APPSYCH Unit 3 Vocab 1/3

Developmental Psychology

Branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive, and social-emotional development throughout the lifespan

Cross-sectional Study

Research that compares people of different ages at the same point in time

Longitudinal study

Research that follows and retests the same people over time

Teratogens

agents, such as chemicals and viruses, that can reach the embryo or fetus during prenatal development and cause harm

Fetal Alcohol Syndrom FAS

Physical and cognitive function deficits in children caused by birth mother’s heavy drinking during pregnancy. In severe cases, symptoms include a small, out-of-proportion head and distinct facial features

Habituation

Decreasing responce with repeated stimulation. As infants gain familiarity with repeated exposure to stimulus, their interest wanes and they look away sooner

Maturation

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

Critical Period

An optimal period early in the life of an organism when exposure to certain stimuli or experiences produces normal development

Adolescence

Transition period from childhood to adulthood, extending from puberty to independence

Puberty

The period of sexual maturation, during which a person usually becomes capable of reproducing

Menopause

The time of natural cessation of menstruation; also refers to the biological changes a woman experiences as her ability to reproduce declines

Sex

In psychology, the biologically influenced characteristics by which people define male, female, and intersex

Gender

In psychology, the attitudes, feelings, and behaviors that a given culture associates with a person’s biological sex (also gender identity)

Intersex

Possessing male and female biological sexual characteristics at birth

Aggression

Any physical or verbal behavior intended to harm someone physically or emotionally

Relational aggression

An act of aggression (physical or verbal) intended to harm a person’s relationship or social standing

X Chromosome

Sex chromosome found in females and males. Female have two, males have one

Y Chromosome

Sex chromosome only found in males

Testosterone

Most important male sex hormone. Males and females have it, but the additional in males stimulate growth of male sex organs during fetal period and development of male sex characteristics during puberty

Estrogens

Sex hormones, such as estradiol, that contribute to female sex characteristics and are screted in greater amounts by females than by males

Primary sex characteristics

The body structures that make sexual reproduction possible

Secondary Sex Characteristics

Non-reproductive sexual traits (그슴,응등으,믁스르)

Spermarche

The first ejaculation (스증)

Menarche

First Menstrual period (스앵릐)

Role

Set of expectations (norms) about social position, defining how those in the position ought to behave

Gender Role

Set of expected behaviors, attitudes, and traits for men and women

Sexual Aggression

Any physical/verbal behavior of a sexual nature that is unwanted or intended to harm someone physically emotionally. Can be expressed as either sexual harassment or sexual assault.

Gender Identity

Our personal sense of being male, female, neither, or some combination, regardless of whether this identity matches our sex assigned at birth, and the social affiliation that may result from this identity

Social Learning Theory

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

Gender Typing

The acquisition of a traditional masculine or feminine role

when the child adopts behaviors, values, or characteristics of others that he or she believes are part of his or her gender

Androgyny

Blending traditionally masculine and traditionally feminine psychological characteristics

Transgender

An umbrella term describing people whose gender identity or expression differs from that associated with their birth-assigned sex

Sexuality

Our thoughts, feelings, and actions related to our physical attraction to another

Asexual

Having no sexual attraction toward others

Social Script

Culturally modeled guide for how to act in various situations

Sexual Orientation

Person’s sexual and emotional attraction to another person and the behavior and/or social affiliation that may result from this attraction

Cognition

All the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating

Schema

Concept or framework that organzes and interprets information

Assimilation

Interpreting our new experiences in terms of our existing schemas

Accommodation

Adapting our current schemas (understandings) to incorporate new information

Sensorimotor Stage

0-2 The stage at which infants know the world mostly in terms of their sensory impressions and motor activities

Object permanence

Awareness that things continue to exist even when not perceived

Preoperational stage

2-7 Stage. at which a child learns to use language but does not yet comprehend the mental operations of concrete logic

Conservation

Principle that properties such as mass, volume, and number remain the same despite changes in forms of objects - in concrete preoperational reasoning