Life Span Development Exam 1
Questions with Correct Answers
What is Development? - ANSWERSthe pattern of movement or change that begins at
conception and continues through the human life span.
What is central to the life-span perspective o human development? - ANSWERSThe
belief that development occurs throughout life. This perspective has other
characteristics as well. According to life-span development expert Paul Baltes (1939-
2006), the life-span perspective views development as lifelong, multidimensional, multi-
directional, plastic, multidisciplinary, and contextual, and as a process that involves
growth, maintenance, and regulation of loss.
How is development multidimensional? - ANSWERSAt every age, your body, your
mind, your emotions, and your relationships change and affect each other.
Development has biological, cognitive, and socioemotional dimensions. Within each of
these dimensions are many components—for example, attention, memory, abstract
thinking, speed of processing information, and social intelligence are just a few of the
components of the cognitive dimension.
What does plasticity mean? - ANSWERSIt is a persons capacity for change.
**It is more difficult to learn new skills, languages, ect. in a later age which may suggest
that the older we are he less plasticity we have.
What is a nonnormative life event? - ANSWERSA nonnormative life event is an unusual
occurrence that has a major influence on a persons life.
The term _____ comes from the Greek word for "nation" - ANSWERSEthnic
What is Normative age-graded influences? - ANSWERSIt is shared by a particular age
group
Ex.) 911 (singular event)
What are Normative history-graded influences? - ANSWERSShared by a specific
generation?
Ex.) WWII and the Great Depression (time periods)
what are Nonnormative life events ? - ANSWERSEvents that are unique to the
individual.
, What three processes work together in someone's development? - ANSWERSBiological
Processes, Cognitive Processes, Socioemotional processes.
What are the periods of development? - ANSWERSPrenatal Period • Infancy • Early
Childhood • Middle and Late Childhood • Adolescence • Early Adulthood • Middle
Adulthood • Late Adulthood
Continuity Development - ANSWERSThe development is a gradual continuous process.
Ex.) an acorn growing into a tree.
What is Discontinuity in development? - ANSWERSpeople pass through stages of life
that are qualitatively different from each other.
Ex.) a caterpillar turning into a butterfly
What are the two types of changes in human development? - ANSWERSQuantitative,
and Qualitative
what is quantitative development? - ANSWERSweight, height and number of words.
what is qualitative development? - ANSWERSProgressive continuous development that
cannot be defined by numerical growth.
Ex.) moving from a beginning reader to an emergent reader to a full reader.
Five aspects of development - ANSWERS- Physical Development - Intellectual or
Cognitive Development - Personality Development - Social Development - Moral
Development
What is Freud's theory? - ANSWERSId, ego, and superego create personality - Defense
mechanisms and repression - Anxiety and defense mechanisms - Five stages of
psychosexual development - Criticisms: overemphasized sexual instincts, unconscious
is more important today
Erikson's psychosocial theory - ANSWERS- Primary motive for human behavior is
social; desire to affiliate with others - Developmental changes throughout life span -
Experiences at all ages are important - Criticisms: stages have positive/negative poles,
crisis in each stage needs resolution
Piaget's cognitive developmental theory - ANSWERS- Children actively construct their
knowledge - Each of the four stages • Age-related • Has a distinct way of thinking • Has
different way of understanding the world • Child's cognition is "qualitatively" different
What are Piaget's Four Stages? - ANSWERS1.) Sensorimotor Stage (Birth- 2 years old)
- The infant constructs an understanding of the world by coordinating sensory
experiences with physical actions.
2.) Preoperational Stage ( 2-7 years old)
Questions with Correct Answers
What is Development? - ANSWERSthe pattern of movement or change that begins at
conception and continues through the human life span.
What is central to the life-span perspective o human development? - ANSWERSThe
belief that development occurs throughout life. This perspective has other
characteristics as well. According to life-span development expert Paul Baltes (1939-
2006), the life-span perspective views development as lifelong, multidimensional, multi-
directional, plastic, multidisciplinary, and contextual, and as a process that involves
growth, maintenance, and regulation of loss.
How is development multidimensional? - ANSWERSAt every age, your body, your
mind, your emotions, and your relationships change and affect each other.
Development has biological, cognitive, and socioemotional dimensions. Within each of
these dimensions are many components—for example, attention, memory, abstract
thinking, speed of processing information, and social intelligence are just a few of the
components of the cognitive dimension.
What does plasticity mean? - ANSWERSIt is a persons capacity for change.
**It is more difficult to learn new skills, languages, ect. in a later age which may suggest
that the older we are he less plasticity we have.
What is a nonnormative life event? - ANSWERSA nonnormative life event is an unusual
occurrence that has a major influence on a persons life.
The term _____ comes from the Greek word for "nation" - ANSWERSEthnic
What is Normative age-graded influences? - ANSWERSIt is shared by a particular age
group
Ex.) 911 (singular event)
What are Normative history-graded influences? - ANSWERSShared by a specific
generation?
Ex.) WWII and the Great Depression (time periods)
what are Nonnormative life events ? - ANSWERSEvents that are unique to the
individual.
, What three processes work together in someone's development? - ANSWERSBiological
Processes, Cognitive Processes, Socioemotional processes.
What are the periods of development? - ANSWERSPrenatal Period • Infancy • Early
Childhood • Middle and Late Childhood • Adolescence • Early Adulthood • Middle
Adulthood • Late Adulthood
Continuity Development - ANSWERSThe development is a gradual continuous process.
Ex.) an acorn growing into a tree.
What is Discontinuity in development? - ANSWERSpeople pass through stages of life
that are qualitatively different from each other.
Ex.) a caterpillar turning into a butterfly
What are the two types of changes in human development? - ANSWERSQuantitative,
and Qualitative
what is quantitative development? - ANSWERSweight, height and number of words.
what is qualitative development? - ANSWERSProgressive continuous development that
cannot be defined by numerical growth.
Ex.) moving from a beginning reader to an emergent reader to a full reader.
Five aspects of development - ANSWERS- Physical Development - Intellectual or
Cognitive Development - Personality Development - Social Development - Moral
Development
What is Freud's theory? - ANSWERSId, ego, and superego create personality - Defense
mechanisms and repression - Anxiety and defense mechanisms - Five stages of
psychosexual development - Criticisms: overemphasized sexual instincts, unconscious
is more important today
Erikson's psychosocial theory - ANSWERS- Primary motive for human behavior is
social; desire to affiliate with others - Developmental changes throughout life span -
Experiences at all ages are important - Criticisms: stages have positive/negative poles,
crisis in each stage needs resolution
Piaget's cognitive developmental theory - ANSWERS- Children actively construct their
knowledge - Each of the four stages • Age-related • Has a distinct way of thinking • Has
different way of understanding the world • Child's cognition is "qualitatively" different
What are Piaget's Four Stages? - ANSWERS1.) Sensorimotor Stage (Birth- 2 years old)
- The infant constructs an understanding of the world by coordinating sensory
experiences with physical actions.
2.) Preoperational Stage ( 2-7 years old)
