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developmental psychology
branch of psychology that studies the changes from cradle to grave
zygote
a fertilized cell
embryo
14 day-old zygote
fetus
9-week old embryo
teratogens
chemicals or viruses that can enter the placenta and harm a developing fetus
fetal alcohol syndrome
a group of adverse fetal symptoms caused by heavy alcohol use during pregnancy
rooting reflex
reflex that helps baby locate food
habituation
understanding new things as new things/telling the difference between things
maturation
the basic course/sequence of development
schema
mental molds that depict our experiences
assimilation
incorporating new experiences into our current understanding
accommodation
the process of adjusting a schema
cognition
all forms of knowing and awareness
sensorimotor stage
piaget’s first stage; experiencing the world by looking, hearing, touching, mouthing, and grasping; birth → 2 yrs
object permanence
concept that objects that are out of sight are not out of mind
preoperational stage
piaget’s second stage; 2 yrs → 6-7 yrs; representing things with words and images
conservation
awareness that physical quantities do not change in amount when they are altered in appearance
egocentrism
inability to perceive things from another’s point of view
theory of mind
the ability to understand other’s mental state
autism
a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social interactions, verbal and nonverbal communication, and repetitive behavior
concrete operational stage
piaget’s third stage; 7 yrs → 11 yrs; basic math, concrete analogies, and logical thinking skills
formal operational stage
piaget’s fourth stage; 12 yrs onward; mature, moral, and/or abstract reasoning
stranger anxiety
the fear of strangers; develops around 8 months
attachment
emotional bond between an infant and its caregiver
critical period
early stage in life when an organism is especially open to specific experiences that occur only then for normal development
imprinting
form of attachment only occurring in non-human animals
basic trust
child's expectation that their needs will be met by caregivers
self-concept
the sense of one’s identity and personal worth
adolescence
the time between childhood and adulthood
puberty
sexual maturation occurring (typically) in the early teens
primary sex characteristics
internal, reproductive traits (organs & genitalia)
secondary sex characteristics
external, non-reproductive traits (deepening voice, widening hips, etc.)
menarche
a woman’s first period
identity
an individual’s sense of self
intimacy
an interpersonal relationship with extreme emotional closeness
menopause
biological phase for women in their 50’s when their period stops
alzheimer’s disease
neurodegenerative disease that affects mind/memory, as well as the body
cross-sectional study
studies that involve groups of people who do not share one variable but do share another
longitudinal study
studies regarding intelligence relative to aging
crystallized intelligence
accumulated knowledge and skills; does not decline with age
fluid intelligence
the ability to reason in a short amount of time; declines with age
social clock
set of norms governing the ages at which particular life events are expected to happen
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