Developmental Psychology (AP PSYCH) (copy)

developmental psychology

a branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive, and social change throughout the life span

zygote

the fertilized egg; it enters a 2-week period of rapid cell division and develops into an embryo

embryo

the developing human organism from about 2 weeks after fertilization through the second month

fetus

the developing human organism from 9 weeks after conception to birth

teratogens

substances that can reach the embryo or fetus during prenatal development and cause harm

fetal alcohol syndrome

physical and cognitive abnormalities in children caused by a pregnant woman's heavy drinking

habituation

decreasing responsiveness with repeated stimulation. As infants gain familiarity with repeated exposure to a stimulus, their interest wanes and they look away sooner.

rooting reflex

a baby's tendency, when touched on the cheek, to turn toward the touch, open the mouth, and search for a nipple

maturation

biological growth processes that enable orderly changes in behavior, relatively uninfluenced by experience

cognition

all the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating

Jean Piaget

a developmental psychologist who studied cognition; his studies led him to believe that a child's mind develops through a series of 4 stages

schema

a concept or framework that organizes and interprets information

assimilation

interpreting our new experiences in terms of our existing schemas

accommodation

adapting our current understandings (schemas) to incorporate new information

sensorimotor stage

in Piaget's theory, the stage during which infants know the world mostly in terms of their sensory impressions and motor activities

object permanence

the awareness that things continue to exist even when not seen

preoperational stage

in Piaget's theory, the stage during which a child learns to use language but does not yet comprehend the mental operations of concrete logic

conservation

the principle that properties such as mass, volume, and number remain the same despite changes in the forms of objects

egocentrism

in Piaget's theory, the preoperational child's difficulty taking another's point of view

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

concrete operational stage

in Piaget's theory, the stage of cognitive development during which children gain the mental operations that enable them to think logically about concrete events

formal operational stage

in Piaget's theory, the stage of cognitive development during which people begin to think logically about abstract concepts

autism spectrum disorder

a disorder that appears in childhood and is marked by deficiencies in communication and social interaction, and by rigidly fixated interests and repetitive behaviors

stranger anxiety

the fear of strangers that infants commonly display, beginning by about 8 months of age

attachment

an emotional tie with another person; shown in young children by their seeking closeness to their caregiver and showing distress on separation

Harry and Margaret Harlow

psychologists known for their studies on attachment that showed baby monkeys preferred "mothers" that provided comfort, rather than simply nourishment

imprinting

the process by which certain animals form strong attachments during early life

the 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

Mary Ainsworth

a developmental psychologist known for her work in the development of attachment theory. She designed the strange situation.

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

insecure attachment

demonstrated by infants who display either a clinging, anxious attachment or an avoidant attachment that resists closeness

temperament

a person's characteristic emotional reactivity and intensity; this does affect attachment. Note that this is a contribution from the nature side of the nature-nurture debate.

self-concept

all our thoughts and feelings about ourselves, in answer to the question, "Who am I?"

authoritarian

a parenting style characterized by strict rules and expected obedience

authoritative

a parenting style characterized by demands, but warmth; these parents encourage open discuss and allow exceptions

permissive

a parenting style characterized by few demands and little punishment

negligent

a parenting style characterized by uninvolved parents

gender role

a set of expected behaviors, attitudes, and traits for males or for females

gender

biologically and socially influenced characteristics by which people define male and female, a combination of both, or neither

sex

the biological distinction between men and women

gender identity

our sense of being male, female, or some combination of the two

sexual orientation

our enduring sexual attraction toward members of our own sex or the other sex; variations include attraction toward both sexes

adolescence

the transition period from childhood to adulthood, extending from puberty to independence

puberty

the period of sexual maturation, during which a person becomes capable of reproducing

morality

principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behavior

Lawrence Kohlberg

an American psychologist best known for his theory of moral development; he created the Heinz dilemma.

preconventional

level of morality typical of children in which rules are obeyed in order to avoid punishment or gain concrete rewards

conventional

level of morality typically emerging by early adolescence in which the emphasis is on gaining social approval or maintaining social order

postconventional

level of morality typical of adolescence and beyond in which actions reflects a belief in basic rights and self-defined ethical principles

Erik Erikson

a developmental psychologist who contended each stage of life has its own psychosocial task, a crisis that needs resolution

trust vs. mistrust

Erikson's stage in infancy in which infants develop a sense of basic trust if needs are dependably met

autonomy vs. shame and doubt

Erikson's stage in toddlerhood in which toddlers learn to exercise their will and do things for themselves, or they doubt their abilities

initiative vs. guilt

Erikson's stage in early childhood in which preschoolers learn to initiate tasks and carry out plans, or they feel guilty about their efforts

industry vs. inferiority

Erikson's stage in childhood in which children learn if they are competent in tasks, or they feel inferior

identity vs. role consfusion

Erikson's stage in adolescence in which teenagers work at refining a sense of self, or they become confused about who they are

intimacy vs. isolation

Erikson's stage in early adulthood in which adults work to form close relationships and to gain the capacity for intimate love

generativity vs. stagnation

Erikson's stage in middle adulthood in which adults discover a sense of contributing to the world, usually through family and work, or they may feel a lack of purpose

integrity vs. despair

Erikson's stage in late adulthood in which adults, reflecting on their lives, may feel a sense of satisfaction or failure

cross-sectional study

research that compares people of different ages at the same point in time

longitudinal study

research that follows and retests the same people over time

Alzheimer's disease

a neurocognitive disorder, often with onset after age 80, entailing a progressive decline in memory and other cognitive abilities