Developmental Psychology BLEPP 2025: Key Vocabulary Flashcards

A comprehensive set of vocabulary-style flashcards covering core concepts, terms, and theories from the lecture notes in Developmental Psychology BLEPP 2025.

Cephalocaudal Principle

Development proceeds from the head downward toward the tail; growth starts at the head and moves to the rest of the body.

Proximodistal Principle

Development progresses from the center of the body outward toward the extremities.

Plasticity

The brain's and behavior's capacity to reorganize and adapt in response to experience and damage.

Continuity

Stability and gradual change in development across the lifespan.

Lifespan development

The scientific study of changes and stability across the entire human life from conception to death.

Social Construction

An idea or practice that a culture or society invents and uses.

Heredity

Inborn traits inherited from biological parents.

Environment

All nonhereditary, experiential influences on development.

Maturation

The natural unfolding of developmental sequences and behavioral patterns.

Behavioral Genetics

The scientific study of how genetics and environment interact to shape traits.

Heritability

The proportion of variation in a trait that can be attributed to genetic differences among individuals.

Chromosomes

DNA coils containing genes; carriages of genetic information.

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)

Double-helix molecule that carries inherited instructions for development.

Genes

Units of heredity; DNA segments located on chromosomes.

Bases

The chemical letters of DNA: adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C), guanine (G).

Genome

Complete set of genes in an organism.

Mitosis

Cell division that creates two identical diploid cells (non-sex cells).

Meiosis

Cell division that produces gametes with half the chromosomes (23 in humans).

Mutation

Permanent alteration in a gene or chromosome.

Autosomes

22 pairs of chromosomes not related to sex expression.

Sex Chromosomes

Chromosome pair determining sex (XX for female, XY for male). The Y carries the SRY gene.

Alleles

Alternative forms of the same gene occupying the same position on paired chromosomes.

Homozygosity

Having two identical alleles for a trait.

Heterozygosity

Having two different alleles for a trait.

Dominant Inheritance

Inheritance pattern where the dominant allele masks the recessive in expression.

Recessive Inheritance

Only expressed when two recessive alleles are present.

Polygenic Inheritance

A trait influenced by multiple genes across the genome.

Genotype

An organism's genetic makeup (the alleles it carries).

Phenotype

Observable traits resulting from genotype and environment.

Multifactorial Transmission

Traits produced by a combination of genetic and environmental factors.

Epigenesis

Genes turned on or off by environmental factors or developmental needs; not a change in DNA sequence.

Gregor Mendel

Father of genetics; studied heredity patterns in plants.

Selective Breeding

Breeding organisms for specific traits to study heritability.

Twin Studies

Research comparing monozygotic and dizygotic twins to estimate genetic influence.

Adoption Studies

Research comparing adoptees to biological and adoptive relatives to separate genes from environment.

Concordance Rate

The probability that both members of a pair share a trait.

Reaction Range

The potential range of expression of a genetic trait depending on the environment.

Canalized Range

A restricted range of trait variation despite environmental differences.

Gene-Environment Interaction

The effects of genes depend on the environment and vice versa.

Passive Gene-Environment

Parents' genes help shape the environment in which children grow up.

Evocative (Reactive) Gene-Environment

The child’s genes evoke certain responses from others.

Active Gene-Environment

Children seek environments compatible with their genetic tendencies.

Nuclear Family

Two-parent household with dependent children.

Extended Family

Multigenerational kinship network beyond the nuclear family.

Socioeconomic Status (SES)

Combination of economic and social factors describing a person or family.

Culture

Society's total way of life: customs, beliefs, language, tools, arts, etc.

Ethnic Gloss

Overgeneralized or simplistic labeling of an ethnic group.

Historical Context

The time period in which people live and how time-related expectations affect development.

Normative Influences

Biological or environmental events that affect many people similarly.

Normative Age-Graded Influences

Experiences common for individuals within a specific age group.

Normative History-Graded Influences

Events experienced by most people in a culture at similar times (e.g., pandemics).

