Psychology Vocab Unit 3

Developmental Psychologists

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

Cross-Sectional Studies

research that compares people of different ages at the same point in time

Longitudinal Studies

research that follows and retests the same people over time

Chromosomes

threadlike structures made of DNA molecules that contain the genes

DNA

a molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes

Genes

the biochemical units of heredity that make up the chromosomes; segments of DNA

Heredity

the genetic transfer of characteristics from parents to offspring

Genome

the complete instructions for making an organism, consisting of all the genetic material in that organism’s chromosomes

Environment

every external influence, from prenatal nutrition to social support in later life

Interact

the interplay that occurs when the effect of one factor (such as environment) depends on another factor (such as heredity)

Epigenetics

the study of the molecular ways by which environments can influence gene expression (without a DNA change)

Zygotes

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

Embryo

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

Fetus

the developing human organism from 9 weeks after conception to birth

Teratogens

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

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

physical anomalies and cognitive function deficits in children caused by heavy prenatal alcohol exposure. In severe cases, symptoms include a small, out-of-proportion head and distinct facial features

Reflex

a simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus, such as the knee-jerk response

Temperament

a person’s characteristic emotional reactivity and intensity

Identical Twins

individuals who developed from a single fertilized egg that split in two, creating two genetically identical siblings

Fraternal Twins

individuals who developed from separate fertilized eggs. They are genetically no closer than ordinary siblings, but shared a prenatal environment

Maturation

biological growth processes leading to orderly changes in behavior, mostly independent of experience.

Critical Period

a period early in life when exposure to certain stimuli or experiences is needed for typical development.

Cognition

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

Schemas

a concept or framework that organizes and interprets information.

Assimilate

interpreting our new experiences in terms of our existing schemas.

Accommodate

adapting our current schemas to incorporate new information.

Sensorimotor Stage

in Piaget’s theory, the stage (from birth to nearly 2 years of age) at which infants know the world mostly in terms of their sensory impressions and motor activities.

Object Permanence

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

Preoperational Stage

in Piaget’s theory, the stage (from about 2 to 6 or 7 years of age) in which a child learns to use language but cannot yet perform the mental operations of concrete logic.

Egocentric

in Piaget’s theory, the preoperational child’s difficulty taking another’s point of view.

Concrete Operational Stage

in Piaget’s theory, the stage of cognitive development (from about 7 to 11 years of age) at which children gain the mental operations that enable them to think logically about concrete events.

Conservation

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.

Formal Operational Thinking

in Piaget’s theory, the stage of cognitive development (usually beginning about age 12) at which people begin to think logically about abstract concepts.

Scaffold

in Vygotsky’s theory, a framework that offers children temporary support as they develop higher levels of thinking.

Theory Of Mind

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

Stranger Anxiety

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

Attachment

an emotional tie with others; shown in young children by their seeking closeness to caregivers and showing distress on separation.

Basic Trust

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.

Adolescence

the transition period from childhood to young adulthood, extending from puberty to independence.

Puberty

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

Identity

our sense of self; according to Erikson, the adolescent’s task is to solidify a sense of self by testing and blending various roles.

Social Identity

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

Intimacy

in Erikson’s theory, the ability to form close, loving relationships; a primary developmental task in early adulthood.

Emerging Adulthood

a period from about age 18 to the mid-twenties, when many in Western cultures are no longer adolescents but have not yet achieved full independence as adults.

Menopause

the end of menstruation. In everyday use, it can also mean the biological transition a woman experiences from before until after the end of menstruation.

Social Clock

the culturally preferred timing of life transitions such as marriage, parenthood, and retirement.