Unit VII. Age Psychology

Task 1. Look through these groups of words. Decide which group is connected with a happy child, a happy parent and unhappy, problem child, unhappy, difficult parent:

a) kind-hearted, good-natured, loving, friendly, affectionate, confident, balanced, secure, getting along with others, gregarious, sociable, communicative, outgoing, unselfish, hard-working, industrious, self-disciplined, self-possessed, alert, motivated, conscientious, active, persevering, enthusiastic, polite, courteous, considerate, thoughtful, helpful, able to cope with difficulties and problems.

b) obedient, prone to obey, submissive, disciplined, repressed, depressed, distressed, mixed-up, confused, frustrated, disturbed, neglected, self-centered, unsociable, lonely, timid, shy, fearful, sulky, indifferent, impersonal, listless, irresponsive, insensitive, hurt, humiliated, stubborn, uninterested, unmotivated, dull, inactive, bored, unable to cope with difficulties, irritable, annoyed, anxious, restless, naughty, willful, inconsistent, impulsive, undisciplined, unruly, misbehaving, disobedient, resentful, arrogant, insolent, impudent, inconsiderate, intolerant, disrespectful, unrestrained, destructive, belligerent, rude, rough, coarse, offensive, wrong-doing, delinquent.

c) impulsive, indulging, pampering, babying, unreasonable, selfish, self-indulging, self-interested, self-willed, willful, inconsistent, partial, sentimental, permissive, loveless, indifferent, impersonal, insensitive, disapproving, unjust, unfair, impatient, intolerant, insensible, unwise, nagging, fussy, cold, hard, harsh, cruel, bullying, aggressive, destructive, violent, repressing, demanding, restraining, moralizing, uncompromising, tough.

d) loving, caring, affectionate, kind, kind-hearted, good-natured, friendly, approving, reassuring, responsive, thoughtful, considerate, understanding, sensitive, sympathetic, sensible, reasonable, self-controlled, self-restrained, patient, tolerant, open, outgoing, firm, consistent, just.

Task 2. Read and translate the text:

Age Psychology

Age psychology is a serious science consisting of several branches: children’s psychology, pre-school children’s psychology, gerontopsychology, etc. Age psychology studies laws of normal individual’s mental development. Age psychology examines the current state of mental development, but at the same time it tries to forecast person’s whole life cycle.

The problems of age psychology start when two people of different ages meet. The first person is an adult who wants to receive knowledge about laws and rules of psychological development. The second individual could be a child, a grown up of the same age or somebody who is older. All these people would be called subjects or examinees. The difference in age level can bring the problem of misunderstanding and it is going even worse when the scientist deals with a child.

There are some techniques which help to examine the subjects in age psychology. Thus, there is experimental genetic method, clinic examination, laboratory experiment and many others. They divide the whole life cycle into separate stages which are easier to investigate and formulate laws of people’s progress.

Theoretical importance in age psychology presupposes the formulation of the problem, laws of its development as a specific phenomenon in social life. The scientist should work over the value and truthfulness of the received knowledge. Practical application assumes the practical use of the received knowledge. For example, it is useful in education organisation of differently aged people or in testing whether an individual is ready for an activity, e.g. choice of profession, school education, family life, etc.

The subject of age psychology includes changes in human psyche and behaviour while going from one age level to another. These changes could be:

• quantitative, e.g. enlargement of memory volume, number of words used;

• evolutionary, which are developing in slow, gradual way;

• qualitative, e.g. using more complex grammar constructions in speech, changing from situational speech to monologues, from spontaneous to purposeful attention;

• revolutionary, deeper, which are fast to occur, a jump in development, appearing on the borders of age periods;

• situational, which are linked with social sphere and its influence on the child, they are uncertain and need to be worked on.

Another subject of age psychology is psychological age. It is a specific period of psychological development, which is characterized by the appearance of new features prepared by the previous psychological development. Psychological age may not coincide with the chronological age. Age period has certain boundaries but they can be changed as individuals develop in different speed.

Task 3. Translate the words into Russian:

1) age psychology; 2) current state; 3) adult; 4) problem of misunderstanding; 5) genetic method; 6) practical application; 7) memory volume; 8) spontaneous attention; 9) to be linked with.

Task 4. In the text “Age psychology” find English equivalents to the following Russian word and word combinations:

1) геронто-психология; 2) прогнозировать события жизненного цикла; 3) испытуемый; 4) иметь дело с; 5) предполагать; 6) люди разных возрастов; 7) эволюционные изменения; 8) произвольное внимание; 9) психологический возраст.

Task 5. In the text “Age psychology” find synonyms to the following words:

1) to include; 2) old people’s psychology; 3) examinee; 4) to assume; 5) making larger; 6) to be connected to; 7) boundary.

