Unit 3 - Developmental Psychology

Developmental Psychology

The branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive, and social change throughout the lifespan.

Nature vs. Nurture

The debate about how genetic inheritance (nature) interacts with experiences (nurture) to influence development.

Longitudinal Studies

Research that follows and retests the same people over time.

Cross-Sectional Studies

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

Prenatal Development

Developing human's growth from conception until birth.

Zygote

A fertilized egg that enters a 2-week period of rapid cell division.

Embryo

The developing human organism from about 2 weeks to 2 months.

Fetus

The developing human organism from around nine weeks after conception until birth.

Threshold of Viability

The point at which a fetus has developed enough to potentially survive if born prematurely, typically around 22-23 weeks.

Teratogens

Agents that can reach the embryo or fetus and cause potential harm.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Physical and cognitive abnormalities in children caused by excessive drinking during pregnancy.

Miscarriage

The spontaneous loss of a pregnancy before the 20th week.

Infertility

The inability to conceive after one year of unprotected intercourse.

Habituation

Decreasing responsiveness with repeated stimulation.

Maturation

The biological growth processes that enable orderly changes in behavior.

Critical Periods

Optimal periods during development when certain skills or characteristics are believed to be most readily acquired.

Neuropathways

Connections in the brain that are created at a rapid rate after birth.

Adolescence

The transition period from childhood to adulthood, extending from puberty to independence.

Puberty

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

Selective Pruning

The process by which unused neural connections are lost to make other pathways more efficient.

Frontal Cortex

The part of the brain responsible for planning, reasoning, and personality, which develops until about age 25.

Menopause

The natural cessation of menstruation around age 50 in women.

Longevity-Supporting Genes

Genes that can contribute to longer and healthier lives.

Life Expectancy

The average period a person is expected to live, currently about 79 years.

Sex vs. Gender

Sex refers to biological status, while gender refers to socially influenced characteristics.

Intersex

Individuals born with unusual combinations of male and female chromosomes, hormones, and anatomy.

Menarche

The first menstrual period, typically occurring around age 12½ in girls.

Spermarche

The first ejaculation in boys, typically occurring around age 14.

Primary Sex Characteristics

The body structures that make reproduction possible, such as ovaries and testes.

Secondary Sex Characteristics

Non-reproductive sexual traits that develop during puberty.

Gender Identity

A person's sense of being male, female, or some combination of the two.

Androgyny

Displaying both traditional masculine and feminine characteristics.

Sexual Orientation

A person's enduring sexual attraction toward members of the same or opposite sex.

Alfred Kinsey

A researcher who studied human sexuality and concluded it is a spectrum.

Aphasia

Language impairment that can occur if specific areas of the brain are damaged.

Broca's Aphasia

Difficulty with speech production, but comprehension remains intact.

Wernicke's Aphasia

Difficulty with language comprehension, leading to nonsensical speech.

Linguistic Determinism

The theory that language influences thought and perception of the world.

Attachment

An emotional tie with another person, shown by seeking closeness and distress on separation.

Imprinting

A process where certain animals form strong attachments during early life.

Secure Attachment

A type of attachment where children explore comfortably and seek contact when distressed.

Insecure Attachment

Attachment marked by anxiety or avoidance of trusting relationships.

Diana Baumrind's Parenting Styles

Authoritarian, permissive, negligent, and authoritative styles parents use in raising children.

Erik Erikson's Stages of Psychosocial Development

Eight stages, each with a specific psychosocial crisis that needs resolution.

Emerging Adulthood

A period from about age 18 to mid-20s when individuals are no longer adolescents but not yet fully independent.

Learning

The process of acquiring new and relatively enduring information or behaviors.

Classical Conditioning

A type of learning in which we link two or more stimuli and anticipate events.

Operant Conditioning

A type of learning where behavior is influenced by consequences.

Reinforcement

Any event that strengthens the behavior that follows it.

Positive Reinforcement

Increasing behaviors by presenting rewarding stimuli.

Negative Reinforcement

Increasing behaviors by stopping or reducing aversive stimuli.

Shaping Behavior

The process in which reinforcers guide behavior toward a desired goal.

Latent Learning

Learning that occurs but is not apparent until there is an incentive to demonstrate it.

Observational Learning

Acquisition of knowledge by watching others.

Modeling

The process of observing and imitating a specific behavior.

Mirror Neurons

Neurons that fire when observing an action or attempting to perform it.

Prosocial Behavior

Positive, helpful behavior that may be learned through observation.

Antisocial Behavior

Negative behavior that may also be learned through observation.