Psychology and Human Development: Vocabulary Review (Video Notes)

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from the psychology and development notes.

Psychology

The scientific study of the mind and all behavior it produces.

Wilhelm Wundt

Founded psychology as a scientific discipline in 1879.

Observable Behavior

Behaviors that can be observed and measured (e.g., crying during a tantrum).

Cognition

Mental processes such as thinking, understanding, memory, and problem-solving.

Affect

Emotions and feelings experienced by an individual.

Lifespan Perspective

Development occurs from conception to death, across the entire life span.

Multidisciplinary Approach

Studies drawing on concepts from psychology, biology, sociology, anthropology, medicine, and more.

Biological/Physical Development

Growth and maturation of the body and its systems.

Cognitive Development

Changes in thinking, reasoning, memory, and problem-solving abilities.

Social Development

Changes in relationships and social interactions.

Emotional Development

Changes in understanding, expressing, and regulating emotions.

Theory

A well-developed set of ideas that explains observed phenomena.

Hypothesis

A testable prediction derived from a theory.

Deductive Reasoning

Testing predictions by comparing them to real-world outcomes.

Inductive Reasoning

Generating new ideas from careful observations.

Continuous Development

Gradual, incremental changes over time.

Discontinuous Development

Development with distinct stages and qualitative shifts.

Stage Theories

Explanations of development that involve brief periods of rapid change followed by stability.

Nature

Genetic inheritance and biological factors shaping development.

Nurture

Environmental influences and experiences shaping development.

Epigenetics

Environmental influences can modify gene expression without changing the DNA sequence.

Reaction Range

Genes set upper and lower limits for the expression of certain traits or abilities.

Gene-Environment Correlation

Interplay between genes and environments in development; includes passive, evocative, and active forms.

Passive Correlation

Parents provide both genes and environments that influence traits.

Evocative Correlation

Genetically influenced traits evoke responses from others that shape development.

Active Correlation

Individuals seek environments that match their genetic tendencies.

Critical Periods

Age ranges when certain experiences are essential for development.

Sensitive Periods

Times when development is particularly receptive to experience.

Plasticity

Brain's ability to change in response to experience and learning.

Resilience

Capacity to adapt well despite adversity or stress.

Erikson's Psychosocial Theory

Eight developmental stages, each with a psychosocial crisis to resolve, leading to a virtue.

Piaget's Theory

Four stages of cognitive development: Sensorimotor, Preoperational, Concrete Operational, Formal Operational.

Sensorimotor Stage

0-2 years; world experienced through senses and actions; object permanence.

Preoperational Stage

2-7 years; use of symbols and language; egocentric thinking.

Concrete Operational Stage

7-11 years; logical thinking about concrete events; conservation.

Formal Operational Stage

12+ years; abstract and hypothetical thinking.

Sociocultural Theory

Vygotsky’s view that social interaction and culture shape cognitive development; language guides thinking.

Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

What a learner can achieve with guidance versus alone.

Scaffolding

Support that helps learners achieve beyond their current level.

Classical Conditioning

Neutral stimulus becomes associated with a meaningful stimulus, eliciting the same response.

Operant Conditioning

Behavior shaped by consequences (reinforcement and punishment).

Observational Learning

Learning by watching others (modeling).

Associative Learning

Repeated pairing of two stimuli or a behavior and its consequence leads to learning.

Reinforcement

Process that increases the frequency of a behavior.

Punishment

Process that decreases the frequency of a behavior.

Shaping

Building complex behaviors by reinforcing successive approximations.

Private Speech

Self-talk that guides progress on difficult tasks.

Bronfenbrenner

Ecological Systems Model of development with nested environmental layers.

Microsystem

Direct interactions in daily life (family, school, peers).

Mesosystem

Interactions between microsystems (e.g., parent-teacher communication).

Exosystem

Indirect influences such as a parent’s workplace or media exposure.

Macrosystem

Cultural beliefs, values, and laws shaping development.

Chronosystem

Changes over historical time and life transitions.

Cohort Effect

Influence of shared experiences on people of the same age.

Digital Natives

People who grew up with digital technology and are comfortable with it.

Digital Immigrants

People who adopted digital technology later and may be less fluent.

Sex

Assigned at birth based on biological anatomy (male, female, intersex).

Gender

Society's ideas about roles, attitudes, and behaviors associated with sex.

Gender Identity

One's personal sense of their own gender.

Sexual Orientation

Attraction and sexual identity toward others.

Race

Socially constructed category based on physical characteristics and heritage.

Ethnicity

Cultural/national heritage and shared characteristics.

Ethnoracial

Term recognizing both ethnicity and the social construction of race.

SES (Socioeconomic Status)

Income, education, and occupational prestige affecting life opportunities.

Culture

Shared beliefs, norms, and meanings within a group.

Society

A recognized group of people governed by rules and institutions.

Generalizability

Extent to which findings apply to other populations or settings.

Representative Sample

Participants who accurately reflect the group being studied.

WEIRD Bias

Research often conducted with Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic populations.

Religion

Formal system of beliefs, values, and practices around worship.

Religiosity

Religious behaviors and practices.

Spirituality

Individual's personal search for the sacred.

Informed Consent

Participants are fully informed and voluntarily participate.