unit 3 part 1

developmental psychology

developmental psychology

branch of psych that studies physical, cognitive, and social-emotional development throughout the lifespan (cross-sectional, longitudinal) 

teratogens

agents, such as chemicals and viruses, that can reach the embryo or fetus during prenatal development and cause harm (drugs, infections, environmental toxins) 

reflexes

automatic responses ensure survival 

rooting reflex

when something touches their cheek, babies turn toward touch, open mouth and root for food source 

maturation

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

critical period

an optimal period early in the life of an organism when exposure to certain stimuli or experiences produces normal development 

adolescence

the transition period from childhood to adulthood, extending from puberty to independence 

puberty

the period of sexual maturation, during which a person becomes capable of reproducing 

primary sex characteristics

the body structures (ovaries, testes, external genitalia) that make sexual reproduction possible 

secondary sex characteristics

nonreproductive sexual traits, such as hips/curves, male voice quality + body hair 

spermarche

first ejaculation 

menarche

first menstrual period

adulthood physical changes

reaction time slows; visual sharpness adaptation + light level changes; smell, hearing, touch become more sensitive; immune system weakens 

sex

in psychology, the biologically influenced characteristics by which people define male, female, and intersex 

gender

in psychology, the attitudes, feelings, and behaviors that a given culture associates with a person's biological sex 

x chromosome

sex chromosome found in females and males, females usually have 2 whereas males usually have 1 

y chromosome

sex chromosome typically only found in males, when paired with X chromosome from the mother, it produces male child 

testosterone

most important male sex hormone, stimulates growth of male sex organs during fetal period, assists development of male characteristics during puberty; found in both men + women 

estrogen

sex hormones, contribute to female sex characteristics and are secreted in greater amounts by females than by males 

role

set of expectations (norms) about social position, defining how those in the position ought to behave 

gender role

set of expected behaviors, attitudes, and traits for men and for women 

gender identity

in psychology, personal sense of being male, female, neither, genderfluid, etc. regardless of whether this identity matches our sex assigned at birth and the social affiliation that may result from this identity 

gender typing

the acquisition of a traditional masculine or feminine role (varies from child to child and culture to culture) 

sensorimotor stage

from birth to nearly two years of age, life is based off sensory impressions and motor activities 

object permanence

the awareness that things continue to exist even when not perceived (6-8 months)

preoperational stage

2-7 yrs old, children learn to use language and symbolic thought but don't yet understand mental operations of concrete logic 

conservation

principle that properties such as mass, volume, and number remain the same despite changes in the form of objects 

egocentrism

difficulty taking another's pov 

theory of mind

ppls ideas abt their own and other's mental states, feelings, perceptions, thoughts, and behaviors 

concrete operational

7-11 yrs of age, children can perform mental operations that enable them to think logically abt actual/physical events 

formal operational

begins around age of 12, people begin to think logically about abstract concepts

scaffold

framework that offers children temporary support as they develop higher levels of thinking 

zone of proximal development

activities that aren't too hard but aren't too easy  

cognitive development in adolescence

egocentrism, theory of mind develops, imaginary audience phenomenon (what do others think), personal fable (believing ur immune to outcomes of behaviors) 

cognitive development in adulthood

peak for some types of memory, memory for future behaviors is stronger, they remember "pivotal" moments in life, difficulty with time based tasks n habitual behaviors, cognitive decline near the end of one's life 

language

agreed upon systems of spoken, written, or signed words, and the way we combine them to communicate 

phoneme

smallest distinctive sound unit in language 

morpheme

smallest unit that carries meaning in a language (suffix/prefix) 

grammar

rules for word order and word meaning help us to understand language 

receptive language

ability to understand what is said to and about them

semantics and syntax

• Semantics is abt selecting correct word to convey meaning u intend 

• Syntax is about putting the words into the correct order according to grammatical standards of a language 

ecological systems theory

theory of social environment's influence on human development, using 5 nested systems ranging from direct to indirect influences 

stranger anxiety

the fear of strangers to infants 

attachment

an emotional tie with another person (parent-infant) 

imprinting

process in which certain animals form strong attachments during early life 

secure attachment

demonstrated by infants who comfortably explore environments in the presence of their caregiver 

insecure attachment

demonstrated by infants who are uncomfortable in exploring environments even in presence of caregiver 

temperament

a person's innate and inborn characteristic of emotional reactivity and intensity 

authoritarian parents

impose rules and demand obedience

permissive parents

set few limits, few demands, few punishments 

authoritative parents

set rules but allow open discussion 

negligent parents

careless, inattentive, no close relationship w children 

adverse childhood experiences

traumatic events that can occur in a child's life (up to 17) and can have long-term effects on health/well-being 

eriksons theory of psychosocial development

describes 8 stages of human development, each stage is characterized by specific challenges/crisis the individual must face 

identity

our sense of self; according to Erikson, adolescent's task is to solidify a sense of self by testing and integrating various roles 

identity statuses

identity formation during adolescence as involving both exploration and commitment 

identity confusion

adolescents neither explore or commit to any identities 

foreclosure

commits to an identity without exploring other options 

moratorium

actively exploring options but have not yet made commitments 

identity achievement

explored diff options, discovered their purpose, have made identity commitments 

emerging adults

no longer adolescents but not yet adults, in between 

young adulthood

18-40; marriage intimacy, children can increase life satisfaction and work a sense of accomplishment 

middle adulthood

40-65; look back and forward as we have reached the supposed midpoint