Chapter 10: Life Span Development II

attachment – A strong affectional bond with special others that endures over time.

imprinting – Konrad Lorenz's early studies that supports the biological argument for
attachment; baby geese attach to, and then follow, the first large moving object
they see during a certain critical period in their development.

strange situation procedure – A researcher observes infants in the presence or

absence of their mother and a stranger, and divides the children into three groups:
securely attached, avoidant, and anxious/ambivalent.

preconventional level – Kohlberg’s first level of moral development, in which

morality is based on rewards, punishment, and the exchange of favors.

conventional level – Kohlberg’s second level of moral development, in which moral

judgments are based on compliance with the rules and values of society.

postconventional level – Kohlberg’s highest level of moral development, in which

individuals develop personal standards for right and wrong, and they define
morality in terms of abstract principles and values that apply to all situations and
societies.

psychological stages – The eight developmental stages, each involving a crisis that
must be successfully resolved, that individuals pass through in Erikson’s theory of
psychosocial development.

identity crisis – Period of serious questioning and intense soul-searching, in which

adolescents develop a coherent sense of self and their role in society.

sex – Biological maleness and femaleness, including chromosomal sex. Also,

activities related to sexual behaviors, such as masturbation and intercourse.

gender – Psychological and sociocultural meanings added to biological maleness or

femaleness.

gender roles – Societal expectations for normal and appropriate male and female
behavior.

gender schemas – Theory that children learn about what it means to be male and
female from the world in which they live, and adjust their behavior to fit in with the
gender norms and expectations of their culture.

androgyny –The mixing of masculine and feminine characteristics.

self – how we define and understand ourselves.

individualistic cultures – Cultures in which the needs and goals of the individual are
emphasized over the needs and goals of the group.
collectivistic cultures – Cultures in which the needs and goals of the group are
emphasized over the needs and goals of the individual.

personality-job fit theory – John Holland’s theory that a match between our
individual personalities and our career choices is a major factor in determining job
success and satisfaction.

activity theory of aging – Successful aging is fostered by a full and active

commitment to life.

disengagement theory – Successful aging is characterized by mutual withdrawal

between the elderly and society.

socioemotional selectivity theory – A natural decline in social contact as older adults

become more selective with their time.

thanatology – The study of death and dying.

hospice - A type of care and a philosophy of care which focuses on the loving
support of a terminally ill patient's symptoms.