AP Psych Unit 3A Vocab

Developmental Psychology

the study of physical, cognitive, and social change across the lifespan

Stability and Change

the debate over which traits remain the same and which develop or shift over time

Nature vs Nurture

the debate over the influence of genetics versus environment on development

Continuous and Discontinuous Stages of Development

whether development is gradual or progresses in distinct stages

Cross-Sectional Research

research comparing different age groups at one point in time

Longitudinal Research

research following the same individuals across many years

Teratogens

harmful agents that can damage an embryo or fetus

Maternal Illnesses

diseases in the mother that can negatively impact prenatal development

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

physical and cognitive abnormalities caused by heavy maternal drinking

Genetic Mutations

random errors in gene replication that affect development

Rooting

an infant’s reflex to turn toward a touch on the cheek and search for food

Visual Cliff

a lab device used to test depth perception in infants

Critical Periods

specific developmental windows when certain abilities must form

Imprinting

a rapid form of early attachment seen in some animals

Habituation

decreasing responsiveness to repeated stimulation

Maturation

orderly sequence of biological growth processes

Adolescence

the transition period between childhood and adulthood

Puberty

the period of sexual maturation enabling reproduction

Primary Sex Characteristics

reproductive organs and external genitalia

Secondary Sex Characteristics

nonreproductive sexual traits like breasts or facial hair

Menarche

the first menstrual period

Spermarche

the first ejaculation

Menopause

the natural end of menstruation and reproductive ability in women

Sex

biological classification based on anatomy and chromosomes

Gender

socially influenced characteristics associated with being male or female

Sexual Orientation

one’s romantic or sexual attraction to others

Role

a set of expected behaviors for a social position

Gender Role

societal expectations for male or female behavior

Gender Identity

a person’s internal sense of gender

Social Learning Theory

the idea that gender behavior is learned through imitation and reinforcement

Gender Typing

acquiring traditional masculine or feminine roles

Androgyny

possessing both masculine and feminine psychological traits

Social Script

culturally learned guidelines for social behavior

Cognition

mental processes involved in thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating

Jean Piaget

psychologist who proposed the stage theory of cognitive development

Schema

a mental framework that organizes information

Assimilation

interpreting new information through existing schemas

Accommodation

altering schemas to incorporate new information

Sensorimotor Stage

Piaget’s stage (0–2) when infants know the world through senses and actions

Object Permanence

awareness that objects continue to exist when not perceived

Preoperational Stage

Piaget’s stage (2–7) marked by symbolic thinking but lacking logical reasoning

Conservation

understanding that quantity remains the same despite changes in shape

Reversibility

ability to mentally reverse actions

Egocentrism

difficulty taking another’s point of view

Theory of Mind

understanding others’ thoughts, feelings, and intentions

Concrete Operational Stage

Piaget’s stage (7–11) when children gain logical reasoning for concrete events

Formal Operational Stage

Piaget’s stage (12+) when abstract and hypothetical reasoning develops

Lev Vygotsky

theorist emphasizing social interaction in cognitive development

Scaffold

temporary support helping children reach higher levels of thinking

Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)

tasks a child can do with help but not alone

Crystallized Intelligence

accumulated knowledge that increases with age

Fluid Intelligence

quick, abstract reasoning that declines with age

Dementia

cognitive decline involving memory loss and impaired reasoning

Language

a system of symbols and rules used for communication

Phonemes

the smallest units of sound in a language

Morphemes

the smallest units of meaning in language

Semantics

rules for deriving meaning from words

Grammar

rules enabling communication and understanding

Syntax

rules for combining words into sentences

Universal Grammar

Chomsky’s theory that humans are born with innate language rules

Cooing

early vowel-like sounds produced by infants

Babbling

stage where infants produce consonant-vowel combinations

One-Word Stage

period when children speak single words

Two-Word Stage

period when children produce two-word sentences

Telegraphic Speech

early speech with mostly nouns and verbs

Overgeneralization

applying grammar rules too broadly (e.g., “goed”)

Aphasia

language impairment caused by brain damage

Broca’s Area

area responsible for speech production

Wernicke’s Area

area responsible for language comprehension

Linguistic Determinism

strong idea that language determines thought

Linguistic Relativity

idea that language influences, but does not determine, thought

Ecological Systems Theory

Bronfenbrenner’s model of environmental influences on development

Microsystem

immediate environments like family and school

Mesosystem

interactions among microsystems

Exosystem

environments that indirectly influence development

Macrosystem

cultural values, laws, and traditions affecting development

Chronosystem

the role of time and life transitions in development

Attachment

an emotional bond between an infant and caregiver

Authoritarian Parenting

strict parenting focusing on obedience and control

Authoritative Parenting

parenting combining warmth with reasonable rules

Permissive Parenting

indulgent parenting with few demands

Neglectful Parenting

uninvolved and unresponsive parenting style

Secure Attachment

attachment marked by trust and comfort with a caregiver

Insecure Attachment

attachment marked by anxiety or avoidance

Avoidant Attachment

attachment style involving avoidance of caregiver

Anxious Attachment

attachment marked by clinginess and fear of abandonment

Disorganized Attachment

inconsistent or confused attachment behavior

Strange Situation

Ainsworth’s procedure to assess attachment styles

Separation Anxiety

distress when separated from caregivers

Stranger Anxiety

fear of unfamiliar people around 8 months old

Basic Trust

belief that the world is predictable and reliable

Temperament

characteristic emotional reactivity and intensity

Self-Concept

one’s understanding of who they are

Parallel Play

children play side-by-side without interacting

Pretend Play

imaginative play involving symbolic actions or roles

Adolescence

developmental stage bridging childhood and adulthood

Imaginary Audience

belief that others are constantly watching and judging you

Personal Fable

belief in one’s uniqueness and invulnerability

Social Clock

culturally preferred timing of life events

Emerging Adulthood

transitional period from late teens to mid-20s