Non-normative Influences

Unusual events that have major impacts on an individual's life.

Imprinting

Rapid and irreversible attachment formation during a critical period (example: Lorenz's ducklings).

Critical Period

A specific time when a given event must occur for typical development; missed window may lead to irreversible outcomes.

Sensitive Period

A window of particular receptivity to certain experiences; learning can occur outside the window but may be less efficient.

Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems

Five nested environmental systems: micro, meso, exo, macro, and chrono.

Microsystem

Immediate environments (home, school, peers).

Mesosystem

Connections between microsystems (e.g., family–school links).

Exosystem

External environments that influence the child indirectly (parents’ workplace).

Macrosystem

Cultural values, laws, and resources shaping development.

Chronosystem

Dimension of time; life transitions and historical events over the lifespan.

Sociocultural Theory

Vygotsky’s view that cognitive development is shaped by social interaction and culture.

Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

Difference between what a learner can do alone and what can be done with help.

Scaffolding

Temporary support provided within the ZPD to help a learner master new skills.

More Knowledgeable Other (MKO)

Someone more skilled who provides guidance within the ZPD.

Zone of Actual Development (ZAD)

What a learner can do independently.

Zone of Distal Development (ZDD)

Skills beyond immediate reach with longer-term potential.

Attachment Theory (Ainsworth/Bowlby)

Emotional bonds between infant and caregiver; influences later relationships.

Strange Situation

Ainsworth procedure to assess infant attachment patterns.

Attachment Styles

Secure, Avoidant, Ambivalent, Disorganized.

Stranger Anxiety

Wariness of unfamiliar people in infancy.

Separation Anxiety

Distress when a caregiver leaves.

Mutual Regulation

Coordinated emotional responsiveness between infant and caregiver.

Social Referencing

Seeking emotional cues from others to guide behavior in uncertain situations.

Internal Working Model

Mental representation of others’ availability and responsiveness formed from attachment experiences.

Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages

Eight stages from infancy to old age with key crises and virtues.

Trust vs. Mistrust

First stage; hope as virtue if needs are reliably met.

Autonomy vs. Shame & Doubt

Second stage; will if exploration is encouraged.

Initiative vs. Guilt

Third stage; purpose when asserting power and purpose.

Industry vs. Inferiority

Fourth stage; competence through mastery and social comparison.

Identity vs. Role Confusion

Adolescence; fidelity as virtue; forming a stable identity.

Intimacy vs. Isolation

Young adulthood; love and deep connections.

Generativity vs. Stagnation

Middle adulthood; care for others and creates a legacy.

Integrity vs. Despair

Late adulthood; wisdom and acceptance.

Freud’s Psychosexual Theory

Personality development driven by unconscious drives and early experiences.

Libido

Psychic energy or sexual drive; shifts to erogenous zones across stages.

Erogenous Zones

Body regions that provide pleasure at different psychosexual stages.

Defense Mechanisms

Unconscious strategies to reduce anxiety (Repression, Regression, Displacement, Rationalization, Denial, Projection, Sublimation, Reaction Formation).

Freud’s Psychosexual Stages

Oral, Anal, Phallic, Latency, Genital stages with associated fixations.

Theory of Mind

Understanding that others have beliefs, desires, and perspectives different from one's own.

Piaget’s Sensorimotor Stage

Birth-2 years; knowledge through senses and actions; object permanence.

Circular Reactions

Repetitive actions to reproduce pleasurable events.

Representational Ability

Mental representation of objects and events.

Object Permanence

Understanding that objects exist even when not visible.

Preoperational Stage

2-7 years; symbolic thought; egocentrism; animism; centration.

Conservation

Understanding that quantity remains the same despite changes in appearance.

Formal Operational Stage

11+ years; abstract, hypothetical, and deductive reasoning.

Schemes

Organized patterns of thought or behavior for dealing with the world.

Assimilation

Integrating new information into existing cognitive structures.

Accommodation

Changing cognitive structures to fit new information.