AP Psych Unit 3.2 Vocab Quiz 1

Chronological Development

the progression of development based on a person's actual age

Lifespan Development

the study of how individuals change and grow throughout their entire life, from infancy to old age.

Stability and Change

the concept that individuals experience both consistent and varying patterns of development over time.

Nature and Nurture

the debate concerning the relative contributions of genetic inheritance and environmental factors to human development.

Continuous Development

the idea that development is a gradual, continuous process without distinct stages.

discontinuous Development

is a theory suggesting that individuals develop progressively, with changes occurring in small, incremental steps rather than in distinct stages.

Teratogens

substances that can cause birth defects or developmental abnormalities in a fetus.

Fine Motor Coordination

the ability to use small muscles for precise movements, such as grasping and manipulating objects.

Gross Motor Coordination

the ability to use large muscle groups for activities like walking, running, and jumping.

Maturation

the process of development in which an individual grows and matures physically and psychologically, leading to the readiness for certain skills and behaviors.

Reflexes

automatic responses to stimuli that are crucial for survival and development.

Rooting Reflex

a reflex in infants that involves turning the head and opening the mouth in response to a touch on the cheek, aiding in breastfeeding.

Visual Cliff

an experimental setup used to test depth perception in infants and animals, where one side appears to be a cliff.

Critical Periods

specific times during development when certain skills or abilities are most easily learned.

Sensitive Periods

times in development when individuals are more receptive to learning specific skills or experiences.

Imprinting

a rapid learning process that occurs during a critical period in young animals, where they form attachments to the first moving object they encounter.

Growth Spurt

a rapid increase in physical size and maturity that typically occurs during adolescence.

Puberty

the period of sexual maturation during which individuals become capable of reproduction, marked by physical and hormonal changes.

Primary Sex Characteristics

the physical features directly involved in reproduction, such as the development of the ovaries in females and testes in males.

Secondary Sex Characteristics

the physical traits that develop during puberty but are not directly involved in reproduction, such as breast development in females and facial hair in males.

Menarche

the first occurrence of menstruation in females, marking the onset of reproductive capability.

Spermarche

the first occurrence of sperm production in males, indicating the onset of reproductive capability.

Menopause

the natural cessation of menstruation and fertility in females, typically occurring in middle age.

Schemas

Cognitive frameworks that help organize and interpret information.

Assimilation

the process of integrating new information into existing cognitive schemas.

Accommodation

the process of adjusting existing cognitive schemas to incorporate new information.

Sensorimotor Stage

The first stage in Piaget's theory of cognitive development, occurring from birth to about 2 years of age, where infants learn about the world through their senses and actions.

Object Permanence

the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen or heard, typically developed in the sensorimotor stage.

Preoperational Stage

The second stage in Piaget's theory of cognitive development, occurring from about 2 to 7 years of age, where children begin to use language and engage in symbolic play but lack the ability to perform operations mentally.

Mental Symbols

Representations used in thought, allowing children to think about objects and events without direct interaction, typically developed during the preoperational stage.

Pretend Play

A form of play where children use their imagination to assign meanings to objects and create scenarios

Conservation

The understanding that certain properties of objects, such as volume or mass , remain the same despite changes in form or appearance.

Reversibility

The ability to understand that actions can be reversed, allowing for the state of an object to return to its original condition after a change. Crucial for grasping observation as children realize actions can be undone.

Animism

cognitive developmental concept where a child believes that inanimate objects have lifelike qualities, feelings, and intentions, essentially thinking non-living things are capable of actions and have mental characteristics similar to living beings

Egocentrism

a cognitive developmental stage where an individual has difficulty understanding perspectives other than their own

Theory of Mind

the cognitive ability to understand that other people have their own unique beliefs, desires, intentions, and perspectives

Concrete Operational Stage

3rd developmental phase in Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development where children, typically between ages 7 and 11, begin to think logically about concrete events and objects, demonstrating the ability to perform mental operations on tangible things while still struggling with abstract concepts

Systematic Thinking

a methodical and logical approach to problem-solving, where one carefully considers all relevant factors and follows a structured process to reach a solution, often utilizing an "algorithm" which is a step-by-step procedure guaranteed to produce the correct answer if followed properly

Formal Operational Stage

the final stage of Jean Piaget's cognitive development theory, where individuals develop the ability to think abstractly, logically, and systematically, typically beginning around age 12, allowing them to reason about hypothetical situation

Abstract Thinking

the cognitive ability to understand and reason about complex concepts that are not directly tied to concrete experiences or objects

Hypothetical Thinking

the cognitive ability to mentally explore and reason through imaginary situations, considering potential outcomes and consequences without relying solely on concrete facts or current reality

Scaffolding (Vygotsky)

the process of providing temporary support or guidance to a learner, usually by a teacher, to help them acquire a new skill or understand a complex concept that they wouldn't be able to grasp independently, gradually reducing assistance as the learner becomes more proficient

Zone of Proximal Development

The distance between where a learner is at developmentally on their own & where a learner could be with the help of a more knowledgeable other

Crystallized Intelligence

the ability to use previously learned knowledge and experience to solve problems

Fluid Intelligence

the ability to solve new problems and think critically in novel situations

Dementia

a generalized decline in cognitive abilities, including memory, reasoning, and language, severe enough to interfere with a person's daily functioning, often caused by underlying brain diseases and resulting in significant impairment in daily life activities