ap psych unit 7

Unit 09 - Developmental Psychology

Module 45 - Developmental Issues, Prenatal Development, and the Newborn

developmental psychology

a branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive, and social change throughout the life span. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e pp. 24, 486)

zygote

the fertilized egg; it enters a 2-week period of rapid cell division and develops into an embryo. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 489)

embryo

the developing human organism from about 2 weeks after fertilization through the second month. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 489)

fetus

the developing human organism from 9 weeks after conception to birth. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 489)

teratogens

(literally, "monster makers") agents, such as chemicals and viruses, that can reach the embryo or fetus during prenatal development and cause harm. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 490)

fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)

physical and cognitive abnormalities in children caused by a pregnant woman's heavy drinking. In severe cases, signs include a small, out-of-proportion head and abnormal facial features. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 490)

habituation

decreasing responsiveness with repeated exposure to a stimulus. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e pp. 271, 491)

Module 46 - Infancy and Childhood: Physical Development

maturation

biological growth processes that enable orderly changes in behavior, relatively uninfluenced by experience. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 494)

Module 47 - Infancy and Childhood: Cognition Development

cognition

all the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e pp. 365, 498)

schema

a concept or framework that organizes and interprets information. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 498)

assimilation

interpreting our new experiences in terms of our existing schemas. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 498)

accommodation

(1) in sensation and perception, the process by which the eye's lens changes shape to focus near or far objects on the retina. (2) in developmental psychology, adapting our current understandings (schemas) to incorporate new information. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e pp. 177, 498)

sensorimotor stage

in Piaget's theory, the stage (from birth to nearly 2 years of age) during which infants know the world mostly in terms of their sensory impressions and motor activities. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 499)

object permanence

the awareness that things continue to exist even when not perceived. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 499)

preoperational stage

in Piaget's theory, the stage (from about 2 to 6 or 7 years of age) during which a child learns to use language but does not yet comprehend the mental operations of concrete logic. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 500)

conservation

the principle (which Piaget believed to be a part of concrete operational reasoning) that properties such as mass, volume, and number remain the same despite changes in the forms of objects. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 501)

egocentrism

in Piaget's theory, the preoperational child's difficulty taking another's point of view. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 501)

theory of mind

people's ideas about their own and others' mental states—about their feelings, perceptions, and thoughts, and the behaviors these might predict. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 501)

concrete operational stage

in Piaget's theory, the stage of cognitive development (from about 7 to 11 years of age) during which children gain the mental operations that enable them to think logically about concrete events. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 502)

formal operational stage

in Piaget's theory, the stage of cognitive development (normally beginning about age 12) during which people begin to think logically about abstract concepts. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 502)

scaffold

a framework that offers children temporary support as they develop higher levels of thinking. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 503)

autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

a disorder that appears in childhood and is marked by significant deficiencies in communication and social interaction, and by rigidly fixated interests and repetitive behaviors. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 505)

Module 48 - Infancy and Childhood: Social Development

stranger anxiety

the fear of strangers that infants commonly display, beginning by about 8 months of age. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 509)

attachment

an emotional tie with another person; shown in young children by their seeking closeness to their caregiver and showing distress on separation. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 509)

critical period

an optimal period early in the life of an organism when exposure to certain stimuli or experiences produces normal development. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 510)

imprinting

the process by which certain animals form strong attachments during early life. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 510)

strange situation

a procedure for studying child-caregiver attachment; a child is placed in an unfamiliar environment while their caregiver leaves and then returns, and the child's reactions are observed. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 510)

secure attachment

demonstrated by infants who comfortably explore environments in the presence of their caregiver, show only temporary distress when the caregiver leaves, and find comfort in the caregiver's return. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 511)

insecure attachment

demonstrated by infants who display either a clinging, anxious attachment or an avoidant attachment that resists closeness. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 511)

temperament

a person's characteristic emotional reactivity and intensity. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 511)

basic trust

according to Erik Erikson, a sense that the world is predictable and trustworthy; said to be formed during infancy by appropriate experiences with responsive caregivers. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 513)

self-concept

all our thoughts and feelings about ourselves in answer to the question, "Who am I?" (Myers Psychology for AP 3e pp. 515, 592)

