Lifestages
This stage spans roughly ages 18–25 and is characterized by identity exploration, instability, and feeling in-between adolescence and adulthood.
Emerging Adulthood
This theorist proposed the concept of the 'Zone of Proximal Development' to describe what a child can do with guidance but not yet alone.
Lev Vygotsky
Marcus, 15, has become withdrawn since his parents divorced. He says he feels 'stuck between two worlds' and struggles to answer 'Who am I?' Using Erikson, what crisis is Marcus experiencing?
Identity vs. Role Confusion (Erikson's Stage 5). Marcus is navigating identity development complicated by family disruption.
The capacity for "thinking about thinking," allowing adolescents to reflect on their own thought processes and monitor their reasoning.
metacognition
Studies show that people are more likely to help someone in need when they are ALONE than in a crowd. What is this phenomenon called?
The Bystander Effect
Erikson described this life stage as the time when individuals wrestle with the crisis of 'Generativity vs. Stagnation.' What stage is this?
Middle adulthood (approximately ages 40–65)
This theorist argued that moral development moves through three levels- preconventional, conventional, and postconventional
Lawrence Kohlberg
Jordan, 8, was adopted at age 3 after early neglect. He is hypervigilant, has difficulty trusting his adoptive parents, and becomes dysregulated when they leave the room. What attachment pattern does this reflect?
Disorganized attachment (likely rooted in early relational trauma and disrupted caregiving)
A 10-year-old child translates a complicated electricity bill for his parents. Beyond just linguistic translation, this child is also acting as a "cultural bridge" to help his family navigate a new society. What is the formal term for this role?
Child Language Brokers
In psychology, this term describes our tendency to seek out information that confirms what we already believe and ignore evidence that challenges it.
Confirmation Bias
Erikson's stage of 'Trust vs. Mistrust' occurs during this period of life.
Infancy (birth to ~18 months)
This theorist identified four attachment styles- secure, anxious-ambivalent, avoidant, and disorganized- through the Strange Situation procedure.
Mary Ainsworth
Tariq, 32, grew up dreaming of being an artist but chose pre-law to please his family. He now sits in lectures feeling numb and increasingly resentful. What developmental concept captures this tension?
Crystallization of discontent (Arnett)- a growing awareness that one's current path misaligns with authentic desires.
During a therapy session, a teenager refuses to complete a group activity, stating, "Everyone is looking at me and judging my outfit." What term describes this adolescent cognitive bias?
Imaginary Audience- adolescent egocentrism where the individual believes they are the center of everyone else's attention.
Neurologically this brain system/area develop later in adolescents brains contributing to risk-taking during this life period
specifically, the prefrontal cortex matures later than the limbic system.
The reward-sensitive limbic system develops earlier than the impulse-regulating prefrontal cortex, creating a developmental imbalance'that peaks in mid-adolescence.
The term for when a child understands that certain properties (like mass, volume, or number) stay the same even if the appearance changes, for example, knowing that water poured from a short, wide glass into a tall, thin one is still the same amount.
conservation
According to this theorist's bioecological model, the microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem all shape development.
Urie Bronfenbrenner
Devante, 17, grew up in poverty in an under-resourced school district. Despite his talent, he has internalized that college 'isn't for people like me.' Using Bronfenbrenner, identify examples from the macro, exo, and microsystems that may be influencing his beliefs
Macrosystem (systemic inequality, race/class), Exosystem (school funding structures)
Microsystem (family messaging, peer context).
All interact to shape his self-concept and aspirations.
A clinician places a small dot of rouge on an 18-month-old’s nose and places them in front of a mirror. If the child reaches for their own nose instead of the mirror, they have passed this famous developmental milestone. What is it called?
The Mirror Self-Recognition Test (or the Rouge Test). indicates child possessing self-awareness.
Research suggests that having this specific family member can actually make you a "better person" by increasing your levels of empathy, altruism, and self-consciousness.
A sister
This developmental milestone, typically achieved around 6–8 months, reflects the infant's ability to distinguish caregivers from strangers and signals healthy attachment formation.
Stranger anxiety
Both Gilligan and Kohlberg studied moral development, but they reached very different conclusions. Name one key critique Gilligan leveled at Kohlberg's theory AND the alternative framework she proposed.
Gilligan argued Kohlberg's model was built on male samples and centered justice while ignoring care. She proposed an 'ethics of care' framework emphasizing relationships and context as central to moral reasoning, particularly for women.
Priya, 28, Indian-American describes feeling like she hasn't 'figured out' her career or relationships yet, though her parents expected her to have it figured out by now, as they were married with Priya by this age. What construct might be influencing the stress that Priya is feeling regarding the differences in her parents vs her timeline?
Social Clocks- refers to cultural, age-related expectations for major life milestones like marriage, education, and retirement.
A 50-year-old mother comes to session to discuss how she is providing daily care for her aging father and helping her college-aged son with his finances. What term describes her generational position?
The Sandwich Generation (refers to middle-aged adults who are "sandwiched" between the needs of their aging parents and their own children.)
Research shows that the #1 predictor of children's school readiness isn't IQ or income, its....
The quality and responsiveness of early caregiver relationships / having a secure attachment.