Unit 3: Developmental Psychology (3.1-3.6b)

developmental psychology

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

cross-sectional study

longitudinal study

teratogens

agents, such as chemicals and viruses that can reach the embryo or fetus during prenatal development and cause harm

fetal alcohol syndrome

physical and cognitive function deficits in children caused by a birth mothers heavy drinking during pregnancy

Habituation

decreasing responsiveness with repeated stimulation

Maturation

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

criminal period

an optimal period early in the life of an organism when exposure to certain stimuli or experiences produces normal development

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

Menopause

the time of natural cessation of menstruation, biological changes a woman experiences as her ability to reproduce declines

Sex

the biologically influenced characteristics by which people define male, female, and intersex

gender

the attitudes, feelings, and behaviors that a given culture associates with a person’s biological sex

intersex

processing male and female biological sexual characteristics at birth

aggression

any physical or verbal behavior intended to harm someone physically or emotionally

Relational aggression

an act of aggression intended to harm a persons relationship or social standing

X chromosomes

the sex chromosome found in both men and women

Y chromosome

the sec chromosomes typically found only in males

testosterone

the most important male sex hormone

estrogens

sex hormones that contribute to female sex characteristics and are secreted in greater amounts by females than by males

Primary sex characteristics

the body structures that make sexual reproduction possible

Secondary sex characteristics

non reproductive traits; such as female breasts and hips, male voice quality, and body hair

Spermarche

the first ejaculation

Menarche

the first menstrual period

Role

a set of expectations about social position, defining how those in the position ought to behave

gender role

a set of expected behaviors, attitudes, and traits for men and for women

Sexual aggression

any physical or verbal behavior of a sexual nature that is unwanted or intended to harm someone physically or emotionnally

Gender identity

our personal sense of being male, female, neither, or some combination of male and female, regardless of whether this identity matches our sex assigned at birth, and the social affiliation that may result from this identity

social learning theory

the theory that we learn social behavior by observing and imitating and by being rewarded or punished

Gender typing

the acquisition of a traditional masculine or feminine role

androgyny

blending traditionally masculine and traditionally feminine psychological characteristics

Sexuality

our thoughts, feelings, and actions related to our physical attraction to another

asexual

having no sexual attraction towards others

social script

a culturally modeled guide for how to act in various situations

cognition

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

schema

a concept or framework that organizes and interprets information

assimilation

interpreting new experiences in terms of our existing schema

accommodation

adapting our current schemas to incorporate new information

Sensorimotor stage

in Piaget's theory, stage at 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 perceived

preoperational stage

stage at which a child learns to use language but does not yet comprehend the mental operations of concrete logic

Egocentric

preoperational childs difficulty taking another's point of view

theory of mind

peoples ideas about their own and others mental states

concrete operational stage

stage at which a child can perform the mental operations that enable them to think logically about concrete events

conservation

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

formal operational stage

stage during which people begin to think logically about abstract concepts

scaffold

in vygotsky theory, a framework that offers children temporary support as they develop higher levels of thinking

language

our agreed upon system of spoken, written, or signed words and the ways we combine them to communicate meaning

phoneme

in language, the smallest distinctive sound unit

morpheme

in a language, the smallest unit that carries meaning

Grammar

a system of rules that enables us to communicate with and understand others

universal grammar

humans predisposition to understand the principles that govern gramma