AP Psych Unit 3 V1 Vocabulary

developmental psychology

A branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive, and social-emotional development throughout the lifespan.

cross-sectional study

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

longitudinal study

Research that follows and retests the same people over time.

teratogens

Agents, such as chemicals and viruses, that can reach the embryo or fetus during prenatal development and cause harm.

fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)

Physical and cognitive function deficits in children caused by their birth mother’s heavy drinking during pregnancy.

habituation

Decreasing responsiveness with repeated stimulation.

maturation

Biological growth processes that enable orderly changes in behavior, relatively uninfluenced by experience.

critical period

An optimal period early in the life of an organism when exposure to certain stimuli or experiences produces normal development.

adolescence

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

puberty

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

menopause

The time of natural cessation of menstruation and the biological changes a woman experiences as her ability to reproduce declines.

sex

Biologically influenced characteristics by which people define male, female, and intersex.

gender

The attitudes, feelings, and behaviors that a culture associates with a person’s biological sex.

intersex

Possessing male and female biological sexual characteristics at birth.

aggression

Any physical or verbal behavior intended to harm someone physically or emotionally.

relational aggression

An act of aggression intended to harm a person’s relationship or social standing.

X chromosome

The sex chromosome found in females and males; females typically have two X chromosomes.

Y chromosome

The sex chromosome typically found only in males; when paired with an X chromosome, it produces a male child.

testosterone

The most important male sex hormone, stimulating the growth of male sex organs during fetal period and development of male characteristics during puberty.

estrogens

Sex hormones that contribute to female sex characteristics.

primary sex characteristics

Body structures that make sexual reproduction possible.

secondary sex characteristics

Nonreproductive sexual traits, such as breasts, hips, male voice quality, and body hair.

spermarche

The first ejaculation.

menarche

The first menstrual period.

role

A set of expectations about a social position, defining how those in the position ought to behave.

gender role

A set of expected behaviors, attitudes, and traits for men and women.

sexual aggression

Any physical or verbal behavior of a sexual nature that is unwanted or intended to harm someone.

gender identity

Our personal sense of being male, female, or a combination of both.

social learning theory

The theory that we learn social behavior by observing and imitating and by being rewarded or punished.

gender typing

The acquisition of a traditional masculine or feminine role.

androgyny

Blending traditionally masculine and traditionally feminine psychological characteristics.

transgender

An umbrella term describing people whose gender identity or expression differs from that associated with their birth-assigned sex.

sexuality

Our thoughts, feelings, and actions related to our physical attraction to another.

asexual

Having no sexual attraction toward others.

social script

A culturally modeled guide for how to act in various situations.

sexual orientation

A person’s sexual and emotional attraction to another person.

cognition

All the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating.

schema

A concept or framework that organizes and interprets information.

assimilation

Interpreting new experiences in terms of existing schemas.

accommodation (in developmental psychology)

Adapting our current schemas to incorporate new information.

sensorimotor stage

In Piaget’s theory, the stage at which infants know the world in terms of sensory impressions and motor activities.

object permanence

The awareness that things continue to exist even when not perceived.

preoperational stage

In Piaget’s theory, the stage at which a child learns to use language but does not yet comprehend concrete logic.

conservation

The principle that properties such as mass, volume, and number remain the same despite changes in form.

egocentrism

The preoperational child’s difficulty taking another’s point of view.

concrete operational stage

In Piaget’s theory, the stage at which children can perform logical mental operations about concrete events.

formal operational stage

In Piaget’s theory, the stage at which people begin to think logically about abstract concepts.

scaffold

A framework that offers children temporary support as they develop higher levels of thinking.

theory of mind

People’s ideas about their own and others’ mental states.

language

Our agreed-upon systems of spoken, written, or signed words that communicate meaning.

phoneme

The smallest distinctive sound unit in a language.

morpheme

The smallest unit that carries meaning in a language.

grammar

A system of rules in a language that enables us to communicate.

universal grammar (UG)

Humans’ innate predisposition to understand principles and rules that govern grammar in all languages.

babbling stage

The stage in speech development during which an infant utters sounds not related to household language.

one-word stage

The stage in speech development during which a child speaks mostly in single words.

two-word stage

The stage in speech development during which a child speaks mostly in two-word sentences.

telegraphic speech

The early speech stage in which a child speaks using mostly nouns and verbs.

aphasia

Impairment of language caused by damage to Broca’s or Wernicke’s area.

Broca’s area

A brain area that helps control language expression.

Wernicke’s area

A brain area involved in language comprehension and expression.

linguistic determinism

Whorf’s hypothesis that language determines the way we think.

linguistic relativism

The idea that language influences the way we think.