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developmental psychology (p 462)

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

Zygote (p 466)

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

embryo (p 466)

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

fetus (p 466)

- the developing human organism from 9 weeks after conception to birth

Teratogens (p 467)

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

fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) (p 467)

- physical and cognitive abnormalities in children caused by a pregnant woman's heavy drinking. In severe cases, symptoms include noticeable facial misproportions

Habituation (p 468)

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

Maturation (p 471)

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

cognition (p 476)

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

Schema (p 477)

- a concept or framework that organizes and interprets information

Assimilation (p 477)

- interpreting our new experiences in terms of our existing schemas

accommodation (p 477)

- adapting our current understandings (schemas) to incorporate new information

sensorimotor stage (p 478)

- in Piaget's theory, the stage (from birth to about 2 years of age) during which infants know the world mostly in terms of their sensory impressions and motor activities

object permanence (p 478)

- the awareness that things continue to exist even when not perceived

preoperational stage (p 479)

- in Piaget's theory, the stage (from about 2 to 6 or 7 years of age) during which a child learns to use language but does not yet comprehend the mental operations of concrete logic

conservation (p 479)

- the principle (which Piaget believed to be a part of concrete operational reasoning) that properties such as mass, volume, and number remain the same despite changes in the forms of objects

Egocentrism (p 479)

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

theory of mind (p 480)

- people's ideas about their own and others' mental states—about their feelings, perceptions, and thoughts, and the behaviors these might predict.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (p 481)

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

concrete operational stage (p 483)

- in Piaget's theory, the stage of cognitive development (from about 6 or 7 to 11 years of age) during which children gain the mental operations that enable them to think logically about concrete events

formal operational stage (p 483)

- in Piaget's theory, the stage of cognitive development (normally beginning about age 12) during which people begin to think logically about abstract concepts

stranger anxiety (p 488)

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

attachment (p 488)

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

critical period (p 489)

- an optimal period shortly after birth when an organism's exposure to certain stimuli or experiences produces proper development

Imprinting (p 489)

- the process by which certain animals form attachments during a critical period very early in life

temperament (p 490)

- a person's characteristic emotional reactivity and intensity

basic trust (p 492)

- according to Erik Erikson, a sense that the world is predictable and trustworthy; said to be formed during infancy by appropriate experiences with responsive caregivers

self-concept (p 495)

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

Gender (p 500)

- the socially constructed roles and characteristics by which a culture defines male and female

aggression (p 501)

- any physical or verbal behavior intended to hurt or destroy

Gender role (p 503)

- a set of expected behaviors for males or for females

Role (p 503)

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

gender identity (p 504)

- our sense of being male or female

social learning theory (p 504)

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

gender typing (p 504)

- the acquisition of a traditional masculine or feminine role

Transgender (p 505)

- an umbrella term describing people whose gender identity or expression differs from that associated with their birth sex

adolescence (p 513)

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

identity (p 519)

- our sense of self; according to Erikson, the adolescent's task is to solidify a sense of self by testing and integrating various roles

social identity (p 519)

- the "we" aspect of our self-concept; the part of our answer to "Who am I?" that comes from our group memberships

intimacy (p 521)

- in Erikson's theory, the ability to form close, loving relationships; a primary developmental task in late adolescence and early adulthood

emerging adulthood (p 523)

- for some people in modern cultures, a period from the late teens to mid-twenties, bridging the gap between adolescent dependence and full independence and responsible adulthood

X chromosome (p 526)

- The sex chromosome found in both men and women. Females have two X chromosomes; males have one. An X chromosome from each parent produces a female child.

Y chromosome (p 526)

- the sex chromosome found only in males. When paired with an X chromosome from the mother, it produces a male child.

Testosterone (p 526)

- the most important of the male sex hormones. Both males and females have it, but the additional testosterone in males stimulates the growth of the male sex organs in the fetus and the development of the male sex characteristics during puberty

puberty (p 527)

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

primary sex characteristics (p 527)

- the body structures (ovaries, testes, and external genitalia) that make sexual reproduction possible

secondary sex characteristics (p 527)

- nonreproductive sexual characteristics, such as female breasts and hips, male voice quality, and body hair

menarche (p 527)

- the first menstrual period

AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) (p 529)

- a life-threatening, sexually transmitted infection caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). AIDS depletes the immune system, leaving the person vulnerable to infections.

sexual orientation (p 531)

- an enduring sexual attraction toward members of either one's own sex (homosexual orientation) or the other sex (heterosexual orientation)

menopause (p 540)

- the time of natural cessation of menstruation; also refers to the biological changes a woman experiences as her ability to reproduce declines

cross-sectional study (p 543)

- a study in which people of different ages are compared with one another

longitudinal study (p 543)

- research in which the same people are restudied and retested over a long period

social clock (p 544)

- the culturally preferred timing of social events such as marriage, parenthood, and retirement