psych ch4

germinal period

conception to 2 weeks, zygote rapidly divides and implants in uterine wall, placenta forms

Embryonic period

2 to 8 weeks, brain, spine, and major organs form, miscarriage or birth defects occur

Fetal period

8 weeks to birth, brain and bodily structures develop, fetus grows in length and weight, at four months fetus moves, at six months eyes and lungs develop

teratogens

Environmental substances that can harm prenatal development 

newborn senses

obtain info from world by hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting, and perceiving touch

maturation

physical development of the brain and body that prepares an infant for voluntary movement

Harlow’s research

showed infant monkeys need comfort and emotional attachment for healthy development

Newborn reflexes

babies come with rooting, sucking, and grasping reflexes

Attachment

babies have fundamental need to form strong connections with caretakers

Separation Anxiety

when a child is distressed when the caregiver leaves

Strange Situation test

revealed secure, avoidant, and ambivalent attachment

Theory of Mind

the capacity to understand that other people have minds and intentions

Schema

we change how we think as we form new schemas

Conservation

even if the appearance of a substance changes in one dimension the properties remain the same

Assimilation

the process we use to incorporate new info into existing frameworks for knowledge

Accommodation

the process we use to create new frameworks for knowledge

Piagetian Theory

children’s thinking develops thru four stages

Sensorimotor

birth to 2 years, infants get info about the world thru their sense and motor skills

Preoperational

2 to 7, think symbolically about objects, but they reason based on intuition and appearances rather than logic

concrete operational

7 to 12, think about and understand logical operations, and they are no longer fooled by appearances

formal operational

12 to adulthood, people can think abstractly and they can form and test hypotheses through logic 

babbling

intensional vocalization by an infant with no specific meaning

telegraphic

toddlers speak using rudimentary sentences that are missing words and grammatical markings

limbic system

the motivational and emotional center of the brain

role of frontal cortex in development

it is not fully developed therefore engage in risky behaviors

role of testosterone in aging

dec with age leading to dec muscle mass, bone density, energy

intelligence with aging

declines with aging

role of marriage

live longer, more happiness, life satisfaction

intimacy versus isolation

sixth stage, young adults face the challenge of forming long term friendships

generativity versus stagnation

seventh stage, middle aged adults face the challenge of leaving behind the positive legacy and caring for future generations

integrity versus despair

eighth stage, older adults face the challenge of feeling satisfied that they have lived a good life