chap 1 + 2 and it works

banana 2.0

age-graded influences

biological and environmental events that are strongly related to age and therefore fairly predictable in when they occur and how long they last

allele

two or more alternative forms of a gene that occupy the same position on a chromosome

applied behavior analysis

a method based on behaviorism that uses conditioning principles to improve specific behaviors

autosomes

the 22 pairs of chromosomes that are not sex chromosomes

behavioral genetics

the scientific study of how genetics and environment influence differences in behavior

behaviorism

a theory that human behavior can be explained in terms of conditioning without appeal to thoughts or feelings

carrier

an individual who has one recessive allele for a trait but does not express it

chromosomes

rodlike structures that store and transmit genetic information

chronosystem

in Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory

clinical interview

a flexible

clinical

or case study

cognitive-developmental theory

Piaget’s theory that children actively construct knowledge as they manipulate and explore their world

cohort effects

differences among individuals that are due to being born in a particular historical period

contexts

unique combinations of personal and environmental circumstances that can result in different developmental paths

continuous development

a view that development is a gradual

coparenting

the coordination and cooperation between two or more adults in raising a child

correlation coefficient

a number that describes the strength and direction of a relationship between two variables

correlational design

a research design that examines relationships between variables without manipulating them

cross-sectional design

a research design in which people of different ages are studied at the same time

deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)

the chemical substance that makes up chromosomes and carries genetic information

dependent variable

the outcome that is measured in an experiment

developmental cognitive neuroscience

the study of the relationship between changes in the brain and the development of cognition

developmental science

an interdisciplinary field of study devoted to understanding human development across the lifespan

developmental social neuroscience

the study of brain bases of social behavior and how they change over development

discontinuous development

a view that development takes place in stages

dominant–recessive inheritance

a pattern in which one allele (dominant) masks the expression of another (recessive)

ecological systems theory

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

epigenesis

the process by which the environment alters gene expression without changing DNA sequence

ethnography

a descriptive

ethology

the study of the evolutionary roots of behavior and its adaptive value

evolutionary developmental psychology

a field that studies how evolutionary principles influence human development across the lifespan

exosystem

settings that do not contain the developing person but still affect them indirectly (e.g.

experimental design

a research design in which variables are manipulated to establish cause-and-effect relationships

extended-family household

a household where parents and children live with other relatives

fraternal

or dizygotic

gametes

sex cells (sperm and eggs) that contain half the number of chromosomes

gene

a segment of DNA that codes for proteins and influences traits

gene–environment correlation

the concept that genes influence the environments individuals are exposed to

gene–environment interaction

the idea that the same environment affects individuals differently depending on their genetic makeup

genetic counseling

a service that helps prospective parents assess the likelihood of giving birth to a child with a genetic disorder

genomic imprinting

a genetic phenomenon where the expression of a gene depends on whether it is inherited from the mother or father

genotype

the genetic makeup of an individual

heritability estimate

a statistic that indicates the proportion of variation in a trait that can be attributed to genes

heterozygous

having two different alleles for a particular gene

homozygous

having two identical alleles for a particular gene

history-graded influences

forces unique to a particular historical era that shape the development of people living in that time

identical

or monozygotic

incomplete dominance

a genetic situation where both alleles influence the trait

independent variable

the variable in an experiment that is manipulated to observe its effect on the dependent variable

information processing

a perspective that compares the human mind to a computer in terms of input

kinship studies

research comparing family members of varying degrees of genetic closeness to estimate genetic influences on traits

lifespan perspective

a view that development is lifelong

longitudinal design

a research design that studies the same group of participants repeatedly at different ages

macrosystem

in ecological systems theory

meiosis

the process of cell division that creates gametes with half the number of chromosomes

mesosystem

the connections between microsystems (e.g.

methylation

a biochemical process that reduces or silences gene expression

microsystem

the immediate environments in which a person directly participates (e.g.

mutation

a sudden

naturalistic observation

a research method in which behavior is observed in its natural setting without interference

nature–nurture controversy

the debate over the relative contributions of genetics (nature) and environment (nurture) to development

niche-picking

the tendency to actively choose environments that complement one’s genetic tendencies

nonnormative influences

life events that are irregular and do not follow a predictable timetable

normative approach

a method that measures behavior in large numbers of individuals to establish age-related averages

phenotype

an individual’s observable traits

plasticity

the capacity for change in response to influential experiences

polygenic inheritance

inheritance in which many genes influence a single trait

prenatal diagnostic methods

medical procedures that detect developmental problems before birth

protein-coding genes

genes that directly affect the body’s characteristics by producing proteins

psychoanalytic perspective

a perspective emphasizing unconscious motives and conflicts as central to human development

psychosexual theory

Freud’s theory that personality develops through stages focused on managing sexual and aggressive drives

psychosocial theory

Erikson’s theory that emphasizes social and cultural influences on development across eight stages of life

public policies

laws and government programs designed to improve current conditions

random assignment

an experimental technique in which participants are assigned to groups by chance to reduce bias

regulator genes

genes that control the activity of other genes

resilience

the ability to adapt effectively in the face of threats to development

sensitive period

a time during development when an individual is especially responsive to certain experiences

sequential designs

research designs that combine cross-sectional and longitudinal methods to study participants over time

sex chromosomes

the chromosomes that determine an individual’s sex (X and Y)

social learning theory

Bandura’s theory that behavior is learned through observation

sociocultural theory

Vygotsky’s theory that cognitive development is shaped by social interactions and cultural tools

socioeconomic status (SES)

a measure of a family’s social position and economic well-being

stage

a qualitatively distinct period of development characterized by a particular set of abilities or behaviors

structured interview

a method in which the researcher asks all participants the same set of questions in the same way

structured observation

a research method in which a situation is set up to evoke behaviors of interest so they can be observed

subculture

a group of people with beliefs and customs that differ from the larger culture

theory

an orderly

X-linked inheritance

a pattern of inheritance in which harmful alleles are carried on the X chromosome

zygote

the single cell formed by the union of sperm and egg at conception