Child Psychology Key Terms

Question	Answer
CHILD PSYCHOLOGY	A branch of developmental psychology that covers infancy, childhood and adolescence. It is concerned with how early experiences might affect an individual's cognitive, social and emotional development. It also considers childhood difficulties such as neglect and learning difficulties.
ATTACHMENT	A strong emotional bond between a caregiver and their child that develops in the critical period of the first year. It can be observed at seven months old, when a child becomes distressed when separated from their caregiver.
DEPRIVATION	The loss of a formed attachment, which may occur through divorce, death and sometimes daycare.
PRIVATION	When an attachment is never formed with the caregiver, which can happen due to neglect and abuse or if the caregiver finds it difficult to bond with the child.
EVOLUTION	The inheritance of characteristics and pre-programmed behaviours that aid survival. An example is attachment, because staying close to the caregiver provides safety for the child.
DAYCARE	When a child is looked after by a child-minder throughout the day while the parents are at work. Bowlby predicted this to be a form of deprivation as the child experiences short-term deprivation from their primary caregiver.
SEPARATION ANXIETY	Distress that is experienced by infants when they are separated from their primary caregivers with whom they have formed an attachment.

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	Created by beckystephen over 9 years ago