Unit 3 development Vocab Psychology (midterm and Unit 3)

Longitudinal study

Studies a person or group of people over an extended period of time.

Cross-sectional study

Compares individuals of various ages at one point in time.

Zygote

The fertilized egg; the zygote stage lasts 2 weeks with rapid cell division.

Embryo

The developing human organism from 2 to 8 weeks; organs begin to form.

Fetus

The developing human organism from 9 weeks after conception to birth.

Teratogens

Toxic substances that can harm the embryo or fetus if ingested or contracted by the mother.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)

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

Habituation

A decrease in responsiveness with repeated stimulation.

Schema

A concept or framework that organizes and interprets information.

Assimilation

The process of absorbing new information into an existing schema.

Accommodation

The process of adjusting old schemas or developing new ones to incorporate new information.

Object permanence

The understanding that objects and people continue to exist even when they cannot be seen.

Conservation

The understanding that two equal quantities remain equal even when their form is rearranged.

Attachment

Emotional tie with others; shown in young children by their seeking closeness to caregivers.

Secure attachment

Infants comfortably explore environments when caregiver is present, with temporary distress when the caregiver leaves.

Insecure attachment

Clinging, anxious attachment or avoidant attachment that resists closeness.

Authoritarian parenting style

Impose rules and expect obedience (e.g., 'My way or the highway').

Permissive parenting style

Make few demands; set few limits; use little punishment.

Neglectful parenting style

Neither demanding nor responsive; careless and inattentive.

Authoritative parenting style

Demanding and responsive; encourage open discussion about rules.

Self-concept

All our thoughts and feelings about ourselves, answering 'Who am I?'

Identity

Our sense of self; in adolescence, the task is to solidify a sense of self by testing various roles.

Social identity

The 'we' aspect of our self-concept from group membership.

Trust vs. mistrust

If needs are dependably met in infancy, a sense of basic trust develops.

Autonomy vs. shame & doubt

In toddlerhood, children learn to exercise their will or doubt their abilities.

Initiative vs. guilt

Preschoolers learn to initiate tasks or feel guilt about their independence.

Industry vs. inferiority

Children learn the pleasure of applying themselves or feel inferior.

Identity vs. role confusion

Teens work to refine a sense of self or become confused about who they are.

Intimacy vs. isolation

Young adults learn to form close relationships or feel socially isolated.

Generativity vs. stagnation

Middle-aged people find contribution to the world or feel a lack of purpose.

Integrity vs. despair

In late adulthood, reflecting on life may lead to satisfaction or failure.

Emerging adulthood

Period from age 18 to mid-20s when individuals are no longer adolescents but not fully independent.

Sex

Biologically influenced characteristics defining male, female, and intersex.

Gender

Socially and culturally constructed roles and attributes considered appropriate for different sexes.

Intersex

Possessing male and female biological characteristics at birth.

Puberty

Two-year period of rapid sexual maturation.

Gender role

Set of expected behaviors, attitudes, and traits for men and women.

Gender identity

A person's inherent sense of being a man, woman, or a combination.

Language acquisition device (LAD)

Proposed by Noam Chomsky, allowing us to learn any human language.

Phonemes

Smallest distinctive unit of sound in a language.

Morphemes

Smallest unit in a language that carries meaning.

Grammar

System of rules enabling communication and understanding.

Babbling stage

Beginning around 4 months, during which infants spontaneously utter various sounds.

One-word stage

Speech development stage from about age 1 to 2, where children speak mostly in single words.

Two-word stage

Speech development stage beginning about age 2, speaking mostly in two-word sentences.

Critical periods

Window in which language must be acquired to develop normally.

Associative learning

Learning that certain events occur together.

Classical conditioning

An organism associates different stimuli and responds automatically.

Operant conditioning

An organism associates its behavior with its consequences.

Positive reinforcement

Adding something to reinforce a behavior.

Negative reinforcement

Taking away something to reinforce a behavior.

Modeling

Observational learning where behavior is observed and copied.

Pro-social behavior

Behavior that is viewed as good, constructive, or helpful.

Anti-social behavior

Behavior viewed as bad, destructive, or unhelpful.