Task 6. In the text “Age psychology” find antonyms to the following words:

1) funny; 2) abnormal; 3) part; 4) better; 5) more difficult; 6) certain; 7) following, next; 8) making smaller; 9) usual.

Task 7. Answer the questions:

1) What are the branches of age psychology?

2) Can psychology forecast person’s life cycle?

3) Who are the subjects in age psychology?

4) What can cause the problem of misunderstanding?

5) What are the methods of examination in age psychology?

6) Why do the methods of age psychology separate the life cycle into stages?

7) What is practical application?

8) What are the changes in psyche and behaviour while going from one age level to another?

Task 8. Say whether the statements are true or false. Correct false statements:

1) Age psychology studies physical laws of energy.

2) The problems of age psychology start when three people meet.

3) Age psychology deals with problems of aged people.

4) Methods of age psychology include clinic examination.

5) Methods of age psychology help to study human life as a whole.

6) Theoretical importance means usage of scientific methods in everyday life.

7) Revolutionary changes in psyche development mean that they are slow to occur and are prepared gradually.

8) Situational changes are certain and last forever.

9) Psychological age equals a chronological age.

10) Age period has uncertain borders but the majority of people fall into its limits.

Task 9. In the text “Age psychology” find sentences with the word “attention”. Translate it into Russian. Study the possible variants of meaning of this word and phrases with it:

1) attention – внимание, внимательность; забота, заботливость; уход (за больным и т.п.); уход (за машиной); положение «смирно»

2) to attract (to draw, to call) somebody’s attention to something – обращать чье-либо внимание на что-либо

3) to pay attention to – обращать внимание на …

4) to compel attention – приковывать внимание

5) to slip somebody’s attention – ускользнуть от чьего-либо внимания

6) to show much attention to somebody – проявлять заботу о ком-либо

7) to pay attentions to – ухаживать за

8) to stand at attention – стоять в положении «смирно»

9) attentive – внимательный, заботливый; вежливый, предупредительный

10) attentively – внимательно

11) inattentive – невнимательный

Task 10. Translate the sentences into Russian. Pay attention to the words and phrases from task nine:

1) I’d like to attract your attention to the information written in small letters, it is important.

2) The book in the show-window compelled my attention and I went in the book shop.

3) I am all attention.

4) Parents showed much attention to their little son.

5) Soldiers should stand at attention when they are ordered to do so.

6) Read the text attentively and render it into Hungarian.

7) It is so inattentive of you to forget about her birthday party.

8) Your car is repaired. You can take it. Try to be more attentive to your automobile and it won’t break so often.

Task 11. Translate the words and phrases in brackets into English to make the sentences complete:

1) Our professor insisted on (обратить наше внимание) to the colour of the sunset. We should remember it and draw it properly.

2) Exception from the rule (ускользнуло от моего внимания) and I’ve made a mistake in my dictation.

3) – I’m going to tell the truth about the accident. – (Я весь внимание).

4) (Смирно!) The general is in our regiment.

5) Your daughter is very (внимательная) at our lessons.

6) You are so (невнимательный). You’ve missed the proper turn to the airport. Now, we’ll have to go for about fifty kilometers to turn back.

Task 12. Read the text “Criteria of age periods” and choose right words from the brackets:

Criteria of Age Periods

Age psychology defines … (criteria, criterion, criterions) of age periods as depended on historical, social, economical aspects of … (bringing, bringing up, bring up) and development. They are connected to different activity … (type, kind, types). These criteria are concerned with age … (physiology, phisiology, phisyology) and progress of psychological functions which influence … (children’, childrens’s, children’s) development and education principles.

L.S. Vygotsky suggested psychological new … (features, fitures, futures) being criteria for age periods. These new features … (characterizes, are characterize, characterize) a certain age period. He distinguished … (stable, stables, unstable) and unstable periods of development. Much … (attentive, attention, attentively) was paid to crisis periods which are times … (what, who, when) qualitative changes in psychological functions occur. These periods are … (describe, described, description) as significant changes in children’s … (individualitys, individualites, individualities). According to L.S. Vygotsky, the change of age periods has a … (revolt, revolutionary, revolution) character.

… (according, including, accord) to A.N. Leontjev, criteria of age periods are main kinds of activities typical … (to, of, with) certain age. Main activity development influences the … (significanter, significantest, most significant) changes in children’s psychological processes and features at a certain age stage. The fact is, that … (every, everything, everybody) new generation, as well as a single person of this generation, comes to the world of stated … (live, lives, life) conditions. These conditions determine the possible content of an activity.

