Developmental Psychology Across Lifespan Flashcards

During Piaget's concrete operational stage (ages 7–11), children gain which key ability?

Answer: Conservation and logical operations on concrete objects

Concrete operational children can perform logical operations on tangible objects and understand conservation of quantity, mass, and volume.

The concept of 'scaffolding' in developmental psychology involves:

Answer: Providing temporary support adjusted to a learner's current level

Scaffolding, derived from Vygotsky's ZPD, involves adjusting support so it matches the learner's needs and gradually fading it as competence grows.

Longitudinal research designs in developmental psychology involve:

Answer: Following the same individuals over an extended period

Longitudinal designs track the same participants over time, allowing researchers to observe individual change but taking years to complete.

According to Erikson, the primary conflict of adolescence is:

Answer: Identity vs. role confusion

Erikson described adolescence as the stage where individuals explore who they are and work toward a stable sense of identity.

Habituation paradigms are commonly used in infant research because they measure:

Answer: Selective attention and discrimination ability

When infants habituate to a repeated stimulus and then show renewed attention (dishabituation) to a novel one, researchers can infer perceptual discrimination.

Resilience in developmental psychology is best defined as:

Answer: Positive adaptation despite significant adversity or risk

Resilience refers to the dynamic process of successful adaptation when facing significant challenges, not the absence of stress.

Which aging theory proposes that older adults who remain active and engaged maintain higher well-being than those who disengage?

Answer: Activity theory

Activity theory argues that continued social engagement and role maintenance are key to well-being in late adulthood.