Unit 3: Development and Learning

Vocabulary flashcards designed to help students understand and remember key concepts in Development and Learning for AP Psychology.

Developmental Psychology

The branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive, and social changes throughout the lifespan.

Chronological Order

The sequence in which developmental milestones occur over time.

Developmental Psychology

The branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive, and social changes throughout the lifespan.

Chronological Order

The sequence in which developmental milestones occur over time.

Thematic Issues in Development

Key topics of interest in developmental psychology, including stability and change, nature and nurture, and stages of development.

Cross-Sectional Research

A research design that compares individuals of different ages to understand developmental changes.

Longitudinal Research

A research design that studies the same group of individuals over an extended period to observe changes in development.

Teratogens

Environmental agents that can cause deviations in normal prenatal development.

Fine Motor Coordination

The refined use of small muscles for tasks such as writing and grasping.

Gross Motor Coordination

The larger movements that involve using the arms, legs, and entire body.

Visual Cliff Apparatus

An experimental tool used to assess depth perception in infants.

Critical Periods

Specific times in development when certain skills or abilities are most easily acquired.

Adolescent Growth Spurt

A rapid increase in height and weight that occurs during puberty.

Puberty

The period of sexual maturation when individuals become capable of reproduction.

Menarche

The first occurrence of menstruation in females.

Spermarche

The first ejaculation of seminal fluid in males.

Ecological Systems Theory

A theory that emphasizes the different systems that influence human development, from immediate social environments to broader cultural contexts.

Authoritarian Parenting

A parenting style characterized by high demands and low responsiveness.

Authoritative Parenting

A parenting style that is both demanding and responsive, promoting independence while setting limits.

Permissive Parenting

A parenting style characterized by low demands and high responsiveness.

Attachment Styles

Different patterns of attachment in infants and children, including secure and insecure types.

Separation Anxiety

A developmental milestone in which infants show distress when separated from caregivers.

Imaginary Audience

A cognitive distortion in adolescence where they believe others are focused on them.

Personal Fable

A belief held by adolescents that they are unique and cannot be understood by others.

Identity Development

The process through which individuals form their personal identity, including aspects such as racial/ethnic identity and gender identity.

Operant Conditioning

A learning process through which behavior is modified by consequences such as reinforcement and punishment.

Law of Effect

The principle that behaviors followed by favorable consequences are more likely to be repeated.

Reinforcement

Any consequence that increases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated.

Punishment

Any consequence that decreases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated.

Positive Reinforcement

Adding a favorable outcome to increase the likelihood of a behavior.

Negative Reinforcement

Removing an unfavorable outcome to increase the likelihood of a behavior.

Fixed-Ratio Schedule

A reinforcement schedule that delivers rewards after a specific number of responses.

Variable-Ratio Schedule

A reinforcement schedule that delivers rewards after an unpredictable number of responses.

Continuous Reinforcement

Reinforcing a behavior every time it occurs.

Partial Reinforcement

Reinforcing a behavior only some of the time.

Insight Learning

A form of problem solving that involves a sudden realization of a solution.

Vicarious Conditioning

Learning that occurs by observing the consequences of another person's behavior.

Cognitive Maps

Mental representations of physical locations.

Biological Preparedness

The idea that organisms are predisposed to learn certain associations more readily than others.

Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

A previously neutral stimulus that, after conditioning, elicits a conditioned response (CR).

Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)

A stimulus that naturally and automatically triggers a response.

Conditioned Response (CR)

The learned response to a previously neutral stimulus.

Unconditioned Response (UCR)

The unlearned, naturally occurring response to an unconditioned stimulus.

Extinction

The gradual weakening of a conditioned response when the conditioned stimulus is no longer paired with the unconditioned stimulus.

Spontaneous Recovery

The re-emergence of a conditioned response after a period of rest.

Stimulus Discrimination

The ability to distinguish between different stimuli.

Stimulus Generalization

The tendency to respond similarly to stimuli that resemble the conditioned stimulus.

Overgeneralization of Language Rules

When language learners apply regular grammatical rules to irregular words.

Pragmatics

The rules of language use in social contexts (not included in the exam).

Reflexes

Innate, automatic responses to stimuli, crucial for early development.

Cognitive Development

The emergence of the ability to think and understand, as articulated by theorists like Piaget.

Schemas

Mental frameworks that help organize and interpret information.

Assimilation

Incorporating new experiences into existing schemas.

Accommodation

Modifying existing schemas to fit new experiences.

Egocentrism

The inability to see a situation from another person's perspective, common in the preoperational stage.

Conservation

The understanding that quantity remains the same despite changes in shape or arrangement.

Piaget's Stages of Cognitive Development

Four developmental stages proposed by Piaget: sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, formal operational.

Significant Life Events

Major milestones in an individual's development that can affect their social and psychological growth.

Social Clock

Cultural expectations for when major life events should occur.

Microsystem

The immediate environment in which an individual interacts, such as family, school, and peers.

Mesosystem

The interconnections between different microsystems, like the relationship between family and school.

Exosystem

The external environmental settings that indirectly influence the individual, such as parents' workplace.

Chronosystem

The dimension of time, reflecting the environmental events and transitions that occur over the life course.

Trust vs. Mistrust

In infancy (0-1 year), the challenge is to develop trust in caregivers and the environment.

Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt

In early childhood (1-3 years), the challenge is to develop a sense of personal control and autonomy.

Initiative vs. Guilt

In preschool years (3-6 years), the challenge is to assert power and control through directing play and other social interactions.

Industry vs. Inferiority

In school age (6-12 years), the challenge is to cope with new social and academic demands, leading to a sense of competence.

Identity vs. Role Confusion

During adolescence (12-18 years), the challenge is to develop a personal identity and sense of self.

Intimacy vs. Isolation

In young adulthood (18-40 years), the challenge is to form close, loving relationships with other people.

Generativity vs. Stagnation

In middle adulthood (40-65 years), the challenge is to create or nurture things that will outlast oneself, contributing to society.

Integrity vs. Despair

In late adulthood (65+ years), the challenge is to reflect on life and feel a sense of fulfillment or regret.