Task 13. Read an abstract and write down right words into the blanks. Choose the variant from the given words:

Personal age periods depend on conditions of development, specific features of … (1) structures which determine human progress and individual’s inner position defining development on later stages of … (2). Each age period has its own social situation, leading psychological … (3) and main type of activity. Outer social conditions and inner conditions of higher psychological functions development are … (4) and define main route of individual’s progress.

Each age stage has selective sensitivity and outer conditions … (5). L.S. Vygotsky drew much attention to sensitive periods as education started earlier than the … (6) stage requires would not be effective.

Objective, historically based human reality … (7) human beings on each stage of ontogenesis. It reflects the psychological functions which were developed on … (8) stages of progress. It should be noted, that a child borrows only … (9) information and rejects everything which is beyond his comprehension.

Words: previous, functions, sensitive, suitable, morphological, interrelated, influences, ontogenesis, receptivity.

Task 14. In the text “Age psychology” find a sentence with the word “application”, translate it into Russian. Form words of different parts of speech from this root word. Write down your own sentences with these words. Look through the vocabulary notes and check yourself:

1) appliance – приспособление прибор (domestic electric appliances – бытовые электроприборы); применение; appliance load – (эл.) бытовая нагрузка.

2) applicable – применимый, пригодный, подходящий (to).

3) applicant – претендент, кандидат, проситель.

4) application – заявление, прошение (to put in an application – подать заявление); прикладывание (горчичника, пластыря и т.п.); употребление (лекарства); применение, применимость; прилежание, рвение, старание (application to work – рвение на работе).

5) application blank (application form) – анкета, поступающего на работу.

6) applied – прикладной.

7) to apply – обращаться (for – за работой, помощью, справкой, разрешением и т.п.; to – к кому-либо); касаться, относиться, быть приемлемым; применять, употреблять (to apply breaks – тормозить); прикладывать; заниматься чем-либо, направлять свое внимание на что-либо.

Task 15. Translate the sentences from English into Russian. Pay attention to the words and phrases from task fourteen:

1) What are domestic electric appliances typical of American and British families?

2) The explosion theory can be applicable to the appearance of our universe.

3) Every applicant to a high administrative position in our country should be honest.

4) Write everything down in your application form. Hand it in and wait for our call.

5) This rule applies to all.

6) Before application of the medicine you should consult your doctor.

7) Do not apply this cracker indoors.

8) Do not apply acceleration on a slippery road.

Task 16. Read the sentences, translate the Russian words in brackets into English. Pay attention to the words from task fourteen:

1) Computer is a complex (прибор).

2) Intuition could not be (применима) in this case. You should know the physical rules for sure. You should not guess.

3) You should put in an (заявление) in time for the organisation committee to register it.

4) (Прикладная) psychology is much more important in ordinary life than fundamental theoretic science.

5) If your car skids you should not (тормозить) in a harsh way.

6) (Обратитесь) for information about holidays to the Dean’s office.

7) (Употребление) of these medicines can cause dangerous side effects.

Task 17. Translate the sentences into English, pay attention to the word “application” and its derivatives:

1) Бытовая нагрузка на электрические сети не должна превышать норму.

2) Огромное количество абитуриентов каждую весну заполняет московские высшие учебные заведения. И только половина из них оседает в Москве, другие поступают в региональные ВУЗы.

3) Отличительной чертой Джека было особое рвение на работе. Каждое порученное дело он старался закончить как можно быстрее и качественней.

4) Приложите горчичник, подержите его 10-15 минут, и скоро все как рукой снимет.

5) Может ли теория эволюции Дарвина быть применима в психологии?

6) Постоянное употребление этого лекарственного препарата может вызвать привыкание.

7) Применение логарифмических линеек и таблиц Брадиса давно ушло в прошлое. Сейчас со всеми этими функциями легко и быстро справляется калькулятор.

Task 18. Read the text “Smart Moves” and choose the best variant of answers to the questions:

Smart Moves (by S. Brink)

New research suggests that folks from 8 to 80 can shape up their brains with aerobic exercise.

It won’t come as a revelation to fitness buffs that aerobic conditioning does more than raise the heart rate: it lifts the spirits and builds self-esteem too. But many of the country’s foremost brain researchers who gathered in Chicago two weeks ago for a first-of-its-kind symposium on the link between movement and learning, believe that something more complicated is happening, too. In much the same way that exercise shapes up bones, muscles, heart and lungs, they suggest, it also strengthens the basal ganglia, cerebellum and corpus callosum – deep innards of the brain.

No amount of exercise, of course, will make an Arnold Schwarzenegger out of a 98-pound weakling; nor can it make an Einstein out of an average comprehender. But the evidence is mounting that each person’s capacity to master new and remember old information is improved by biologic changes in the brain brought on by aerobic conditioning. Exercise not only fuels the brain with a better blood supply but it feeds brain cells with a heartier supply of natural substances, known as neurotrophins, that enhance their growth. Add to the aerobics a series of complex coordinated movements like dance steps or basketball moves, and the brain produces a greater number of connections between its neurons. That suggests a brain better able to process all kinds of information.

