TCH 210 Study Terms

Cohort effect

Effect on development specific to a particular time period.

Control group

Group in an experiment that does not receive special treatment.

Correlation coefficient

Statistic measuring the relationship between two variables.

Cross-sectional research design

Data collected at one point in time from multiple age groups.

Cultural capital

Knowledge and social relationships that benefit within a culture.

Qualitative research

Nonquantitative research characterized by observations and interviews.

Reliability

Consistency of a test or measurement.

Resilience

Positive development despite adversity or risk.

Risk factor

Variable associated with negative child outcomes.

Socioeconomic status (SES)

Categorization based on parental education, income, and occupation.

Theory

Organized group of concepts used to explain human development.

Validity

Extent to which a measurement assesses what it is supposed to measure.

Adverse childhood experience (ACE)

Early toxic experience resulting in prolonged stress.

Cortisol

Hormone generated as a response to stress.

Neurotransmitter

Chemical allowing neurons to communicate across synapses.

Puberty

Physical changes as children move into adulthood.

Sensitive period

Biologically determined time period for specific development.

Synapse

Junction where neurons communicate with each other or other cells.

Behaviorism

Scientific study of observable behavior.

Classical conditioning

Neutral stimulus paired with a stimulus causing an involuntary response.

Cognition

Mental processes like thinking, planning, reasoning, and remembering.

Concrete operational stage

Ability to think logically about concrete objects and experiences.

Conservation

Understanding that properties of objects do not change with appearance.

Constructivist

Belief that knowledge is constructed through social interaction.

Continuous reinforcement

Reinforcement after every correct response.

Direct instruction

Didactic form of instruction based on operant conditioning.

Equilibrium

State of cognitive balance or comfort.

Extinction (classical conditioning)

Conditioned stimulus no longer elicits conditioned response.

Extinction (operant conditioning)

Elimination or decline in response due to stopping reinforcement.

Formal operational stage

Ability to think abstractly and systematically test hypotheses.

Guided participation

Novice learns through expert's scaffolding.

Negative reinforcement

Removal of aversive stimulus increasing probability of response.

Object permanence

Knowledge that objects continue to exist out of view.

Operant conditioning

Voluntary behavior conditioned through consequences.

Positive reinforcement

Presentation of consequence increasing probability of response.

Preoperational stage

Ability to use symbolic thought but unable to think logically.

Punishment

Consequences reducing probability of response.

Scaffolding

More competent person helps child master new skills.

Self-efficacy

Belief in capability to perform a specific task.

Social constructivism

Knowledge constructed through social interaction.

Sociocultural theory

Theory of how children learn based on social interaction and culture.

Zone of proximal development (ZPD)

Distance between what learners can do independently and with assistance.

Attachment

Deep and enduring affectionate bond between people.

Goodness of fit

Degree of match between temperament and environmental demands.

Internal working models (IWMs)

Memories and expectations influencing approach or avoidance of others.

Personality traits

Tendencies to behave, think, and feel in consistent ways.

Personality types

Clusters of traits that tend to occur together.

Resilient

Personality type characterized by high levels of openness and conscientiousness.

Secure attachment

Attachment characterized by security, open communication, and delight.

Self-control

Ability to control behavior, emotions, and attention.

Authoritarian parenting style

High control, low acceptance parenting style.

Authoritative parenting style

High control, acceptance, and autonomy support parenting style.

Classroom management

All aspects of managing the classroom, including discipline.

Delay of gratification

Ability to delay immediate desires for greater rewards later.

Indifferent parenting style

Low control and acceptance parenting style.

Induction

Discipline involving giving reasons for behavior change or rule compliance.

Power assertion

Coercive discipline using adult's greater power or resources.

Psychological control

Coercive discipline inducing guilt or fear of loss of love.

Emotion

Subjective reaction to an important event, involving physiological or behavioral change.

Emotion regulation

Capacity to control intensity and duration of emotions.

Emotional competence

Ability to regulate own emotions and read others' emotions.

Externalizing disorders

Emotional disorders based on anger and aggression.

Internalizing disorders

Emotional disorders based on sadness or anxiety.

Problem-focused coping strategies

Action-oriented strategies to change the situation.

Social emotions

Complex emotions like shame, guilt, and pride.

Social referencing

Reading others' emotions to determine how to respond.

Social cognition

Thought processes applied to the social domain.

Theory of mind (ToM)

Ability to infer mental states in others.

Attachment hierarchy

Vertical organization of primary and secondary attachment figures.

Avoidant attachment

Insecure attachment characterized by anxiety and emotional distancing.

Resistant attachment

Insecure attachment characterized by exaggerated emotions and clinginess.

Strange Situation Procedure (SSP)

Laboratory task testing quality of attachment in young children.

Temperament

Individual differences in reactivity and ability to control it.

Self-control

Ability to control behavior, emotions, and attention.

Delay of gratification

Ability to delay immediate desires for greater rewards later.

Induction

Discipline involving giving reasons for behavior change or rule compliance.

Power assertion

Coercive discipline using adult's greater power or resources.

Psychological control

Coercive discipline inducing guilt or fear of loss of love.

Emotion

Subjective reaction to an important event, involving physiological or behavioral change.

Emotional competence

Ability to regulate own emotions and read others' emotions.

Problem-focused coping strategies

Action-oriented strategies to change the situation.

Social emotions

Complex emotions like shame, guilt, and pride.

Social referencing

Reading others' emotions to determine how to respond.

Social cognition

Thought processes applied to the social domain.

Theory of mind (ToM)

Ability to infer mental states in others.

A-not-B Error

Children observe an object being moved from hiding place A to hiding place B, but they search in hiding place A. Typical of sensorimotor stage.

Accomodation

The process by which children modify existing mental structures or schemes in order to adapt to a new experience, according to Piaget

Animism

Attribution of lifelike qualities, like intention, to nonliving, inanimate objects

Assimiliation

The process by which children incorporate experience into existing mental structures or schemes, according to piaget

Behavior Modification

Operant conditioning used to change human behavior, frequently applied in special ed classrooms.

Conditioning

learning, or creating conditions conducive to learning

Egocentric

the tendency to see the world from your own pov while failing to see others pov

Intermittent reinforcement

Reinforcement occurs after some, but not all, responses

Private Speech

Talking to oneself out loud, or in ones mind to help regulate one’s own behavior or problem solve

Depression

A common internalizing disorder in which feelings of sadness are severe for at least 2 weeks or are milder but chronic

Basic emotions

universal, innate emotions appearing in the first months of life (interest, fear, joy, sadness, disgust, and anger)

Moral Identity

The degree to which being a moral person is central to a person’s self identity

Moral judgement

Reasoning about moral dilemmas that involve justice in a context where rules, laws, formal obligations, and authority are emphasized

Prosocial Reasoning

Reasoning about moral dilemmas in which one person’s needs or desires conflict with another’s, but in context where laws, rules, or formal obligations are minimal

Clique

A tight knit group of about 2 to 10 friends, usually of the same sex and same age