FAD 3220 EXAM 1 VERIFIED STUDY GUIDE
Lifespan Development - Answers - the field of study that examines patterns of growth,
change, and stability in behavior that occur throughout the entire life span
topical areas in lifespan development - Answers - Physical development, cognitive
development, personality development, and social development.
Cohort - Answers - a group of people born at around the same time in the same place
Age-graded influences - Answers - biological and environmental influences that are
similar for individuals in particular age group (e.g., puberty, menopause
Socioculture graded influences - Answers - social and cultural factors present at
particular time for a particular individual, depending on such variables as ethnicity,
social class, and subcultural membership (e.g., white and affluent versus minority group
and impoverished).
non-normative life events - Answers - atypical events that occur in a particular person's
life at a time when such events do not happen to most people
Critical period - Answers - a specific time during development when a particular event
has its greatest consequences and the presence of certain kinds of environmental
stimuli is necessary for development to proceed normally
Sensitive period - Answers - a point in development when organisms are particularly
susceptible to certain kinds of stimuli in their environments, but the absence of those
stimuli does not always produce irreversible consequences
Psychodynamic perspective - Answers - the approach that states behavior is motivated
by inner forces, memories, and conflicts that are generally beyond people's awareness
and control
behavioral perspective - Answers - the approach that suggests that the keys to
understanding development are observable behavior and outside stimuli in the
environment
Cognitive perspective - Answers - the approach that focuses on the processes that
allow people to know, understand, and think about the world
continuous change - Answers - gradual development in which achievements at one
level build on those of previous levels
, discontinuous change - Answers - development that occurs in distinct steps or stages,
with each stage bringing about behavior that is assumed to be qualitatively different
from behavior at earlier stages
Humanistic perspective - Answers - the theory that contends that people have a natural
capacity to make decisions about their lives and control their behavior
contextual perspective - Answers - the theory that considers the relationship between
individuals and their physical, cognitive, personality, and social worlds
Evolutionary perspective - Answers - the theory that seeks to identify behavior that is a
result of our genetic inheritance from our ancestors
Zygote - Answers - the new cell formed by the process of fertilization
chromosomes - Answers - rod-shaped portions of DNA that are organized in 23 pairs
blastocyst - Answers - stage of early development in mammals that consists of a hollow
ball of cells
germinal stage - Answers - the first-and shortest-stage of the prenatal period, which
takes place during the first 2 weeks following conception
embryonic stage - Answers - the period from 2 to 8 weeks following fertilization during
which significant growth occurs in the major organs and body systems
ectoderm - Answers - the outer layer of the embryo; forms the hair, skin, hair, teeth,
sense organs, brain, and spinal cord
endoderm - Answers - inner layer of the embryo; produces digestive system, liver,
pancreas, and respiratory system
mesoderm - Answers - middle layer of the embryo; forms the muscles, bones, blood,
and circulatory system
Fetal stage - Answers - the stage that begins at about 8 weeks after conception and
continues until birth
body proportions - Answers - 2 months after conception the head is half the fetus; 5
moths after conception the head is 3/8 fetus; at birth the head is 1/4 of the body
Infertility - Answers - the inability to conceive after 12-18 months of trying to get
pregnant
Miscarriage - Answers - spontaneous abortion; 15-20% of all pregnancies
Lifespan Development - Answers - the field of study that examines patterns of growth,
change, and stability in behavior that occur throughout the entire life span
topical areas in lifespan development - Answers - Physical development, cognitive
development, personality development, and social development.
Cohort - Answers - a group of people born at around the same time in the same place
Age-graded influences - Answers - biological and environmental influences that are
similar for individuals in particular age group (e.g., puberty, menopause
Socioculture graded influences - Answers - social and cultural factors present at
particular time for a particular individual, depending on such variables as ethnicity,
social class, and subcultural membership (e.g., white and affluent versus minority group
and impoverished).
non-normative life events - Answers - atypical events that occur in a particular person's
life at a time when such events do not happen to most people
Critical period - Answers - a specific time during development when a particular event
has its greatest consequences and the presence of certain kinds of environmental
stimuli is necessary for development to proceed normally
Sensitive period - Answers - a point in development when organisms are particularly
susceptible to certain kinds of stimuli in their environments, but the absence of those
stimuli does not always produce irreversible consequences
Psychodynamic perspective - Answers - the approach that states behavior is motivated
by inner forces, memories, and conflicts that are generally beyond people's awareness
and control
behavioral perspective - Answers - the approach that suggests that the keys to
understanding development are observable behavior and outside stimuli in the
environment
Cognitive perspective - Answers - the approach that focuses on the processes that
allow people to know, understand, and think about the world
continuous change - Answers - gradual development in which achievements at one
level build on those of previous levels
, discontinuous change - Answers - development that occurs in distinct steps or stages,
with each stage bringing about behavior that is assumed to be qualitatively different
from behavior at earlier stages
Humanistic perspective - Answers - the theory that contends that people have a natural
capacity to make decisions about their lives and control their behavior
contextual perspective - Answers - the theory that considers the relationship between
individuals and their physical, cognitive, personality, and social worlds
Evolutionary perspective - Answers - the theory that seeks to identify behavior that is a
result of our genetic inheritance from our ancestors
Zygote - Answers - the new cell formed by the process of fertilization
chromosomes - Answers - rod-shaped portions of DNA that are organized in 23 pairs
blastocyst - Answers - stage of early development in mammals that consists of a hollow
ball of cells
germinal stage - Answers - the first-and shortest-stage of the prenatal period, which
takes place during the first 2 weeks following conception
embryonic stage - Answers - the period from 2 to 8 weeks following fertilization during
which significant growth occurs in the major organs and body systems
ectoderm - Answers - the outer layer of the embryo; forms the hair, skin, hair, teeth,
sense organs, brain, and spinal cord
endoderm - Answers - inner layer of the embryo; produces digestive system, liver,
pancreas, and respiratory system
mesoderm - Answers - middle layer of the embryo; forms the muscles, bones, blood,
and circulatory system
Fetal stage - Answers - the stage that begins at about 8 weeks after conception and
continues until birth
body proportions - Answers - 2 months after conception the head is half the fetus; 5
moths after conception the head is 3/8 fetus; at birth the head is 1/4 of the body
Infertility - Answers - the inability to conceive after 12-18 months of trying to get
pregnant
Miscarriage - Answers - spontaneous abortion; 15-20% of all pregnancies
