Ap Psych Unit 3

Chronological development

The progression of development over time in a sequential order.

Lifespan development

The study of development from conception to death.

Stability and change

The debate over whether personality traits remain consistent or change over time.

Nature and nurture

The debate over whether genetics or environment has a greater influence on development.

Continuous development

The idea that development is a gradual, cumulative process.

Discontinuous development

The idea that development occurs in distinct stages.

Cross-sectional research

A study that compares people of different ages at the same point in time.

Longitudinal research

A study that follows the same individuals over a long period of time.

Teratogens

Substances that can harm a developing fetus.

Fine motor coordination

The ability to make precise movements with small muscles.

Gross motor coordination

The ability to control large muscles for movement.

Maturation

Biological growth processes that enable orderly changes in behavior.

Reflexes

Automatic responses to stimuli.

Rooting reflex

A baby’s tendency to turn their head toward something that touches their cheek.

Visual cliff

A test to study depth perception in infants.

Critical periods

Specific times during development when certain skills or abilities are most easily learned.

Sensitive periods

Times when an individual is especially responsive to certain experiences.

Imprinting

A form of learning in which young animals form strong attachments to another organism.

Growth spurt

A rapid increase in physical size.

Puberty

The period of sexual maturation.

Primary sex characteristics

Physical features directly involved in reproduction.

Secondary sex characteristics

Physical features not directly involved in reproduction.

Menarche

The first menstrual period in females.

Spermarche

The first ejaculation in males.

Menopause

The end of menstruation and fertility in females.

Mobility

The ability to move independently.

Flexibility

The range of motion in joints.

Reaction time

The time it takes to respond to a stimulus.

Visual-Auditory Acuity

Sharpness of vision and hearing.

Sex/Gender

Sex refers to biological differences, while gender refers to social and cultural roles.

Intersex

Individuals born with atypical combinations of male and female biological traits.

Relational aggression

Harming others through social manipulation or exclusion.

X/Y chromosome

Chromosomes that determine biological sex.

Testosterone/Estrogen

Hormones that influence sexual development and behavior.

Gender identity

A person’s internal sense of being male, female, or another gender.

Gender role

Social expectations about how males and females should behave.

Gender typing

The process of learning gender roles.

Androgyny

Displaying both masculine and feminine traits.

Sexual orientation

A person’s romantic and sexual attraction to others.

Cognition

Mental processes like thinking, knowing, and remembering.

Schemas

Mental frameworks for organizing information.

Assimilation

Incorporating new information into existing schemas.

Accommodation

Adjusting schemas to fit new information.

Sensorimotor stage

Piaget’s stage (birth to 2 years) where infants learn through senses and actions.

Object permanence

Understanding that objects exist even when out of sight.

Preoperational stage

Piaget’s stage (2 to 7 years) marked by symbolic thinking and egocentrism.

Mental symbols

Internal representations of objects or events.

Pretend play

Acting out imaginary scenarios.

Conservation

Understanding that quantity remains the same despite changes in shape.

Reversibility

The ability to mentally reverse actions.

Animism

Attributing lifelike qualities to inanimate objects.

Egocentrism

Difficulty seeing others’ perspectives.

Theory of mind

Understanding that others have their own thoughts and feelings.

Concrete operational stage

Piaget’s stage (7 to 11 years) marked by logical thinking about concrete events.

Systematic thinking

Solving problems methodically.

Formal operational stage

Piaget’s stage (12+ years) marked by abstract and hypothetical thinking.

Abstract thinking

Thinking about concepts and ideas.

Hypothetical thinking

Considering possibilities and 'what if' scenarios.

Scaffolding (Vygotsky)

Providing support to help a child learn, then gradually removing it.

Zone of proximal development

The range of tasks a child can perform with help but not alone.

Crystallized intelligence

Accumulated knowledge and skills.

Fluid intelligence

The ability to solve new problems.

Dementia

A decline in cognitive function due to brain damage or disease.

Phonemes

The smallest units of sound in language.

Morphemes

The smallest units of meaning in language.

Semantics

The meaning of words and sentences.

Grammar

The rules for combining words into sentences.

Syntax

The arrangement of words in sentences.

Non-verbal manual gestures

Communication through hand movements.

Cooing

Early vowel-like sounds made by infants.

Babbling

Repetitive consonant-vowel sounds made by infants.

One-word stage

The stage when children use single words to communicate.

Telegraphic speech

Two-word sentences that convey meaning.

Overgeneralization of language rules

Applying grammar rules too broadly.

Ecological systems theory

Bronfenbrenner’s theory that development is influenced by multiple environmental systems.

Microsystem

The immediate environment, such as family or school.

Mesosystem

Interactions between microsystems.

Exosystem

External environments that indirectly affect development.

Macrosystem

Cultural values and societal norms.

Chronosystem

Changes over time that influence development.

Authoritarian parenting

Strict rules with little warmth.

Authoritative parenting

Balanced rules and warmth.

Permissive parenting

High warmth with few rules.

Secure attachment

A healthy bond between child and caregiver.

Insecure attachment

A less healthy bond, including avoidant, anxious, or disorganized styles.

Avoidant attachment

A child who avoids their caregiver.

Anxious attachment

A child who is overly clingy and anxious.

Disorganized attachment

A child who shows inconsistent behavior.

Temperament

Innate personality traits.

Separation anxiety

Distress when separated from a caregiver.

Contact comfort

The comfort derived from physical touch.

Parallel play

Playing alongside but not with others.

Imaginary audience

The belief that others are constantly watching and judging.

Personal fable

The belief that one’s experiences are unique.

Social clock

Cultural expectations for life milestones.

Emerging adulthood

The period between adolescence and full adulthood.

Stage theory of psychosocial development

Erikson’s theory that development occurs in eight stages, each with a unique crisis.

Trust and mistrust

Infants learn to trust or mistrust their caregivers.

Autonomy and shame and doubt

Toddlers develop independence or self-doubt.

Initiative and guilt

Preschoolers learn to take initiative or feel guilty.