chapter 11

developmental psychology

The study of continuity and change across the life span

germinal stage

The period from conception to 2 weeks after conception

embryonic stage

The period of prenatal development that lasts from about the 2nd week until about the 8th week.

fetal stage

The period of prenatal development that lasts from about the 9th week until birth.

myelination

The formation of a fatty sheath around the axons of a neuron

teratogen

Any substance that passes from mother to unborn child and impairs development.

fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)

A developmental disorder that stems from heavy alcohol use by the mother during pregnancy.

infancy

The stage of development that begins at birth and lasts between 18 and 24 months

motor development

The emergence of the ability to execute physical actions

motor reflexes

Motor responses that are triggered by specific patterns of sensory stimulation

cephalocaudal principle

The “top-to-bottom” principle that describes the tendency for motor skills to emerge in sequence from the head to the feet

proximodistal principle

The “inside-to-outside” principle that describes the tendency for motor skills to emerge in sequence from the centre to the periphery.

cognitive development

The process by which infants and children gain the ability to think and understand.

sensorimotor stage

A stage of cognitive development that begins at birth and lasts through infancy.

schemas

Theories about the way the world works.

assimilation

The process of applying a schema to novel stimuli

accommodation

The process of adjusting a schema to incorporate new information.

object permanence

The understanding that objects exist even when they are not visible.

childhood

The period that begins at about 18 to 24 months and lasts until about 11 to 14 years

preoperational stage

The stage of cognitive development that begins at about 2 years and ends at about 6 years, during which children develop a preliminary understanding of the physical world.

concrete operational stage

The stage of cognitive development that begins at about 6 years and ends at about 11 years, during which children learn how various actions, or operations, can transform the concrete objects of the physical world.

conservation

The understanding that many of the physical properties of an object are conserved (i.e., not changed) by changes in the object’s appearance. 

formal operational stage

The final stage of cognitive development that begins around the age of 11, during which children learn to reason about abstract concepts.

egocentrism

The failure to understand that the world appears different to different people.

theory of mind

The understanding that the mind produces representations of the world and that these representations guide behaviour.

attachment

The emotional bond with a primary caregiver.

attachment styles

Characteristic patterns of reacting to the presence and absence of one’s primary caregiver.

temperament

A biologically based pattern of attentional and emotional reactivity.

internal working model

A set of beliefs about the way relationships work.

preconventional stage

A stage of moral development in which the morality of an action is primarily determined by its consequences for the actor.

conventional stage

A stage of moral development in which the morality of an action is primarily determined by the extent to which it conforms to social rules.    

postconventional stage

A stage of moral development in which the morality of an action is determined by a set of general principles that reflect core values.

adolescence

The period of development that begins with the onset of sexual maturity (about 11 to 14 years of age) and lasts until the beginning of adulthood (about 18 to 21 years of age).

puberty

The onset of bodily changes associated with sexual maturity.

primary sex characteristics

Bodily structures that change at puberty and are directly involved in reproduction.

secondary sex characteristics

Bodily structures that change at puberty but are not directly involved in reproduction.

adulthood

The stage of development that begins around 18 to 21 years and lasts for the remainder of life.