unit 3: themes + methods in developmental psych

developmental psychology

studies physical, cognitive, and social change throughout the life span

cross-sectional study

research that compares people of different ages at the same point in time

longitudinal study

research in which the same people are restudied and retested over a long period

end of history illusion

belief one has had grown but will not grow in the future

nature vs nurture

inherited traits vs environment

continuity vs stages

development is a gradual process vs a sequence of separate stages

stability vs change

personality traits as an infant will stay vs personality changed by events in life

teratogens

agents (chemicals + viruses) that can reach the embryo or fetus during prenatal development and cause harm

fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)

physical + cognitive abnormalities in children caused by a pregnant woman's heavy drinking (face deform)

rooting reflexes

innate reflexes we have at birth

gross motor skills

universal order: roll, sit, crawl, walk, run

fine motor skills

using utencils, holding a pencil, pushing a button

visual cliff

shows how infants process depth + way to cater to their responses

habituation

decreasing responsiveness with repeated stimulation (babies know when to look away)

maturation

biological growth processes that enable orderly changes in behavior (uninfluenced by experience)

critical period

a period after birth when an organism's exposure to certain stimuli or experiences produces proper development

sensitive period

developmental periods during which the brain is particularly responsive to experiences

adolescence

the transition period from childhood to adulthood, (puberty to independence)

puberty

the period of sexual maturation (capable of reproducing)

menopause

the time of natural end to menstruation (biological changes as less ability to reproduce)

primary characteristics

characteristics needed for sexual reproduction

secondary characteristics

characteristics associated with sexual reproduction (not needed)