Developmental Psychology, Brain Anatomy, and Endocrine System

Vocabulary flashcards generated from lecture notes covering theories of human development, neuroanatomy, neuroimaging, and the endocrine system.

Theory

An organized set of ideas designed to explain development and formulate predictions about behavior.

Fixation

In Freud's psychosexual theory, an inability to experience pleasure or satisfaction in a given stage, affecting adult behavior.

Eros

The life instinct that directs life-sustaining activities such as respiration, eating, sex, and fulfilling bodily needs.

Thanatos

The death instinct, representing destructive forces present in all human beings, such as arson, murder, war, and suicide.

Oral Aggressive Behavior

Adult traits (shouting, nagging, sarcasm, argumentativeness) resulting from being abruptly weaned during the oral stage.

Oral Receptive Behavior

Adult traits (gullibility, smoking, overeating, overdependence) resulting from over-satisfaction during the oral stage.

Anal Retentive Personality

Adult behavior characterized by being controlling, over-organized, or stubborn, caused by toilet training that occurred too early.

Anal Expulsive Personality

Adult behavior characterized by being impulsive, disorganized, or lacking commitment, caused by toilet training that occurred too late.

Oedipus Complex

A male child's sexual attachment to his mother, rivalry with his father, and resulting castration anxiety.

Electra Complex

A female child's sexual attachment to her father, envy of the father's penis, and transferred affection away from the mother.

Epigenetic Principle

Erik Erikson's principle that personality develops in a predetermined order through 8 stages of psychosocial development.

Trust vs Mistrust

Erikson's first psychosocial stage (Birth to 1 year) where sensitive maternal care develops trust; success yields the virtue of Hope.

Autonomy vs Shame and Doubt

Erikson's second stage (18 months to 2-3 years) focused on independence; success yields Will, while failure leads to Compulsion.

Initiative vs Guilt

Erikson's third stage (3-5 years) where children plan activities and assert control; success yields the virtue of Purpose.

Industry vs Inferiority

Erikson's fourth stage (5-12 years) involving peer interaction and social/school demands; success yields Competence.

Identity vs Role Confusion

Erikson's fifth stage (12-18 years) focused on developing a strong sense of self; success yields Fidelity, while failure causes Role Repudiation.

Intimacy vs Isolation

Erikson's sixth stage (19-40 years) centered on forming loving relationships; success yields Love, while failure leads to Exclusivity.

Generativity vs Stagnation

Erikson's seventh stage (40-65 years) focused on creating or nurturing things that outlast oneself; success yields Care.

Ego Integrity vs Despair

Erikson's eighth stage (beyond 65 years) involving reflection on life; success yields Wisdom, while failure leads to Disdain.

Schemas

In Jean Piaget's cognitive theory, the basic building blocks of knowledge used to organize and interpret experiences.

Object Permanence

The understanding acquired around 8 months in the sensorimotor stage that objects continue to exist even when out of sight.

Animism

A limitation in the preoperational stage where a child believes that non-living objects are alive and capable of intentions and feelings.

Conservation

The understanding that quantity remains constant despite changes in physical appearance; mastered in concrete operations (number at age 6, mass at 7, weight at 9).

Pre-Conventional Level

Kohlberg's first level of moral reasoning, comprising Stage 1 (Punishment/Obedience) and Stage 2 (Reward/Self-Interest).

Conventional Level

Kohlberg's second level of moral reasoning, comprising Stage 3 (Good Boy/Girl conformity) and Stage 4 (Authority/Social-Order Maintaining).

Post-Conventional Level

Kohlberg's third level of moral reasoning, comprising Stage 5 (Social Contract) and Stage 6 (Ethical Principal Orientation).

Anatomy of the Brain Divisions

The forebrain (cerebrum, thalamus, hypothalamus), midbrain, and hindbrain (pons, medulla oblongata, cerebellum) forming the main structural divisions.

Medulla

Located in the hindbrain, responsible for life-sustaining functions like breathing, swallowing, and heart rate.

Pons

Hindbrain structure involved in functions related to attention, sleep, arousal, and respiration.

Cerebellum

Known as the "little brain," controls all involuntary, rapid, and fine motor movements; injury impairs coordination.

Reticular Formation

Midbrain system vital for attention, sleep, and arousal; damage can result in a coma.

Thalamus

Forebrain sensory relay station that receives sensory information (except smell) and directs it to correct brain regions.

Hypothalamus

Forebrain structure regulating motivation, emotions, sleep-wake cycles, hunger, thirst, sexual behavior, and body temperature.

Basal Ganglia

Subcortical structures (caudate nucleus, putamen, globus pallidus) involved in initiating voluntary movements and postural adjustments.

Hippocampus

The largest limbic structure, critical for the formation of new memories; affected in Alzheimer's disease.

Amygdala

Limbic system structure responsible for processing basic emotions like fear and aggression and their associated memories.

Broca's Area

Area at the base of the precentral gyrus in the left frontal lobe responsible for speech production.

Wernicke's Area

Area located at the border of the parietal and temporal lobes responsible for language comprehension.

Corpus Callosum

A thick band of nerve fibers connecting the left and right cerebral hemispheres, cut in split-brain surgery.

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

Technique recording electrical activity of cortical neurons via scalp electrodes, having good temporal but poor spatial resolution.

Positron Emission Tomography (PET)

Neuroimaging method using injected radioactive tracer/glucose to map cellular activity during mental tasks.

Functional MRI (fMRI)

Brain-imaging method that tracks functional activity by measuring changes in blood oxygenation levels.

Pituitary Gland Disorders Visual Manifestations

Physical traits associated with human growth hormone imbalances, including gigantism, dwarfism, and acromegaly.

Pituitary Gland

The "master gland" located in the brain that secretes HGH, TSH, ACTH, LH, FSH, Prolactin, MSH, Oxytocin, and Vasopressin.

Pineal Gland

Endocrine gland near the base of the cerebrum that secretes melatonin to regulate sleep-wake cycles.

Thyroxin

Hormone produced by the thyroid gland to regulate growth and metabolism; deficiency in children leads to cretinism.

Pancreatic Hormones

Insulin (which lowers blood sugar) and glucagon (which raises blood sugar); undersecretion of insulin causes diabetes mellitus.

Adrenal Medulla

Inner section of adrenal glands secreting epinephrine and norepinephrine to trigger the fight-or-flight response.

Cortisol

Glucocorticoid hormone released by the adrenal cortex in response to stress to boost energy and regulate metabolism.

Cushing Syndrome

Disorder caused by excessive cortisol production, characterized by weight gain, a buffalo hump, purple abdominal stretch marks, and fatigue.

Addison's Disease

Adrenal insufficiency caused by underproduction of adrenal hormones, leading to fatigue, salt cravings, lethargy, and muscle weakness.