AP Psych- Developmental Psychology

Developmental Psychology

A branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive and social change throughout the lifespan

Zygote

The fertilized egg, 2 week period of rapid cell division

Embryo

The developing human organism from about 2 weeks after fertilization through the second month (heart beats, organs begin to develop)

Fetus

9 weeks after conception to birth

Teratogen

agents that can reach the embryo or fetus during prenatal development and cause harm

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

physical and cognitive abnormalities in children caused by a pregnant women's drinking (leading cause of mental retardation)

Rooting Reflex

a babies tendency, when touched on the cheek to open mouth and search for a nipple

Habituation

Decreasing responsiveness with repeated stimulation

Maturation

biological growth process that enable orderly changes in behavior, relatively uninfluenced by experience

"Use it or lose it" Pruning Process

as we age, old connections are deleted

Cognition

the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses

Schema

concept/framework that organizes and interprets information

Assimilation

interpreting ("forcing") one's new experiences into one's existing schema

Accommodation

adapting/adjusting one's current understandings (schema) to incorporate new info

Sensorimotor Stage

-birth to 2 years

-babies take in the world through senses

-object permanence

Object Permanence

child aware that things continue to exist even when not perceived (12 to 18 months)

Preoperational Stage

-2 to 7 years

-child learns to use language but does not comprehend the mental operations of concrete logic

-animism

-conservation

-symbolic thinking

-egocentric

-theory of mind

-autism spectrum disorder

Conservation

understanding that the mass, volume, weight, and quantity of an object does not change even if apperance has been altered

Egocentrism

inability to take on another's point of view

Theory of Mind

develop the ability to understand another's mental state (reasoning)

Autism Spectrum Disorder

appears in childhood, significant deficiencies in communication and social interaction

Concrete Operational Stage

-7 to 11 years old

-logic/thought about concrete or tangible ideas

-reversibility

Formal Operational

-abstract reasoning

-appreciation of values and ideals (advanced moral thinking)

Zone of Proximal Development

between what children are capable of doing without assistance and what they cannot do

Scaffolding

giving just enough assistance to the learner in order for them to understand

Attachment

an emotional tie with another person

Stranger Anxiety

the fear of strangers that infants commonly display, beginning about 8 months of age

Temperament

a persons characteristic emotional reactivity and intensity (heredity)

Critical Period

optimum period early in life when exposure to certain stimuli or experiences produce normal development

Imprinting

process by which certain animals form strong attachments during an early life critical period

Basic Trust

children who have secure attachments with their parents have a general sense that the world is predictable and reliable. This is formed by loving, sensitive, care givers and not from genetic makeup or to a continuously positive environment

Self-Concept

all our thoughts and feelings about ourselves, in answer to the question "who am i?"

Authoritarian Parenting Style

impose rules and expect obedience

Authoritative Parenting Style

parents are both demanding and responsive

Permissive Parenting Style

parents submit to their children's desires, make few demands and use little punishment

Gender

boy or girl

Aggression

any physical or verbal behavior intended to hurt or destroy

Gender Roles

a set of expected behaviors for males and females

Gender Identity

your sense of being male or female

Social Learning Theory

we learn social behavior by observing and imitating and by being punished or rewarded

Gender Typing

the acquisition of a traditional masculine or feminine role

Transgender

when peoples gender identity differs from birth sex

Adolescence

The developmental stage that occurs from puberty to maturity, lasting from about ages 12 to 18

Preconventional Morality

-self interest

-before age 9

-actions are to avoid punishment or get rewarded

Conventional Morality

-based upon obeying laws to maintain social order and gain social approval

Postconventional Morality

based on your own self defined ethical principles

Identity

our sense of self

Social Identity

portion of an individual's self-concept derived from perceived membership in a relevant social group

Intimacy

close familiarity or friendship; closeness.

Puberty

sexual maturation

Primary Sex Characteristics

reproductive organs and external genitalia develop rapidly

Secondary Sex Characteristic

non reproductive traits

Menarche

land mark of puberty, first menstrual period

Sexual Orientation

enduring sexual attraction to the same sex, opposite sex, or both

Menopause

time of natural cessation of menstruation

Cross Sectional Study

study with people of different ages studied at the same time (shows we lose intelligence with age)

Longitudinal Study

same people studied and tested over a period of time (shows intelligence consistency)

Crystallized Intelligence

ones accumulated knowledge and verbal skills; increase with age

Fluid Intelligence

ones ability to reason speedily and abstractly; decrease during late adulthood