UNIT V

life span and development

Zygote

Fertilized egg; the first stage of human development.

Genes

DNA segments that determine traits, inherited from parents.

Embryo

Early development stage (2-8 weeks) with basic organs forming.

Fetus

Later development stage (9 weeks-birth) where growth and organs continue maturing.

Teratogens

Harmful substances (e.g., drugs) that can cause birth defects.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)

Birth defects from alcohol exposure during pregnancy.

Rooting Reflex

Baby turns head and opens mouth when cheek is touched, helping find food.

Sucking Reflex

Baby sucks when the roof of the mouth is touched, allowing for feeding.

Moro Reflex

Baby spreads arms and then pulls them in when startled by loud noise or feeling of falling.

Grasping Reflex

Baby automatically grasps objects placed in their palm.

Babinski Reflex

Baby’s toes fan out when the sole of the foot is stroked.

Stepping Reflex

Baby makes walking movements when their feet touch a surface.

Temperament

Inborn emotional and activity level patterns, sociability and something that remains constant.

Maturation

Biological growth that happens naturally, aiding motor and cognitive development.

Cognition

Mental processes like thinking, learning, and memory.

Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development

Stages of cognitive development theorized by Jean Piaget.

Sensorimotor Stage

(0-2 yrs) Learning through senses and actions; develops object permanence.

Schemas

Mental structures for organizing information (mental molds).

Assimilation

Fitting new info into existing schemas.

Accommodation

Changing schemas to include new info.

Object Permanence

Understanding objects exist even when out of sight.

Preoperational Stage

(2-7 yrs) Language and symbolic thought but lacks logic; too young to perform mental operations.

Conservation

Understanding that quantity remains the same despite changes in shape.

Egocentrism

Difficulty seeing others’ perspectives.

Theory of Mind

The ability to understand that others have thoughts, feelings, and perspectives different from your own.

Concrete Operational Stage

(7-11 yrs) Logical thinking about concrete events and the ability to do basic math.

Formal Operational Stage

(12+ yrs) Abstract and hypothetical thinking.

Stranger Anxiety

Fear of strangers, typically beginning around 8 months, recognizing their family.

Secure Attachment

A healthy attachment where the child feels safe to explore and is upset when the caregiver leaves but is easily comforted upon return.

Insecure Attachment

An unhealthy attachment where the child may be anxious, avoidant, or ambivalent toward the caregiver.

Attachment

Emotional bond with caregiver.

Critical Period

Key time for forming bonds and learning certain skills.

Imprinting

Rapid attachment process in some animals during early life, the first thing they see they love.

Authoritarian Parenting

Strict rules, high expectations.

Permissive Parenting

Few rules, lenient.

Authoritative Parenting

Balanced, demanding yet responsive; best outcomes.

Adolescence

Transition from childhood to adulthood; starts with puberty.

Puberty

Physical and hormonal changes for sexual maturity.

Primary Sex Characteristics

Organs directly involved in reproduction.

Secondary Sex Characteristics

Traits that emerge during puberty, distinguishing the sexes like breasts, height, body hair

Preconventional Morality

Obeying rules to avoid punishment or gain rewards; normal under age of nine.

Conventional Morality

Following rules to maintain social order; most adults.

Postconventional Morality

Acting based on personal ethical principles; barely anyone achieves this.

Trust vs. Mistrust

(Infancy) Developing trust if needs are met.

Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt

(Toddlerhood) Learning independence.

Initiative vs. Guilt

(Preschool) Trying new things, taking initiative.

Competency vs. Inferiority

(School age) Building skills or feeling inferior.

Identity vs. Role Confusion

(Adolescence) Developing a sense of self.

Intimacy vs. Isolation

(Young adulthood) Forming close relationships.

Generativity vs. Stagnation

(Middle adulthood) Contributing to society.

Integrity vs. Despair

(Late adulthood) Reflecting on life with satisfaction or regret.

Social Clock

Societal timing for life milestones like marriage, kids, buying a house

Menopause

End of menstrual cycles in women, typically in middle age.

Alzheimer’s Disease

Progressive memory and cognitive loss in old age.

Senile Dementia

Decline in mental ability with age.

Fluid Intelligence

Quick, abstract reasoning; decreases with age.

Crystallized Intelligence

Accumulated knowledge; remains stable or increases.

Jean Piaget

Developed stages of cognitive development.

Harry Harlow

Studied attachment through monkey experiments.

Konrad Lorenz

Discovered imprinting in animals.

Mary Ainsworth

Created Strange Situation Test to study attachment.

Lawrence Kohlberg

Developed stages of moral reasoning.

Erik Erikson

Proposed stages of psychosocial development across the lifespan.