unit 1 psych review

aging

developmental physical, cognitive, and psychological, both positive and negative, in the aging person

psychosocial development

changes and carryover personal and interpersonal aspects of development

age grade

socially defined age groups within a society

rite of passage

ritual marking “passage” from one status to another

age norms

societal expectations based on age, influence how people live their lives

social clock

sense of timing for life transitions dictated by age norms

what is the first goal of doing research in developmental psychology

describe

what is the second goal of doing research in developmental psychology

predict

what is the third goal of doing research in developmental psychology

explain

what is the fourth goal of doing research in developmental psychology?

optimize

nature-nurture

development primarily the product of genes, biology and maturation, or of experience, learning, and social influences

activity-passivity

the extent to which human beings are active in producing their own development or are passively shaped

continuity-discontinuity

focuses on whether the changes people undergo over the lifespan are gradual or abrupt

universality-context

extent to which developmental changes are universal or context specific

plasticity

the brain's ability to change and adapt in response to experiences, learning, and environmental factors

how does plasticity affect development

allowing the brain to adapt and modify its neural connections based on environmental stimuli and experiences

what is the newest stage of the lifespan that was created to reflect the changing lives of people age 18-25 ish

emerging adulthood

why is it important to pay attention to the historical context when discussing development

as societies change, developmental experiences change (modern children hold more individualistic values)

evolutionary psychology

application of evolutionary theory to understanding human thinking and behavior, and how it impacts development

slow life strategy

happens when life is secure and predictable, parents are supportive, waits for sex and childbearing until resources are in place to raise a family, parents invest energy into relationship and into kids

fast life strategy

raised in stressful environments were life is harsh and unpredictable; parents are less supportive, children live in present and dont work towards rewarding future that may never come

mating strategy

having as many offspring as possible with many different mates

parental investment strategy

investing in one mate and having fewer children, females of any species more likely to go with this strategy

cultural evolution

as human environment changes over time, the genetic makeup of humans also changes through biological evolution

zygote

cell created at conception

chromosomes

46 threadlike bodies in the nucleus of each cell that contains the genes, 23 pairs

genotype

genetic makeup a person inherits, “the potential”

phenotype

the characteristic or trait the person eventually has, “the outcome”

gene expression

activation of particular genes in particular cells of the body at particular times; a gene is only influential if it is “turned on”, influences phenotype and includes epigenetic effects

mutations

a change in structure or arrangement of one or more genes that produces a new phenotype

what types of studies are conducted to determine heritability?

twin studies, adoption studies, family studies, concordance rates

concordance rates

percentage of pairs of people studied in which if one member of a pair displays the trait, the other does too

gene environmental interaction

the effects of genes depend on what kind of environment we experience

genes role in gene environment interaction

genes do not determine anything but rather provide potential

passive

parents’ genes influence the environment they provide for children, as well as the genes the child receives

evocative

childs genotype evokes certain reactions from society

active

child’s genotype influences the environment that she or he seeks

epigenesis

the study of how our behaviors, environments, and life experiences can affect the way our genes work

epigenetic effects

the ways in which environmental factors influence the expression of particular genes in particular cells

first prenatal stage

germinal period

second prenatal stage

embryonic period

third prenatal stage

fetal period

what happens in germinal period

first trimester begins, zygote divides and forms blastocyst, attaches to the wall of the uterus

what major defects happen in the embryonic period

spina bifida, anencephaly, dangerous levels of folic acid

what 3 brain development processes happen in the fetal period

proliferation, migration, differentiation

age of viability

when survival outside the uterus is possible if the brain and respiratory system are sufficiently developed

teratogens

anything that harms the fetus, ex: alcohol

how does the concept of critical periods of development relate to teratogens

depending on what critical period the fetus is in and when teratogens are in the body, development can be hindered in the fetus

anoxia

oxygen shortage in fetus, typically from umbilical cord becomes pinched or tangled