Development Vocab Quiz

developmental psychology

a branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive, and social change throughout the life span. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e pp. 24, 486)

fetus

the developing human organism from 9 weeks after conception to birth. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 489)

teratogens

(literally, "monster makers") agents, such as chemicals and viruses, that can reach the embryo or fetus during prenatal development and cause harm. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 490)

fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)

physical and cognitive abnormalities in children caused by a pregnant woman's heavy drinking. In severe cases, signs include a small, out-of-proportion head and abnormal facial features. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 490)

maturation

biological growth processes that enable orderly changes in behavior, relatively uninfluenced by experience. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 494)

schema

a concept or framework that organizes and interprets information. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 498)

assimilation

interpreting our new experiences in terms of our existing schemas. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 498)

accommodation

in developmental psychology, adapting our current understandings (schemas) to incorporate new information. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e pp. 177, 498)

sensorimotor stage

in Piaget's theory, the stage (from birth to nearly 2 years of age) during which infants know the world mostly in terms of their sensory impressions and motor activities. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 499)

object permanence

the awareness that things continue to exist even when not perceived. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 499)

preoperational stage

in Piaget's theory, the stage (from about 2 to 6 or 7 years of age) during which a child learns to use language but does not yet comprehend the mental operations of concrete logic. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 500)

conservation

the principle (which Piaget believed to be a part of concrete operational reasoning) that properties such as mass, volume, and number remain the same despite changes in the forms of objects. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 501)

concrete operational stage

in Piaget's theory, the stage of cognitive development (from about 7 to 11 years of age) during which children gain the mental operations that enable them to think logically about concrete events. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 502)

formal operational stage

in Piaget's theory, the stage of cognitive development (normally beginning about age 12) during which people begin to think logically about abstract concepts. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 502)

scaffold

a framework that offers children temporary support as they develop higher levels of thinking. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 503)

attachment

an emotional tie with another person; shown in young children by their seeking closeness to their caregiver and showing distress on separation. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 509)

critical period

an optimal period early in the life of an organism when exposure to certain stimuli or experiences produces normal development. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 510)

strange situation

a procedure for studying child-caregiver attachment; a child is placed in an unfamiliar environment while their caregiver leaves and then returns, and the child's reactions are observed. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 510)

secure attachment

demonstrated by infants who comfortably explore environments in the presence of their caregiver, show only temporary distress when the caregiver leaves, and find comfort in the caregiver's return. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 511)

gender identity

our sense of being male, female, or some combination of the two. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 525)

transgender

an umbrella term describing people whose gender identity or expression differs from that associated with their birth-designated sex. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 526)

adolescence

the transition period from childhood to adulthood, extending from puberty to independence. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 533)

authoritative parenting style

parents give children reasonable demands and consistent limits, express warmth and affection, and listen to the child's point of view

authoritarian parenting style

parents place a high value on conformity and obedience, are often rigid, and express little warmth to the child

permissive parenting style

a parenting style that allows freedom, doesn't set limits or enforce rules constantly

negligent parenting style

parents are uninvolved. They are neither demanding nor responsive, inattentive, and do not seek to have a close relationship with their children.

trust vs mistrust

first stage of Erik Erikson's psychosocial development theory, where infants learn to trust their caregivers for basic needs or develop mistrust if those needs are not met.

industry vs inferiority

the fourth stage of Erik Erikson's psychosocial development theory, where children learn to cope with new social and academic demands, leading to a sense of competence or feelings of inferiority.

identity vs confusion

the fifth stage of Erik Erikson's psychosocial development theory, where adolescents explore their personal identity and sense of self, leading to either a strong sense of identity or confusion about their role in society.