UNL PSYC 181 Unit 3 Exam

A set of 200 vocabulary flashcards derived from developmental psychology lecture notes, covering key concepts and terminology.

Developmental psychology

The study of the physical, cognitive, and social changes throughout the lifespan.

Normative investigations

Research that focuses on what is normal for various groups concerning age and development.

Chronological age

The actual age of an individual based on their date of birth.

Developmental age

The age that reflects the individual's level of development in physical, cognitive, or social dimensions.

Cross-sectional study

A research method that observes different individuals of different ages at one point in time.

Longitudinal study

A research method that observes the same individuals over a period of time to track changes.

Cross-sequential study

A research approach that examines several different cohorts over time.

Stability vs. Change

The debate on how often and how quickly individuals change throughout their development.

Continuity vs. Stages

The question of whether development is gradual or occurs in distinct stages.

Nature vs. Nurture

The debate on how genetic inheritance interacts with environmental experiences to influence development.

Critical periods

Specific times in early life when exposure to certain stimuli is crucial for proper development.

Synaptic pruning

The process by which the brain eliminates unused or weak synaptic connections, strengthening frequently used ones.

Schemas

Concepts or frameworks that organize and interpret information.

Assimilation

Interpreting new experiences in terms of existing schemas.

Accommodation

Adapting current schemas to incorporate new information.

Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development

The theory that describes the progression of children's cognitive development through four stages.

Sensorimotor stage

The first stage in Piaget's theory (0-2 years), where children explore the world through senses and actions.

Object permanence

The understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen.

Stranger anxiety

Fear of strangers that infants display, typically developing around 8 months.

Preoperational stage

The second stage in Piaget's theory (2-6 years) characterized by symbolic play and egocentrism.

Egocentrism

A child's difficulty in taking another's point of view.

Theory of Mind

The understanding that others have thoughts and perspectives different from one's own.

Concrete operational stage

The third stage in Piaget's theory (7-11 years) where children can think logically about concrete events.

Conservation

The understanding that certain properties remain the same despite changes in form.

Formal operational stage

The final stage in Piaget's theory (12+ years) characterized by abstract reasoning.

Vygotsky’s theory

The theory that emphasizes the importance of social interaction in cognitive development.

Scaffolding

Support provided to help a child perform at a higher level.

Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

The difference between what a child can do alone and what they can do with assistance.

Attachment

Emotional ties formed between individuals, often observed in caregiver-infant relationships.

Separation anxiety

Anxiety over parental separation, peaking around 13 months.

Temperament

An individual's characteristic emotional reactivity and intensity.

Secure attachment

A type of attachment where infants feel comfortable exploring in the presence of caregivers.

Insecure anxious attachment

A type of attachment characterized by clinginess and distress upon separation.

Insecure avoidant attachment

A type of attachment where infants show little reaction to a caregiver’s departure or return.

Consequences of attachment disruption

Possible adverse effects on emotional and social development due to disrupted attachment.

Authoritarian parenting

A parenting style that is strict, with low warmth and high control.

Permissive parenting

A parenting style characterized by high warmth but low control.

Neglectful parenting

A parenting style that is uninvolved, with both low warmth and low control.

Authoritative parenting

A parenting style that combines high warmth with high control.

Kohlberg’s theory

A theory outlining the stages of moral development.

Preconventional morality

The first stage in Kohlberg's theory where decisions are based on self-interest.

Conventional morality

The second stage in Kohlberg's theory where decisions are based on social approval.

Postconventional morality

The third stage in Kohlberg's theory where decisions are based on personal ethical principles.

Frontal lobe maturation

The development of the brain region responsible for higher executive functions, which lags behind emotional development.

Personal fable

The belief common in adolescents that they are unique and invulnerable.

Cognitive dissonance

A state of mental discomfort that arises from holding contradictory beliefs or attitudes.

Self-fulfilling prophecy

The phenomenon where expectations about a person lead to behaviors that confirm those expectations.

Fundamental attribution error

The tendency to overemphasize personality traits and underestimate situational factors when explaining others' behaviors.

