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Developmental Psychology
a branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive, and social changes throughout the lifespan
What are the two studies that developmental psychologists use?
cross-sectional and longitudinal studies
What are the three major issues within developmental psychology?
nature/nurture influence on development, continuity vs. stages, and stability vs. change
Jean Piaget
created the stages of cognitive development
Lawrence Kohlberg
created stages of moral development
Erik Erikson
created stages of psychosocial development
Temperament
emotional reactivity and intensity
Zygote
fertilized egg; enters a two-week period of rapid cell division and develops into an embryo
Embryo
the developing human organism from about 2 weeks after fertilization through the second month
Fetus
the developing human organism from 9 weeks after conception to birth
Teratogens
chemicals and viruses that can reach the embryo or fetus during prenatal development and cause harm
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
Habituation
decreasing responsiveness with repeated stimulation; as infants gain familiarity with repeated exposure to a visual stimulus, their interest wanes and they look away sooner
Maturation
biological growth processes that enable orderly changes in behavior, relatively uninfluenced by experience
Adolescence
the transition period from childhood to adulthood, extending from puberty to independence; mature sexually
What does adolescence begin with?
puberty-a surge of hormones which triggers a series of bodily changes
What does early maturation look like for boys?
stronger/more athletic as a teen; tend to be more popular, self-assured, and independent but also more at risk for alcohol use, delinquency, and premature sexual activity
What does early maturation look like for girls?
if her body and hormones feel off from emotions and her friends, she might associate with older girls or get teased/sexually harassed
What ages are classified as early adulthood?
20s and 30s
What is classified as middle adulthood?
40s to age 65
What is classified as late adulthood?
after 65
Menopause
when women stop their period and can no longer reproduce (age 50)
Death-deferral phenomenon
people are more likely to die right after Christmas or a milestone
Gender
the socially influenced characteristics by which people define girl/woman and boy/man
Aggression
any physical or verbal behavior intended to hurt or destroy
How does biology influence our sex differences?
genetically (by our differing sex chromosomes) and physiologically (our differing concentrations of sex hormones
What is sex determined by?
sperm (from dad)
Intersex
a condition present at birth due to unusual combinations of male and female chromosomes, hormones, and anatomy; possessing biological sexual characteristics of both sexes
Gender roles
a set of expected behaviors for males and females
Gender identity
our sense of being of male or female or some combination of the two
Social learning theory
the theory that we learn social behavior by observing and imitating and by being rewarded or punished (boys don’t cry, good mommy to dolls)
Gender typing
the acquisition of a traditional masculine or feminine role
Transgender
an umbrella term describing people whose gender identity or expression differs from that associated with their birth sex
Sexual orientation
an enduring sexual attraction toward members of either one’s sex (homosexual), the other sex (heterosexual), or both sexes (bisexual)
AIDS
acquired immune deficiency syndrome; a life-threatening, sexually transmitted infection caused by HIV; AIDS depletes the immune system, leaving the person vulnerable to infections
What are things that affect teenage sexual activity/ having unprotected sex?
lack of communication about birth control, impulsivity, alcohol, and media making teens think everyone is having sex
What are things that predict sexual restraint?
high intelligence, religious engagement, father presence, and participation in service learning programs
Schemas
a concept or framework that organizes and interprets information
Assimilation
interpreting our new experiences in terms of our existing schemas
Accomodate
adapting our current understandings (schemas) to incorporate new information
Theory of mind
people’s ideas about their own and other’s mental states- about their feelings, perceptions, thoughts, and the behaviors these might predict
Autism Spectrum Disorder
a disorder that appears in childhood and is marked by deficiencies in communication and social interaction, and by rigidly fixated interests and repetitive behaviors
What does Jonathan Haidt believe?
morality is rooted in moral intuitions (we feel disgusted when people do degrading or subhuman things; we feel happy and warm when people do things like be generous, courageous, and sompassionate)
Neurocognitive disorders
acquired (not lifelong) disorders marked by cognitive deficits; often related to Alzheimer’s disease, brain injury or disease, or substance abuse (dementia)
Alzheimer’s diesase
a neurocognitive disorder marked by neural plaques, often with onset after age 80, and entailing a progressive decline in memory and other cognitive abilities
Language
our spoken, written, or signed words and the ways we combine them to communicate meaning
What is the structure of language?
phonemes (smallest distinctive sound unit), morphemes (smallest unit that carries meaning), and grammar
Grammar
a system of rules that enables us to communicate with and understand others (includes semantics and syntax)
Aphasia
impairment of language
Broca’s area
controls language expression-usually left frontal lobe, directs muscle movement involved in speech
Wernicke’s area
language reception-usually left temporal lobe, involved in language comprehension and expression
Linguistic determination
Whorf’s hypothesis that language determines the way we think
Bilingual advantage
better executive control over language (inhibit one while using the other) and can ignore irrelevant information better
Attachment
an emotional tie with another person; shown in younger children by seeking closeness to the caregiver and distress on separation
Harlows’ monkey experiment
the baby monkeys became attached to the blanket instead of the food source
Imprinting
the process by which certain animals form strong attachments during an early-life critical period
What does secure attachment look like?
playing comfortably and happily with their mother in the room, becoming distressed when she leaves, and upon her return, wanting contact with her
What does insecure attachment look like?
anxiety or avoidance of trusting relationships, being less likely to explore the room and may cling to mother, crying loudly, being very upset, or seeming indifferent to their mother’s departure and return
Temperament
a person’s characteristic emotional reactivity and intensity
What does insecure attachment lead to?
anxious attachment or avoidant attachment
Authoritarian parenting style
imposes rules and expect obedience
Permissive parenting style
submit to children’s desires, making few demands and use little punishment
Negligent parenting style
uninvolved, not demanding or responsive, inattentive
Authoritative parenting style
both demanding and responsive, exert control and enforce rules but explain them, encourage open discussion about rules and allow exceptions
What did William Damon believe?
the key task of adolescence is to achieve a purpose (something personally meaningful beyond oneself)
What is intimacy according to Erikson?
loving relationships
Emerging adulthood
a period from about age 18 to the mid-twenties, when many in Western cultures are no longer adolescents but have not yet achieved full independence as adults
Social clock
the culturally preferred timing of social events