Unit 3b – Development Vocab Modules Pt. 1

Developmental psychology

Study of growth, change, and consistency over time.

Longitudinal study

Observing the same group over extended time periods.

Cross-sectional study

Comparing different age groups at one time.

Sexual orientation

Enduring attraction toward same, opposite, or both sexes.

Cognition (Piaget)

Mental processes like thinking, learning, and memory.

Schema

Framework for organizing and interpreting information.

Assimilation

Fitting new information into existing schemas.

Accommodation

Modifying schemas to incorporate new information.

Sensorimotor stage

Infants understand the world through senses, actions.

Object permanence

Knowing objects exist even when unseen.

Preoperational stage

Use of symbols, language, and pretend play develops.

Egocentrism

Difficulty understanding perspectives of others.

Pretend play

Imaginary roles and scenarios during play.

Parallel play

Playing alongside others without direct interaction.

Concrete operational stage

Logical thinking about tangible objects and events.

Conservation

Understanding quantity remains constant despite shape changes.

Formal operational stage

Ability to think abstractly and hypothetically.

Scaffolding (Vygotsky)

Support given to help learning, gradually removed.

Zone of Proximal Development

Skills achievable with guidance but not alone

Theory of Mind

Understanding others' thoughts, feelings, and perspectives.

Phoneme

Smallest sound unit in language.

Morpheme

Smallest unit carrying meaning in language.

Grammar

Rules governing language structure and use.