AP psych unit 3 vocab

nature vs nurture

biological/genetic vs environment

maturation

the biological timeline/growth process for when certain abilities emerge

Not influenced by experiences

developmental psychology

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

teratogens

harmful agents or substances affecting birth

fetal alcohol syndrome

physical and cognitive abnormalities that occurs to child when a mother consumed alcohol during pregnancy

Babinski

involuntary response when the sole of the foot is stroked.

sex

biological characteristics like chromosomes (XX or XY), hormones (e.g., estrogen, testosterone)

gender

social and cultural roles, behaviors, and attributes that a society associate with being male or female

sexual orientation

individual's emotional, romantic, or sexual attraction to others.

schemas

mental frameworks or cognitive structures that help individuals organize and interpret information

assimilate

incorporate new information or experiences into their existing schemas

accommodate

modify their existing schemas or create new schemas response to new information that doesn't fit with current schemas/understanding.

sensorimotor stage

first stage of cognitive development in Jean Piaget’s theory, occurring from birth to about 2 years of age

In this stage, infant learn about world through senses and motor action

object permanence

understanding that objects continue to exist even when they are not currently observed or perceived

key developmental milestone emerges during sensorimotor stage (birth to 2 years old) in Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development.

preoperational stage

Children begin to engage in symbolic thought, meaning they can use words, images, and objects to represent other things

second stage of cognitive development in Jean Piaget’s theory, typically occurring from ages 2 to 7.

conservation

understanding that quantity, volume, or mass, remain the same despite changes in their appearance or form

Ex. Liquid poured into different cup; quantity of water remains the same but appearance of glass change

Key milestone in Piaget's theory of cognitive development, developing during the concrete operational stage (age 7-11).

pretend play

ability of children to use objects, actions, or ideas to represent other things in imaginative play.

egocentrism

view the world from their own perspective, and have difficulty understanding other perspective or viewpoints.

preoperational stage (ages 2 to 7)

theory of mind

ability to understand and attribute mental states

develops age 4-5, important for social interactions and understanding behavior

concrete operational stage

children gain a better understanding of mental operations and become capable of performing logical, concrete thinking about objects and events.

third stage of cognitive development in Jean Piaget's theory (ages 7-11)

formal operational stage

develop the ability to engage in abstract thinking, hypothetical reasoning, and problem-solving

fourth and final stage of cognitive development in Jean Piaget's theory (age 12-adulthood)

scaffolding

Temporary Support provided to reach higher levels of understanding

zone of proximal development

Range between what a child can do alone and with just the right amount of help

attachment

emotional bond that develops between an infant and their primary caregiver

stranger anxiety

fear or distress that infants and young children experience when they encounter unfamiliar people (6-8 months)

Harlow’s Monkey Studies

Experiment found that emotional needs are as important as physical needs

critical period

specific window of time during which certain experiences or stimuli must occur for normal development to take place

imprinting

type of rapid and automatic learning that happens early in an animal's life, where it forms a strong attachment to the first moving object it sees

Konrad Lorenz imprinting experiment

early experiences with caregivers were essential for the development of social behavior, bonding, and survival

imprinting develops in animals when they are first born, attached to what they see first

Mary Ainsworth’s “Strange Situation” experiment

Two types of attachment, secure and insecure attachment.

secure attachment

Trusting, explores environment, distressed when caregiver leaves

anxious insecure attachment

Clingy and overly dependent

avoidant insecure attachment

Indifferent to caregiver's presence (doesn’t care or show little emotions about caregiver if they come or not)

Temperament

Innate traits influencing how one reacts to the environment

authoritarian

Strict rules, high expectations, little warmth

Authoritative

Balanced rules and warmth, encourages independence

Permissive

Lenient, few demands, highly nurturing

negligent

low control, low warmth parenting style

Continuous Development

Gradual, cumulative changes

Example: Vocabulary growth

Discontinuous Development

Distinct stages with different behaviors

Example: Piaget's stages of cognitive development 

longitudinal study

Follows the same individuals over an extended period

cross-sectional study

Compares individuals of different ages at one point in time

gender socialization

Process by which individuals learn and adopt the behaviors, roles, and attributes that society considers appropriate for their gender

Influenced by family, peers, media, education, and cultural norms

gender roles

Expectations about how individuals should behave based on their gender

Telegraphic Speech (18-24 months):

Two-word sentences ("Want juice")

part of language development stage

social interactionist theory

language development is influenced by both biological and social factors

emotional regulation

ability to monitor, evaluate, and modify one's emotional reactions in order to achieve goals, maintain emotional well-being, and manage social situations effectively

Identity vs. Role Confusion (Adolescence)

Forming a personal identity

fifth stage of Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial stages

intimacy vs. isolation (Young Adulthood)

Establishing close relationships

Six stage of Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial stages

internal working models

psychological framework/mental representation that individuals develop based on their early interactions and experiences with significant others

generativity vs. stagnation (middle adulthood)

Contributing to society

7th stage of Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial stages