Module 49 - Gender Development

sex

in psychology, the biologically influenced characteristics by which people define male and female. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 520)

gender

in psychology, the socially influenced characteristics by which people define boy, girl, man, and woman. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 520)

aggression

any physical or verbal behavior intended to harm someone physically or emotionally. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e pp. 521, 801)

relational aggression

an act of aggression (physical or verbal) intended to harm a person's relationship or social standing. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 521)

role

a set of expectations (norms) about a social position, defining how those in the position ought to behave. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e pp. 525, 772)

gender role

a set of expected behaviors, attitudes, and traits for males or for females. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 525)

gender identity

our sense of being male, female, or some combination of the two. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 525)

social learning theory

the theory that we learn social behavior by observing and imitating and by being rewarded or punished. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 525)

gender typing

the acquisition of a traditional masculine or feminine role. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 525)

androgyny

displaying both traditional masculine and feminine psychological characteristics. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 526)

transgender

an umbrella term describing people whose gender identity or expression differs from that associated with their birth-designated sex. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 526)

Module 50 - Parents, Peers, and Early Experiences

Module 51 - Adolescence: Physical and Cognitive Development

adolescence

the transition period from childhood to adulthood, extending from puberty to independence. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 533)

puberty

the period of sexual maturation, during which a person becomes capable of reproducing. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 533)

Module 52 - Adolescence: Social Development and Emerging Adulthood

identity

our sense of self; according to Erikson, the adolescent's task is to solidify a sense of self by testing and integrating various roles. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 539)

social identity

the "we" aspect of our self-concept; the part of our answer to "Who am I?" that comes from our group memberships. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 539)

intimacy

in Erikson's theory, the ability to form close, loving relationships; a primary developmental task in young adulthood. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 540)

emerging adulthood

a period from about age 18 to the mid-twenties, when many in Western cultures are no longer adolescents but have not yet achieved full independence as adults. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 542)

Module 53 - Sexual Development

X chromosome

the sex chromosome found in both males and females. Females typically have two X chromosomes; males typically have one. An X chromosome from each parent produces a female child. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 545)

Y chromosome

the sex chromosome typically found only in males. When paired with an X chromosome from the mother, it produces a male child. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 545)

testosterone

the most important male sex hormone. Both males and females have it, but the additional testosterone in males stimulates the growth of the male sex organs during the fetal period and the development of the male sex characteristics during puberty. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e pp. 418, 545)

primary sex characteristics

the body structures (ovaries, testes, and external genitalia) that make sexual reproduction possible. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 546)

secondary sex characteristics

nonreproductive sexual traits, such as female breasts and hips, male voice quality, and body hair. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 546)

spermarche

the first ejaculation. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 546)

menarche

the first menstrual period. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 546)

intersex

a condition present at birth due to unusual combinations of male and female chromosomes, hormones, and anatomy; possessing biological sexual characteristics of both sexes. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 547)

AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome)

a life-threatening, sexually transmitted infection caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). AIDS depletes the immune system, leaving the person vulnerable to infections. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 547)

sexual orientation

our enduring sexual attraction, usually toward members of our own sex (homosexual orientation) or the other sex (heterosexual orientation); variations include attraction toward both sexes (bisexual orientation). (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 549)

Module 54 - Adulthood: Physical, Cognitive, and Social Development

menopause

the time of natural cessation of menstruation; also refers to the biological changes a woman experiences as her ability to reproduce declines. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 558)

cross-sectional study

research that compares people of different ages at the same point in time. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e pp. 563, 640)

longitudinal study

research that follows and retests the same people over time. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e pp. 563, 640)

neurocognitive disorders (NCDs)

acquired (not lifelong) disorders marked by cognitive deficits; often related to Alzheimer's disease, brain injury or disease, or substance abuse. In older adults, neurocognitive disorders were formerly called dementia. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 563)

Alzheimer's disease

a neurocognitive disorder marked by neural plaques, often with onset after age 80, and entailing a progressive decline in memory and other cognitive abilities. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 563)

social clock

the culturally preferred timing of social events such as marriage, parenthood, and retirement. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 565)