AP Psych Unit 7

developmental psychology

developmental psychology

a branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive, and social change throughout the life span. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e pp. 24, 486)

zygote

the fertilized egg; it enters a 2-week period of rapid cell division and develops into an embryo. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 489)

embryo

the developing human organism from about 2 weeks after fertilization through the second month. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 489)

fetus

the developing human organism from 9 weeks after conception to birth. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 489)

teratogens

(literally, "monster makers") agents, such as chemicals and viruses, that can reach the embryo or fetus during prenatal development and cause harm. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 490)

habituation

decreasing responsiveness with repeated exposure to a stimulus. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e pp. 271, 491)

maturation

biological growth processes that enable orderly changes in behavior, relatively uninfluenced by experience. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 494)

schema

a concept or framework that organizes and interprets information. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 498)

assimilation

interpreting our new experiences in terms of our existing schemas. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 498)

accommodation

(1) in sensation and perception, the process by which the eye's lens changes shape to focus near or far objects on the retina. (2) in developmental psychology, adapting our current understandings (schemas) to incorporate new information. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e pp. 177, 498)

sensorimotor stage

in Piaget's theory, the stage (from birth to nearly 2 years of age) during which infants know the world mostly in terms of their sensory impressions and motor activities. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 499)

object permanence

the awareness that things continue to exist even when not perceived. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 499)

preoperational stage

in Piaget's theory, the stage (from about 2 to 6 or 7 years of age) during which a child learns to use language but does not yet comprehend the mental operations of concrete logic. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 500)

conservation

the principle (which Piaget believed to be a part of concrete operational reasoning) that properties such as mass, volume, and number remain the same despite changes in the forms of objects. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 501)

egocentrism

in Piaget's theory, the preoperational child's difficulty taking another's point of view. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 501)

theory of mind

people's ideas about their own and others' mental states—about their feelings, perceptions, and thoughts, and the behaviors these might predict. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 501)

concrete operational stage

in Piaget's theory, the stage of cognitive development (from about 7 to 11 years of age) during which children gain the mental operations that enable them to think logically about concrete events. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 502)

formal operational stage

in Piaget's theory, the stage of cognitive development (normally beginning about age 12) during which people begin to think logically about abstract concepts. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 502)

attachment

an emotional tie with another person; shown in young children by their seeking closeness to their caregiver and showing distress on separation. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 509)

critical period

an optimal period early in the life of an organism when exposure to certain stimuli or experiences produces normal development. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 510)

strange situation

a procedure for studying child-caregiver attachment; a child is placed in an unfamiliar environment while their caregiver leaves and then returns, and the child's reactions are observed. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 510)

secure attachment

demonstrated by infants who comfortably explore environments in the presence of their caregiver, show only temporary distress when the caregiver leaves, and find comfort in the caregiver's return. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 511)

insecure attachment

demonstrated by infants who display either a clinging, anxious attachment or an avoidant attachment that resists closeness. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 511)

temperament

a person's characteristic emotional reactivity and intensity. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 511)

self-concept

all our thoughts and feelings about ourselves in answer to the question, "Who am I?" (Myers Psychology for AP 3e pp. 515, 592)

gender role

a set of expected behaviors, attitudes, and traits for males or for females. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 525)

adolescence

the transition period from childhood to adulthood, extending from puberty to independence. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 533)

puberty

the period of sexual maturation, during which a person becomes capable of reproducing. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 533)

identity

our sense of self; according to Erikson, the adolescent's task is to solidify a sense of self by testing and integrating various roles. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 539)

emerging adulthood

a period from about age 18 to the mid-twenties, when many in Western cultures are no longer adolescents but have not yet achieved full independence as adults. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 542)

primary sex characteristics

the body structures (ovaries, testes, and external genitalia) that make sexual reproduction possible. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 546)

secondary sex characteristics

nonreproductive sexual traits, such as female breasts and hips, male voice quality, and body hair. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 546)

menopause

the time of natural cessation of menstruation; also refers to the biological changes a woman experiences as her ability to reproduce declines. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 558)

nature-nurture issue

the longstanding controversy over the relative contributions that genes and experience make to the development of psychological traits and behaviors. Today's science sees traits and behaviors arising from the interaction of nature and nurture. (Myers Psychology for AP 3e p. 14)

stability vs. change

the developmental psychology discussion about whether personality traits that are present in an individual at birth remain constant or change throughout the life span.

continuity vs. stages

here are two major theories about how people develop. On one hand, the continuity theory says that development is a gradual, continuous process. On the other hand, the discontinuity theory says that development occurs in a series of distinct stages.

Rooting Reflex

an automatic response seen in newborn babies, who turn their face towards the stimulus and make sucking motions with the mouth when the cheek or lip is touched.

zone of proximal development (ZPD)

Vygotsky's concept of the difference between what a child can do alone and what that child can do with the help of a teacher

Authoritarian (Parenting Style)

This refers to a parenting approach that is characterized by high levels of control, strict rules, and little warmth or responsiveness. Often expect obedience without question.

Authoritative (Parenting Style)

a parenting approach that is characterized by high levels of warmth, responsiveness, and support combined with reasonable expectations for behavior. Parents who adopt this style are both nurturing and firm, providing structure while also allowing their children to have independence and autonomy.

Permissive (Parenting Style)

This refers to a parenting approach that is characterized by low levels of control and high levels of warmth. Parents tend to set few rules or boundaries for their children.

