Module 9 Intro to psych DR YBARRA

Conception

Fertilization when a sperm fertilizes an egg to create a single-cell zygote.

Zygote

The single cell formed by the union of sperm and egg at conception.

Germinal Period (Timeframe)

The first 2 weeks after fertilization.

Germinal Period (Key Events)

Rapid cell division and zygote movement to the uterus, ending at implantation.

Embryonic Period (Timeframe)

Weeks 3 to 8 of prenatal development.

Embryonic Period (Key Events)

Cell differentiation, sexual differentiation start, and formation of heart, brain, and placenta.

Fetal Period (Timeframe)

From the 3rd month until birth (9th month).

Fetal Period (Key Events)

Organ maturation, rapid weight gain, movement, and brain cell development.

Teratogen

Any agent, such as alcohol or drugs, that causes a birth defect.

Factors Influencing Teratogen Effects

Timing of exposure, dose size, and length of exposure.

Potential Teratogen Outcomes

Physical malformations, brain damage, low birth weight, learning problems, or miscarriage.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)

Leading cause of intellectual disability resulting from heavy prenatal alcohol exposure.

Characteristics of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Distinctive facial features, small head size, growth problems, and behavior difficulties.

Newborn Vision Ability

Immature visual system; vision is blurry and best at close range.

Newborn Sensory Abilities at Birth

Functional hearing, smell, taste, and touch.

Abilities Developing After Birth

Visual acuity, color vision, depth perception, motor control, language, and reasoning.

Rooting Reflex

Turning the head and opening the mouth when the cheek is touched.

Sucking Reflex

Automatically sucking on any object placed in the infant's mouth.

Babinski Reflex

Fanning and curling of toes when the sole of the foot is stroked.

Moro Reflex

Throwing arms outward, arching the back in response to a sudden startle.

Grasping Reflex

Curling fingers tightly around an object placed in the palm.

Temperament

An infant's inborn, genetically based style of reacting to the environment.

Easy Temperament

Adaptable, cheerful, predictable routines, and open to new experiences.

Difficult Temperament

Fussy, intense, irregular routines, and reacts strongly to change.

Slow-to-Warm-Up Temperament

Shy and withdrawn initially, adapting gradually to new situations.

Authoritarian Parenting

Strict rules, high punishment, low warmth, demanding obedience without explanation.

Authoritative Parenting

Clear rules, high warmth, open reasoning, and encouraging independence.

Permissive Parenting

Loving and tolerant but sets few rules and enforces little discipline.

Neglectful Parenting

Uninvolved, detached, and unresponsive to the child's needs.

Attachment

An essential emotional bond formed between an infant and primary caregiver.

Harlow's Monkey Study Setup

Infant monkeys given wire mothers with milk vs. soft cloth mothers without food.

Harlow's Monkey Study Findings

Monkeys preferred cloth mothers for comfort, using them as a safe base.

Secure Attachment (Strange Situation)

Explores when caregiver is present, distressed when away, easily comforted upon return.

Caregiver Style in Secure Attachment

Consistent, warm, sensitive, and responsive caregiving.

Implications of Secure Attachment

Greater empathy, social competence, better school performance, and healthier future relationships.

Insecure Avoidant Attachment

Child avoids or acts coldly toward the mother during reunions.

Insecure Anxious-Resistant Attachment

Child clings to caregiver, shows severe distress, and resists comfort upon return.

Skinner's Theory of Language

Language is learned through environmental reinforcement, conditioning, and imitation.

Chomsky's Theory of Language

Humans have an innate Language Acquisition Device (LAD) for learning language.

Cooing Stage (2 Months)

Vocalizing simple vowel sounds at varying pitches.

Babbling Stage (4 Months)

Adding consonant sounds to vocalizations.

Babbling Stage (7 Months)

Babbling strings of regularly heard environmental language sounds.

Language at 1 Year

Babbling with native intonation; emergence of initial gestures and first words.

One-Word Stage (12-18 Months)

Using single words to represent complete ideas or requests.

Two-Word Stage (20-26 Months)

Combining two words together, leading to rapid vocabulary expansion.

Schema

A mental mold or organized framework used to understand experiences.

Assimilation

Fitting new information directly into an existing mental schema.

Accommodation

Modifying an existing schema or creating a new one for new information.

Constructivism

Theory that children actively build cognitive structures as they learn.

Sensorimotor Stage (Birth-2 Years)

Understanding the world through sensory experiences, motor actions, and object permanence.

Object Permanence

Understanding that objects continue to exist even when out of sight.

Preoperational Stage (2-7 Years)

Symbolic thought using words/images; marked by egocentrism and lack of conservation.

Egocentrism

Inability to perceive a situation from another person's perspective.

Irreversibility

Inability to mentally reverse a sequence of physical events or actions.

Conservation (Piaget)

Understanding that physical quantity remains unchanged despite alterations in appearance.

Concrete Operational Stage (7-11 Years)

Logical reasoning about concrete objects, understanding conservation, struggling with abstract concepts.

Formal Operational Stage (11+ Years)

Abstract thinking, systematic hypothesis testing, and systematic problem-solving.

Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory

Cognitive development is guided by social interaction and cultural tools.

Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

Tasks a learner can accomplish only with guidance from a skilled person.

Scaffolding

Adjusting support levels dynamically as a learner gains independence.

Preconventional Morality

Moral reasoning based on avoiding punishment and gaining rewards.

Conventional Morality

Moral reasoning based on social approval, rules, and maintaining law/order.

Postconventional Morality

Moral reasoning based on social contracts and universal ethical principles.

Sex (Biological)

Biological distinction based on chromosomes, anatomy, and hormones.

Gender

Cultural, social, and psychological meanings associated with masculinity and femininity.

Gender Roles

Cultural expectations regarding appropriate behaviors for males and females.

Gender Identity

A person's internal, psychological sense of being male or female.

Social Learning Theory of Gender

Gender behaviors are learned via observation, imitation, reinforcement, and punishment.

Gender Schema Theory

Children organize gender schemas that guide their perceptions, memory, and behavior.

Erikson's Adolescence Stage

Identity vs. Role Confusion: refining a integrated sense of self.