PSYC 233 Human Growth and Development Exam 1 Study Guide Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering all 50 key topics and concepts listed across Chapters 1 to 5 in the PSYC 233 Human Growth and Development Exam 1 Study Guide.

Conservation

The Piagetian principle that physical properties of an object (such as volume, mass, or quantity) remain unchanged even when its superficial appearance is altered.

Zone of Proximal Development

Vygotsky's concept representing the range of tasks a child can perform with guidance and encouragement from a more knowledgeable adult or peer, but cannot yet do independently.

Overregularization

The application of rules of grammar even when exceptions exist, making the language seem more regular than it actually is (e.g., saying 'foots' or 'mouses').

Corpus Callosum

A long, thick band of nerve fibers connecting the left and right hemispheres of the brain, facilitating cross-hemispheric communication.

Private Speech

Self-directed talk used by young children to guide, monitor, and regulate their own thinking and behavior during tasks.

Fast-Mapping

The speedy and sometimes imprecise process by which children absorb new words by mentally placing them into interconnected categories after hearing them only once or twice.

Myelination

The process by which axons become coated with a fatty sheath, significantly speeding the transmission of neural signals through the nervous system.

Animism

The preoperational belief that inanimate objects, natural phenomena, or toys have human qualities, intentions, and feelings.

Benefits of Bilingualism

Cognitive and neurological advantages gained from learning two languages, such as enhanced executive function, mental flexibility, and delayed onset of cognitive decline.

Theory of Mind

A person's emerging understanding that other people have their own thoughts, beliefs, desires, and mental states distinct from one's own.