Avoidant Attachment (Insecure)

Infants who seem unresponsive to the parent when they are present, are usually not distressed when she leaves, and avoid the parent when they return

Anxious Attachment (Insecure)

Infants become extremely upset/distressed when their caregiver leaves but reject the caregiver when he or she returns

Separation Anxiety

distress experienced by individuals (typically infants or young children) when separated from their primary caregivers.

Trust vs. Mistrust

Infancy (0-1 years)

If needs are dependably met, infants develop a sense of basic trust.

Autonomy vs. shame

Toddlerhood (1-3 years)

Toddlers learn to exercise their will and do things for themselves, or they doubt their abilities.

Initiative vs. Guilt

(3-6 years)

Preschoolers learn to initiate tasks and carry out plans, or they feel guilty about their efforts to be independent.

Industry vs. Inferiority

Elementary School (6 years-Puberty)

Children learn the pleasure of applying themselves to task, or they feel inferior.

Identity vs. Role Confusion

Adolescence (teen years-20s)

Teenagers work at refining a sense of self by testing roles and then integrating them to form a single identity, or they become confused about who they are.

Intimacy vs. Isolation

Young Adulthood (20s-early 40s)

Young adults struggle to form close relationships and to gain the capacity for intimate love, or they feel socially isolated.

Generativity vs. Stagnation

Middle Adulthood (40s-60s)

In middle age, people discover a sense of contributing to the world, usually through family and work, or they may feel a lack of purpose.

Integrity vs. Despair

Late Adulthood (late 60s and up)

Reflecting on his or her life, an older adult may feel a sense of satisfaction or failure.

Embryo

(2-8 weeks) zygote distinguishes bone, muscle, and body organs

identity

beliefs, values, life goals

identity crisis

questioning of one’s true values, goals, and path

denial and isolation

(first stage) temporary shock response to bad news, isolation arises from people, even family members, avoiding the dying person

anger

(second stage) expression of anger toward multiple sources

bargaining

(third stage) attempts to postpone

depression

(fourth stage) mourning for losses, reactive and preparatory depression

acceptance

(fifth stage) basically giving up and realizing that deaths inevitable, void of feelings

Kubler-Ross stage model of grief

a pattern emerging through stages as the patient is first aware of a terminal illness.

early adult hood

(20-late 20’s) = peak condition

middle adulthood

(30s – 40s) = weight gain + slight decline in physiological responses

late adulthood

(50s – 60s) = decline in height, output of lungs and heart deterioration of joints, less muscle, loss of vision/hearing

very-late adulthood

(70s-80s) = further decline, up to 10% have Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s

processing speed

rate at which we encode info into LTM

perceptual speed

rate at which we can identify sensory info

reaction time

rate and which we respond to a stimulus

memory

decline in brain cells in prefrontal cortex

sternberg’s triangular theory

passion, intimacy, commitment: without any of the three relationship is not likely to last

Love Lab – Marriage failure issues

40-60% of Marriages end in divorce

factors: criticism, defensiveness, contempt, stonewalling

prenatal development

conception, zygote → 3 stages (germinal, embryonic, fetal)

fetal alcohol syndrome

physical changes (height, eye size, brain structure) and psychological changes (attention, info processing, socialization) that results from heavy alcohol use during the prenatal period.

visual cliff

This experiment tests for the sensory ability of sight or depth perception. This is accomplished by an illusion of a cliff, although the surface is sturdy due to a clear piece of glass. The baby will either notice that there is a cliff and hesitate to crawl to its mother, or neglect the cliff and continue to crawl.

developmental norms

kids will acquire certain abilities at predictable average ages

harlow study

the need for tactile or contact comfort explains how attachment develops, Harlow demonstrated this fact by giving monkeys two surrogate mothers

Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development

Physical, Emotional, Cognitive, and Social key areas of human development

Vygotsky

founder of Social Development Theory.

braumid’s parenting styles

Using naturalistic observation, parental interviews and other research methods, she identified four important dimensions of parenting:

Disciplinary strategies

Warmth and nurturance

Communication styles

Expectations of maturity and control

Uninvolved (parenting style)

low responsiveness and little communication, these parents fulfill the child's basic needs, they are generally detached from their child's life

Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Reasoning

developed a cognitive theory of development based on his research on how individuals would respond to moral dilemmas

preconventional (stage 1)

Avoiding Punishment: Rules are seen as being fixed and absolute. Obeying the rules is important because it means avoiding punishment.

preconventional (stage 2)

Self-Interest: People have their own goals and preferences and that often there is room for negotiation. Decisions are made based on the principle of "What's in it for me?"

conventional (stage 3)

Social Conformity: There is a sense of what "good boys" and "nice girls" do and the emphasis is on living up to social expectations and norms because of how they impact day-to-day relationships.

conventional (stage 4)

Law and Order: Consider society as a whole when making judgments. The focus is on maintaining law and order by following the rules, doing one's duty and respecting authority.

postconventional (stage 5)

Social Contract: People understand that there are differing opinions out there on what is right and wrong and that laws are really just a social contract based on majority decision and inevitable compromise. People at this stage sometimes disobey rules if they find them to be inconsistent with their personal values and will also argue for certain laws to be changed if they are no longer "working".

postconventional (stage 6)

Universal Ethics: It is based on abstract reasoning and the ability to put oneself in other people's shoes. At this stage, people have a principled conscience and will follow universal ethical principles regardless of what the official laws and rules

Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial Stage Theory

focused on an individual’s path to meeting social needs and successfully dealing with a central conflict through each of the eight basic stages of their life (that corresponded with a flexible age category)

Cliques v Crowds

cliques: give kids a place where they can get this social status or want to join because they don't want to feel left out

crowds: members of crowds may not even know eachother