Psych Vocab 3.1- 3.5 😭

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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.