Actor-observer bias

The tendency to attribute one’s own actions to situational factors while attributing others' actions to their character.

Social facilitation

Improvement in performance on simple tasks when in the presence of others.

Social loafing

The tendency for individuals to exert less effort when working in a group.

Deindividuation

The loss of self-awareness and self-restraint in group situations.

Groupthink

A phenomenon where the desire for harmony in a group results in irrational decision-making.

Risky shift

The tendency for groups to make riskier decisions than individuals would alone.

Implicit bias

Unconscious attitudes or stereotypes that affect understanding and decisions.

Prejudice

An unjustified negative attitude toward a group and its members.

Discrimination

Unjustified negative behaviors toward a group based on prejudice.

Stereotype

Generalized beliefs about a group of people.

Ingroup

A group of individuals with whom one identifies.

Outgroup

A group perceived as different or apart from one’s ingroup.

Altruism

Selfless concern for the well-being of others.

Bystander effect

The phenomenon whereby individuals are less likely to offer help to a victim when other people are present.

Diffusion of responsibility

A reduction in the likelihood of an individual to help someone in need when others are present.

Frustration-aggression hypothesis

The theory that frustration leads to aggression.

Relational aggression

Intentional harm done to someone's social relationships or status.

Intimate partner violence

Violence that occurs between individuals in a close relationship.

Milgram experiment

A study on obedience that demonstrated how people are willing to follow orders even to harm others.

Asch's study on conformity

An experiment demonstrating the extent to which individuals would conform to group opinions.

Social cognition

How people think about the social world and make sense of themselves and others.

Confirmation bias

The tendency to search for and interpret information in a way that confirms one's preconceptions.

Scapegoating theory

The tendency to blame an outgroup for one's problems.

Stereotype threat

A situational predicament in which people are at risk of confirming negative stereotypes about their social group.

Cognition

All the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating.

Metacognition

Thinking about one's own thinking processes.

Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development

A theory that outlines eight stages, each characterized by a psychosocial conflict.

Trust vs. Mistrust

The first stage in Erikson's theory occurring in infancy, emphasizing the infant's basic needs being met.

Identity vs. Role Confusion

The fifth stage in Erikson's theory occurring in adolescence, focusing on developing a sense of self.

Integrity vs. Despair

The eighth stage in Erikson's theory for older adults, focusing on reflection and acceptance of one’s life.

Social psychology

The study of how individuals influence and are influenced by others in social situations.

Attribution theory

A framework for understanding how individuals interpret the causes of behavior and events.

External attribution

Assigning the cause of behavior to external factors, such as the environment.

Internal attribution

Assigning the cause of behavior to internal factors, such as personality traits.

Social control

The influence of society on individual behavior.

Personal control

The capacity of an individual to influence their own behavior.

Minority influence

The ability of a smaller group to influence the majority opinion or behavior.

Foot-in-the-door technique

A persuasion strategy that involves getting a person to agree to a small request before making a larger request.

Door-in-the-face technique

A persuasion strategy that starts with a large request and follows with a smaller, more reasonable request.

Low-ball technique

A persuasion strategy that involves making an attractive offer and later changing the terms.

Obedience

Following commands from a perceived authority figure.

Compliance

Changing behavior in response to a request from another individual.

Conformity

Adjusting thoughts or actions to align with group norms.

Chameleon effect

The unconscious mimicry of behaviors and expressions of those around us.

Influence of social roles

How prescribed social roles dictate behavior in certain contexts.

Psychology of racism

Examination of psychological factors contributing to racism and methods of overcoming prejudice.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

A condition resulting from maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy, leading to physical and cognitive deficits.

Teratogens

Agents that cause malformation or abnormality in a developing fetus.

Puberty

The period of sexual maturation during which an individual becomes capable of reproduction.

Primary sex characteristics

The reproductive organs and external genitalia.

Secondary sex characteristics

Traits that develop during puberty but are not directly related to reproduction, such as body hair and breast development.

Bypassing

Ignoring the emotional or psychological needs of someone in distress.