Developmental Psychology Flashcards

Erikson's stage of 'Intimacy vs. Isolation' is associated with which period of life?

Answer: Early adulthood

Young adults face the challenge of forming deep, committed relationships; failure leads to isolation and loneliness.

A child who understands that a taller glass contains the same amount of liquid as a shorter, wider glass is demonstrating:

Answer: Decentration and conservation

Decentration — attending to multiple dimensions simultaneously — underlies the achievement of conservation.

Which of the following is an example of a sensitive period in development?

Answer: Early childhood as the optimal window for first-language acquisition

Sensitive periods are times of heightened neuroplasticity when certain experiences have their greatest impact, such as language acquisition in early childhood.

Research on secular trends in puberty timing indicates that over the past century:

Answer: Puberty onset has occurred progressively earlier

Improved nutrition, health care, and environmental factors have contributed to earlier onset of puberty across successive generations.

The Strange Situation procedure developed by Mary Ainsworth primarily measures:

Answer: Quality of infant-caregiver attachment

The Strange Situation is a standardized laboratory protocol that classifies attachment patterns (secure, anxious-avoidant, anxious-ambivalent, disorganized) based on infant behavior.

According to Baltes's life-span developmental perspective, which principle states that development at every age involves both gains and losses?

Answer: Multidirectionality

Multidirectionality holds that development involves simultaneous growth in some areas and decline in others throughout the lifespan.

Which cognitive ability tends to peak earliest in adulthood and then gradually decline?

Answer: Fluid intelligence

Fluid intelligence — the capacity for abstract reasoning and novel problem-solving — peaks in early adulthood and declines with age.