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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.
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