ap psych - unit 3

conception

a single sperm cell penetrates the outer coating of the egg —> fuses to form one fertilized cell

prenatal period

the period of pregnancy that begins with conception and ends 9 months later with birth

zygotic/germinal period

implants itself in the uterine wall, where growth occurs through rapid cell division

• about 2 weeks

embryonic stage

organ development begins as cells continue to divide, replicate, and create new growth

• 2 weeks - 2 months

• after a month, the heart begins to breat and the lungs, eyes, palate, and CNS develop

fetal stage

fetus continues to grow and gain weight during the last two months

• 9 weeks - birth

• typical fetus after 38 weeks: 7 lbs, 20 in

teratogens

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

• ex: drugs, AIDS, STDS, rubella

fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)

physical and cognitive abnormalities in children caused by a pregnant woman’s heavy drinking

• severe cases: small, out-of-proportion head, abnormal facial features

phenylketonuria (PKU)

inability to break down protein

tay-sachs disease

inability to break down fat —> causes substances to build up and destroy brain and nerve cells until the nervous system shuts down

down syndrome

occurs when a zygote receives an extra chromosome at the moment of conception —> causes intellectual disability (usually mild-moderate)

rooting reflex

automatic turn of head when cheek is touched

sucking reflex

suck anything that touches lips

startle reflex

flings arms, fangs fingers, arches back in response to sudden noise

babinski reflex

toes fan our when the edge of sole of foot is stroked

maturation

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

• no environmental incentives can draw out behavior before physical maturation

temperament

a person’s characteristic emotional reactivity and intensity

• easy: good-natured, adaptable

• difficult: moody, intense, react to new situations negatively

• slow to warm: inactive, slow, mild response to new things

sensorimotor stage

experiencing the world through senses and actions

• age: birth - 2 years

• developmental phenomena: object permanence, stranger anxiety

object permanence

the understanding that objects and people continue to exist even when they cannot be seen, heard, or touched

stranger anxiety

the fear of strangers that infants commonly display (8 months)

preoperational stage

representing things with words and images but lacking logical reasoning

• age: 2 - 6 years

• developmental phenomena: pretend play, egocentrism, language development

egocentricism

the inability to consider another person’s point of view

concrete operational stage

thinking logically about concrete events, grasping concrete analogies, performing arithmetical operations

• age: 7 - 11 years

• developmental phenomena: conservation, mathematical transformations

conservation

the understanding that two equal quantities remain equal even though their form or appearance is rearranged

formal operational stage

abstract reasoning

• age: 12 years - adulthood

• developmental phenomena: abstract logic, potential for moral reasoning

attachment

an emotional tie with another person

• often between young children & their caregiver

• stress upon separation

imprinting

the process by which certain animals from strong attachment during an early-life critical period

critical period

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

secure attachment

show distress when their caregiver leaves but are able to compose themselves knowing that their caregiver will return

insecurely attached

unable to be comforted when caregiven leaves, is violent or distant upon return

avoidant attachment

formed when caregivers are largely emotionally unavailable or unresponsive

anxious attachment

have a hard time feeling secure in relationships

authoritarian parenting

high demandingness w/ low responsiveness

• demanding children be obedient and proficient

• children rank lower in happiness, social competence, self-esteem

permissive parenting

low demandingness w/ high responsiveness

• children rank low in happiness and self-regulation

• often have problem w/ authority & struggle in school

authoritative parenting

high demandingness w/ high responsiveness

• children are happy, capable, successful

neglecting

low demandingness w/ low responsiveness

• children lack self-control, self-esteem, & social competence

habituation

a decrease in responsiveness w/ repeated stimulation

animistic thinking

believing that inanimate objects have feelings

• preoperational stage

theory of mind

the ability to attribute mental states to oneself and others & understand that others have beliefs, desires, and intentions that differ from one’s own

autism spectrum disorder

characterized by social deficits, communication difficulties, repetitive behaviors, specialized interests, sometimes cognitive delays

zone of proximal development (ZPD)

gap between what a child can do w/o help & what they can do w/ support (scaffolding)

piaget

believed children’s intellectual abilities depend on brain development

vygotsky

believed that children learn according to their own schedule

puberty

the physical beginnings of sexual maturity (earlier for girls than boys)

• children begin to fight w/ parents & hang out w/ friends more

• undeveloped frontal lobe —> unable to delay gratification, control impulses

• low levels of serotonin —> mood swings, aggressive behavior

• high levels of dopamine —> seek out more exciting and dangerous experiences

primary sex characteristics

the organs needed to for reproduction

• females: ovaries

• males: testes, external genitalia

secondary sex characteristics

non-reproductive traits

• females: enlargement of the hips & breasts

• males: facial hair, deepening voice

• both: development of pubic and underarm hair

adolescent egocentricism

belief that their experiences are unique & that parents could not possibly understand what they are going through

personal fables

stories created by teens about their lives that are idealized & make them feel invincible

imaginary audience

being the center of attention of a group that listens to their ideas and beliefs

identity diffusion

no exploration, no commitment

• no sense of having choices

• has not made a commitment

identity foreclosure

no exploration, but commitment

• willing to commit to some relevant roles, values, or goals for the future

• conform to the expectations of others regarding their future

• no identity crisis

identity moratorium

exploration, no commitment

• in crisis

identity achievement/formation

completed exploration, commitment

• completed identity crisis & committed to identity/value

menopause

the natural time when a woman’s menstrual cycles end

fluid intelligence

ability to solve problems, see relationships, think abstractly

• declines after middle age

crystallized intelligence

accumulated intelligence over time; ability to use skills, knowledge, experiences

• increases w/ age

dementia

thinking, memory, behavior begin to deterioate

alzheimer’s disease

degenerative disease in which memory loss is progressive

• plaque accumulates in nervous system tissue

morality

accepted moral standards of conduct that are generally accepted as right or proper

sex

either of the two categories into which most organisms are divided

gender

typed is what you learn or do in order to be masculine or feminine

gender roles

expectations about the way men and women behave

• vary across cultures & time

gender identity

sense of being male, female, or non-binary

gender-typed

acquisition of masculine or feminine role

infancy (erikson)

trust vs mistrust

• to 1 year

toddlerhood (erikson)

autonomy vs shame & doubt

• 1 to 2 years

preschooler (erikson)

initiative vs guilt

• 3 to 5 years

elementary school (erikson)

competence vs inferiority

• 6 years to puberty

adolescence (erikson)

identity vs role confusion

• teen years into 20s

young adulthood (erikson)

intimacy vs isolation

• 20s to early 40s

middle adulthood (erikson)

generativity vs stagnation

• 40s to 60s

late adulthood (erikson)

integrity vs despair

• late 60s and up