PSYC 233 Human Growth and Development - Exam 1 Chapter - Study Guide

Vocabulary practice flashcards generated for Exam 1 study guide concepts across Chapters 1 to 5 in PSYC 233 Human Growth and Development.

Continuity vs Discontinuity

A central debate in developmental psychology concerning whether human growth and development occurs as a gradual, continuous process or through distinct, qualitative stages.

Psychodynamic Theory

A theory of human development holding that unconscious drives and motives, often originating in early childhood, significantly influence behavior.

The Mozart Effect

The popular idea that listening to classical music, specifically Mozart, can temporarily enhance spatial reasoning or cognitive capability in infants and children.

Nature vs Nurture

The debate regarding the relative contributions of genetic endowment (nature) versus environmental conditions (nurture) in shaping human traits and behavior.

Difference-equals-Deficit Error

The mistaken belief that a human trait or behavior differing from the cultural norm is inherently deficient or inferior.

Correlation

A statistical index showing the degree to which two variables vary together, which does not demonstrate a cause-and-effect relationship.

Social Construction

An idea or concept created and accepted by society or culture, rather than being grounded in objective biological reality.

Longitudinal Research

A research design in which the same group of individuals is followed and repeatedly observed over an extended period.

Critical Period

A specific developmental timeframe during which a particular biological event or environmental influence must occur for normal development to proceed.

Chronosystem

In ecological systems theory, the temporal dimension incorporating sociohistorical conditions and time-based shifts across an individual's lifetime.

Apgar Score

A quick assessment of a newborn's health performed at 1 and 5 minutes after birth, evaluating heart rate, breathing, muscle tone, color, and reflexes.

Monozygotic Twins

Identical twins who originate from a single zygote that splits apart early in development, sharing 100% of their genetic material.

Postpartum Depression

A new mother's feelings of inadequacy and sadness in the days and weeks after giving birth, which can interfere with caregiving.

Kangaroo Care

A form of newborn care in which a caregiver holds the infant skin-to-skin against their bare chest to promote health and bonding.

Transgender

A term describing individuals whose gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth.

Fontanels

Soft spots on a newborn's skull where the bones have not yet fused, allowing the head to compress during birth and accommodating brain growth.

The Age of Viability

The age (about 22 to 24 weeks after conception) at which a fetus may survive outside the mother's uterus if specialized medical care is available.

Teratogen

Any agent or condition, such as a virus, drug, or chemical pollutant, that can impair prenatal development and cause structural or functional birth defects.

Cephalocaudal & Proximodistal Development

Patterns of physical growth where development proceeds from head-to-tail (cephalocaudal) and from the center of the body outward (proximodistal).

Epigenetics

The study of how environmental factors affect gene expression without changing the underlying DNA sequence.

Temporal Lobe

An area of the cerebral cortex involved in processing auditory information, language comprehension, and memory processing.

Secondary Circular Reactions

In Piaget's theory, the stage of sensorimotor development where infants extend their interactions beyond themselves to manipulate external objects and engage with other people.

Amygdala

A limbic system structure in the brain responsible for processing emotions, particularly fear, anxiety, and social awareness.

Breast Milk Immunity

The mechanism by which breastfed infants receive essential antibodies, protective proteins, and healthy bacteria from the mother, significantly lowering their risk of infectious diseases.

Naming Explosion

A sudden, rapid increase in an infant's vocabulary, particularly nouns, that typically begins around 18 months of age.

Pruning

The brain development process in which unused neural connections and synapses atrophy and die, optimizing overall brain functioning.

Sensorimotor Development

Piaget's first stage of cognitive development, spanning birth to age two, in which infants construct knowledge about the world solely through sensory experiences and motor actions.

Shaken Baby Syndrome

A severe form of physical abuse resulting from forcefully shaking an infant or toddler, leading to ruptured blood vessels in the brain and torn neural connections.

Babbling

An infant's repetition of consonant and vowel syllable combinations (such as ba-ba or da-da) that begins between 6 and 9 months of age as a precursor to language.

Motor Skills

Learned physical abilities to execute coordinated bodily movements, categorized into gross motor skills (large body movements) and fine motor skills (small, precise movements).