A slower slowdown. Formal studies on the mental benefits of exercise in young people have yet to be conducted; the best supporting evidence to date comes from the other end of the age spectrum. Numerous studies of older people have shown that exercise can slow the deterioration of an aging brain and sharpen mental function.

The possibility of turbo-charged learning provides one more compelling reason for parents to put their offspring on an aerobic regimen. Ideally, kids in grades 1 through 12 should get at least a daily 30-minute physical education class, but only 36 percent do, according to the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. That’s one reason why 40 percent of children as young as 5 already exhibit at least one heart disease risk factor such as obesity or elevated cholesterol. The new research argues for activities like soccer or tennis that add a mental component to the aerobic conditioning.

Like kids, adults don’t need another reason for exercise: the evidence in favor of three workouts a week – and more is better – is clear. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, for example, showed that the equivalent of walking 4 to 5 miles an hour for 45 minutes five times a week appears to prolong life. Scientists reported in JAMA that it’s never too late to start – even people 60 and older who became fit over a period of 5 years were 44 percent less likely to die of any cause during the five years than their unfit peers.

Until the relationship between physical skill and flat-out brain work is more fully understood, you will probably have to take on faith that your movements are influencing your ability to learn or remember (from US News, 1995).

Questions:

1) What is an additional effect of aerobics?

1. it lifts the spirits

2. it raises the heart rate

3. it creates health problems

2) When and where was a symposium on the connection between movement and learning?

1. two weeks ahead in Detroit

2. two weeks ago in Chicago

3. two years ago in Chicago

3) Does the movement sharpen the muscles and the brain?

a) Yes, but it strengthens the body and does not sharpen the brain

b) Yes, it sharpens the brain but not the body

c) Yes, it strengthens the body and the brain

4) What can happen to a 98-pound weakling through aerobics?

1. he will be an Arnold Schwarzenegger

b) he will be helped to master new and remember old information

c) he will be an Einstein

5) What can make brain produce more connections between its neurons?

1. good food

2. a lot of rest

3. coordinated movements and exercises

6) Are the studies on mental changes via exercise on young people completed?

a) No, they are not finished. They are in full way.

b) No, they are not finished but they are paused.

c) Yes, they are finished. Everything is proved and known now.

7) What can exercises do to older people?

1. they can stop deterioration of aging brain

2. they can slow down the deterioration of mental activities

3. they can bring good mood

8) Why do parents put their children on aerobic regimen?

1. to develop body and sharpen the brain

2. to develop body movements

3. to make them busy

9) What are the risk factors of heart disease in children?

1. low cholesterol

2. too much movement

3. obesity and elevated cholesterol

10) For how long should adults exercise according to scientists?

1. 45 minutes five times a week

2. three workouts a week

3. the more the better

11) What is JAMA?

1. Journal of the American Medical Association

2. Jamaica

3. a name of the NASA space project

Task 19. Render the text into English:

Женевская школа генетической психологии – направление в изучении психического развития ребенка, созданное Ж. Пиаже. В центре находятся проблемы происхождения и развития интеллекта – формирования фундаментальных понятий, особенностей детской логики, сходства и различия психики ребенка и взрослого, переходов от одних форм мыслительной деятельности к другим.

Для анализа этих проблем был разработан специальный метод психологического исследования – метод клинической беседы, в которой изучаются не внешние признаки явления, а процессы, приводящие к их возникновению. Применение этого метода позволило обнаружить новые психологические феномены, в частности феномен эгоцентризма ребенка: на всех уровнях развитие интеллекта ребенка осуществляется за счет перехода от эгоцентризма через децентрацию к более объективной умственной позиции.

Структуры интеллекта формируются благодаря развитию действия. У ребенка до 2 лет внешние материальные действия, осуществляются развернуто и последовательно, при постоянном повторении схематизируются. В дошкольном возрасте они с помощью символических средств (имитация, игра, умственный образ, рисунок, речь) переносятся во внутренний план, где происходит их сокращение и координация с другими действиями. А в младшем школьном возрасте они превращаются в операции. Таким образом, аналог операций на сенсомоторном уровне, конкретные и формальные операции представляют собой три фундаментальные структуры интеллекта, которые определяют весь ход психического развития.

В развитии детского мышления находят отражение общебиологические способы жизнедеятельности организма (ассимиляция, аккомодация, адаптация). Изучение процессов обучения подвели представителей Женевской школы к тому выводу, что благодаря обучению можно ускорить усвоение понятий, но это всегда зависит от исходного уровня развития.