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Continuous development
Gradual and cumulative growth over time.
Discontinuous development
Development occurs in distinct stages.
Lifespan development
Study of human growth from birth to death.
Nature and nurture
Influence of genetics and environment on development.
Stability and change
Consistency or variability in development over time.
Cross sectional
Research comparing different age groups simultaneously.
Longitudinal
Research studying the same group over time.
Adolescence
Developmental stage from puberty to adulthood.
Critical periods
Specific times when certain skills develop.
Developmental milestone
Key skills achieved at specific ages.
Fine motor coordination
Small muscle movements, like grasping.
Gross motor coordination
Large muscle movements, like walking.
Growth spurt
Rapid increase in physical size during development.
Imprinting
Rapid learning occurring during a critical period.
Maturation
Biological growth processes influencing development.
Menarche
First menstrual period in females.
Menopause
End of menstrual cycles in females.
Prenatal influence
Effects of external factors on fetal development.
Primary sex characteristics
Body structures directly involved in reproduction.
Puberty
Period of sexual maturation and physical changes.
Reflexes
Automatic responses to stimuli.
Rooting reflex
Infant's instinctive turning towards touch.
Secondary sex characteristics
Non-reproductive traits developing during puberty.
Sensitive periods
Optimal times for certain developmental tasks.
Spermarche
First ejaculation in males.
Teratogens
Substances causing developmental malformations.
Visual cliff
Experiment testing depth perception in infants.
Gender
Socially constructed roles based on sex.
Sex
Biological classification as male or female.
Sexual orientation
Pattern of emotional, romantic attraction to men, women, or both
Abstract thinking
Ability to think about concepts and ideas.
Accommodation
Adjusting existing schemas to incorporate new information.
Animism
Belief that inanimate objects have feelings.
Assimilation
Integrating new experiences into existing schemas.
Concrete operational
Stage where logical thinking develops about concrete events.
Conservation
Understanding that quantity remains the same despite changes.
Crystallized intelligence
Knowledge accumulated over a lifetime.
Dementia
Decline in cognitive function affecting daily life.
Egocentrism
Inability to see perspectives other than one's own.
Fluid intelligence
Ability to solve new problems quickly.
Formal operational
Stage where abstract reasoning develops.
Hypothetical thinking
Ability to consider possibilities and scenarios.
Mental symbols
Representations of objects or concepts in the mind.
Object permanence
Understanding that objects continue to exist when unseen.
Preoperational stage
Stage characterized by symbolic thinking and egocentrism.
Pretend play
Imaginative play reflecting real-life scenarios.
Reversibility
Understanding that actions can be reversed.
Scaffolding
Support given to learners to achieve independence.
Schema
Mental framework for organizing information.
Sensorimotor stage
Stage where infants learn through senses and actions.
Theory of mind
Understanding that others have different thoughts.
Zone of proximal development
Difference between what a learner can do alone and with help.
Babbling
Early stage of language development with repetitive sounds.
Cooing
Early vocalization of infants producing soft sounds.
Grammar
Set of rules governing language structure.
Language
System of communication using symbols and sounds.
Morphemes
Smallest units of meaning in a language.
One-word stage
Infants communicate using single words.
Overgeneralization
Applying grammatical rules too broadly.
Phonemes
Smallest units of sound in a language.
Semantics
Study of meaning in language.
Syntax
Rules governing sentence structure.
Telegraphic speech
Two-word phrases conveying essential meaning.
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