U3 Part 1 (I think) AP Psych

developmental psychology

A 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 syndrome (FAS)

Physical and cognitive function deficits in children caused by their birth mother's heavy drinking during pregnancy.

habituation

Decreasing responsiveness with repeated stimulation.

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

The 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.

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

The sex chromosome found in females and males.

Y chromosome

The sex chromosome typically found only in males.

testosterone

The most important male sex hormone.

estrogens

Sex hormones that contribute to female sex characteristics.

primary sex characteristics

The body structures that make sexual reproduction possible.

secondary sex characteristics

Nonreproductive sexual traits, such as female breasts and hips.

spermarche

The first ejaculation.

menarche

The first menstrual period.

role

A set of expectations about a social position, defining how those in the position ought to behave.

gender role

A set of expected behaviors, attitudes, and traits for men and for women.

sexual aggression

Any physical or verbal behavior of a sexual nature that is unwanted or intended to harm someone.

gender identity

Our personal sense of being male, female, neither, or some combination of male and female.

social learning theory

The 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.

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

A culturally modeled guide for how to act in various situations.

sexual orientation

A person's sexual and emotional attraction to another person.

cognition

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

schema

A concept or framework that organizes and interprets information.

assimilation

Interpreting our new experiences in terms of our existing schemas.

accommodation

Adapting our current schemas to incorporate new information.

sensorimotor stage

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

object permanence

The awareness that things continue to exist even when not perceived.

preoperational stage

The stage at which a child learns to use language but does not yet comprehend the mental operations of concrete logic.

conservation

The principle that properties remain the same despite changes in the forms of objects.

egocentrism

The preoperational child's difficulty taking another's point of view.

concrete operational stage

The stage of cognitive development at which children can perform the mental operations that enable them to think logically about concrete events.

formal operational stage

The stage of cognitive development at which people begin to think logically about abstract concepts.

scaffold

A framework that offers children temporary support as they develop higher levels of thinking.

theory of mind

People's ideas about their own and others' mental states.

language

Our agreed-upon systems of spoken, written, or signed words.

phoneme

The smallest distinctive sound unit in a language.

morpheme

The smallest unit that carries meaning in a language.

grammar

A system of rules that enables us to communicate with and understand others.

universal grammar (UG)

Humans' innate predisposition to understand the principles and rules that govern grammar in all languages.

babbling stage

The stage in speech development during which an infant spontaneously utters various sounds.

one-word stage

The stage in speech development during which a child speaks mostly in single words.

two-word stage

The stage in speech development during which a child speaks mostly in two-word sentences.

telegraphic speech

The early speech stage in which a child speaks like a telegram.

aphasia

Impairment of language, usually caused by left hemisphere damage.

Broca's area

A frontal lobe brain area that helps control language expression.

Wernicke's area

A brain area involved in language comprehension and expression.

linguistic determinism

Whorf's hypothesis that language determines the way we think.

linguistic relativism

The idea that language influences the way we think.