular age group
what is an example of an age-graded influence? - ANSWERShow every adolescents
experiences puberty
going to college
sociocultural-graded influences - ANSWERSsocial and cultural factors present at a
particular time for a particular individual
example of sociocultural graded influence - ANSWERSparents income
demographics
socioeconomic status
non-normative life events - ANSWERSnon typical events that happens to an individuals
example of non-normative influence - ANSWERScar crash where some passengers
lose their lives
life threatening illness
,what are the key issues in lifespan development? - ANSWERS- continuous vs.
discontinuous changes
- critical vs. sensitive periods
- nature vs. nurture
continuous change - ANSWERS- change is gradual
- achievements at one level build on previous level
- underlying developmental processes remain the same over the lifespan
discontinuous change - ANSWERS- change occurs in distinct steps or stages
- behavior and processes are qualitatively different at different stages
- stage theorists would view development as discontinuous
critical period - ANSWERS- certain environmental stimuli are necessary for normal
development
- emphasized by early developments
- time during development where an event has the greatest consequences (moms and
extracting rubella in the first 20 weeks vs. after 30 weeks)
sensitive period - ANSWERS- optimal time to receive certain inputs during these
periods
- people are susceptible to certain environmental stimuli, but consequences of absent
stimuli reversible
- current emphasis in lifespan development
- language development
lifespan approach - ANSWERScurrent theories emphasize growth and change
throughout life, relatedness of different periods
focus on particular periods - ANSWERSinfancy and adolescence emphasized by early
developmentalists as most important periods
nature - ANSWERS- genetic factor
- emphasis on discovering inherited genetic traits and abilities
nurture - ANSWERS- emphasis on environmental influences that affect a person's
development
how can nature and nurture interact together? - ANSWERSthe environment affects the
way your genes are expressed
correlational study - ANSWERSexamines the relationship between 2 or more variables
issues with correlational studies - ANSWERS1. directionality (which one effects the
other?)
2. third variable problem (there could be something else causing the relationship)
, 3. there is no causality
experimental design must have: - ANSWERS1. random assignment of IV
2. high levels of experimental control
(has high internal validity)
cons of experimental control - ANSWERS- not "naturalistic"
- hard to "control" for everything
- no always feasible or ethical
field study (including pros and cons) - ANSWERS+ capturing behavior in real-life
settings
+ used in correlational studies and experiments
pro: easier to recruit participants, get good quality behaviors or more naturalistic
con: hard to exert control over situations
laboratory study (including pros and cons) - ANSWERSdevelopmental experiments are
typically conducted in the lab (structured observation/correlational studies can also
occur in the lab)
pros: hold events constant (causality is then easier to establish)
con: it is difficult and costly
what are the 3 measures for developmental change? - ANSWERSlongitudinal
cross-sectional studies
sequential
longitudinal studies - ANSWERSmeasuring individuals change over time
ex. following a group of children throughout their lives
- only need a small group of participants
- child is basically tis own control group
cross-sectional studies - ANSWERSmeasuring people of different ages at the same
point in time
ex. getting a group of 3 year old, different group of 4 year olds, and a different group of
5 year olds and measuring their cognitive ability at the same point in time
- downside = need a lot of participants
- upside = takes shorter time than longitudinal
sequential studies - ANSWERSmixture of longitudinal and cross-sectional studies
ex. 3 different age groups you measure at a certain point in time and then you follow the
youngest age group to the time when they are as old as the oldest age group
preformationsism - ANSWERSthe idea that we look like little tiny babies at conception
even in the sperm
(formal def: organisms develop from miniature versions of themselves)
17th century
