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Lifespan Development

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321 views

Lifespan Development

psych homework

Uploaded by

dparent2026
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Idiom #1: The apple doesn't fall far from the tree

 Interpretation: All children are just like their parents


 Question: Are children like their parents? Is nature the prevailing force in
development? What about nurture? Explain your answer in 5-8 sentences.
The debate between nature and nurture has been argued for years. It has
been scientifically proven that personalities, traits, and appearances are the
fault of our genes and other biological factors. Often biological children will
act like their parents, while this proves nature to be a prevailing theory, it
may also prove nurture, making it hard to determine which is truly the
leading cause. During the first years of life children are very impressionable
and pick up their habits and attitudes from their parents and others around
them. How we experience life and interact with external stimuli is also
considered to shape who we are. Both theories are strong with evidence to
support making it impossible to pick one over the other, as they also work in
tandem blurring the lines between what is caused by nurture and what is
caused by nature.

Idiom #2: You can't teach an old dog new tricks

 Interpretation: As people age, it is more difficult for them to learn.


 Question: Based on what we learned about cognitive development, is it
harder for older adults to learn new things? Are all things equal? Explain
your answer. Give examples. Your answer should be 5-8 sentences in
length.
Piaget was a stage theorist who dedicated his life to the study of cognitive
theory of development. He focused on the cognitive growth of children.
Piaget argued that schemata are formed and assimilate/accommodate
new/old stimuli. Piaget believed in 4 different stages — Sensorimotor,
Preoperational, Concrete Operational, and Formal Operational. He proposed
that after age 12 our cognitive development stopped, and we started to
plateau at formal operational. Opposingly, Erik Erikson believed in the
psychosocial theory which stated that there were 8 stages in which we must
complete a task to reach a sense of competency. These stages continue with
the final one occurring at 65 years of age. Thus, it is hard to determine
whether younger or older people can learn better, or if older people can even
learn new tricks.
Idiom #3: Blood is thicker than water

 Interpretation: The family bond is more important than bonds with other
people
 Question: Which of Ainsworth's attachment models best supports this
idiom and why? Explain your answer in 5-8 sentences.
This idiom is supported by Ainsworth’s theory of Secure Attachment.
Ainsworth performed an experiment called The Strange Situation in which
she proved that there are three main ways in which children interact with
their parents — the secure, avoidant, and resistant attachment. Secure
attachment means that children are more likely to prefer their parents to
strangers. Their parents give a sense of security and are familiar. Thus,
proving how the bond between family is more important than those with
others.

Idiom #4: A chip on your shoulder

 Interpretation: You are upset about something that occurred in your past
 Question: Choose one of Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development
and explain how it may cause someone to have a chip on their shoulder
later in life. Your answer should be 5-8 sentences in length.
The developmental task industry vs. Inferiority if not fulfilled will leave
the person feeling incompetent or inferior. Often these feelings lead to
resentment or an unpleasant attitude as they believe they have been
wrongfully mistreated. Erikson proposed that completing these tasks is
crucial and very important to the development of humans. Whether tasks are
not completed or not, they will affect you the rest of your life either
positively or negatively respectively. Erikson believes that it is essential to
complete these tasks. Otherwise, it is almost certain that they will have a
chip on their shoulder.

Idiom #5: Curiosity killed the cat

 Interpretation: Being inquisitive can lead you into a dangerous situation.


 Question: According to Piaget, a toddler’s curiosity is probably lower than
older children because they aren’t yet curious about objects they can’t
see. This is because they haven’t yet acquired the knowledge of what?
When will this develop? According to Piaget, is curiosity dangerous or
important and why? Explain your answer in 5-8 sentences.
Piaget’s stages of cognitive development show how children slowly shift from
sensorimotor to formal operational. During the sensorimotor/preoperational
stage toddlers learn to be curious and question the things around them. They
will also develop object permanence, which allows them to recognize that
when they no longer see an object it is still there. This is when children start
to shift from curious to solving problems logically. Piaget believes that
curiosity is important as it is a main component of how children learn for
themselves and acquire schemata.

Idiom #6: Every cloud has a silver lining

 Interpretation: The belief that even difficult times will lead to better days;
to be optimistic
 Question: According to Erikson, what types of crises must a preteen child
overcome to believe that every cloud has a silver lining?
Erikson’s psychosocial theory of development shows how the growth of
preteen children’s self-concept is important to their optimism and view of
life. Healthy development of the mind is only capable through the
developmental tasks of Industry vs. Inferior and Identity vs. Confusion.
Industry vs. Inferior helps children to become sure of themselves and
their actions. They start to become confident in their actions and see
challenges as opportunities rather than obstacles. Identity vs. Confusion
helps (pre)teens to become sure of themselves as an individual. Once
they have created an identity for themselves, they start to be more
comfortable with who they are and what they do. They confidently enjoy
what they like and stay away from what they dislike easily. This proves
how Erikson’s 4th and 5th developmental steps aid preteen children to be
more optimistic.

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