Unit 9 - Developmental Psychology

zygote

the fertilized egg; it enters a 2-week period of rapid cell division and develops into an embryo

embryo

the developing human organism from about 2 weeks after fertilization through the second month

fetus

the developing human organism from 9 weeks after conception to birth

teratogens

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

habituation

decreasing responsiveness with repeated stimulation. As infants gain familiarity with repeated exposure to a visual stimulus, their interest wanes and they look away sooner.

schema

a concept or framework that organizes and interprets information

maturation

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

assimilation

interpreting our new experiences in terms of our existing schemas

accommodation

adapting our current understandings (schemas) to incorporate new information

conservation

the principle (which Piaget believed to be a part of concrete operational reasoning) that properties such as mass, volume, and number remain the same despite changes in the forms of objects

object permanence

the awareness that things continue to exist even though they are not perceived

sensorimotor stage

in Piaget's theory, the stage (from birth to 2) during which infants know the world mostly in terms of their sensory impressions and motor activities

preoperational stage

in Piaget's theory, the stage (from about 2 to 6 or 7 years of age) during which a child learns to use language but does not yet comprehend the mental operations of concrete logic

egocentrism

in Piaget's theory, the preoperational child's difficulty taking another's point of view

theory of mind

people's ideas about their own and others' mental states -about their feelings, perceptions, and thoughts and the behavior these might predict

concrete operational stage

in Piaget's theory, the stage of cognitive development (from about 6 or 7 to 11 years of age) during which children gain the mental operations that enable them to think logically about concrete events

formal operational stage

in Piaget's theory, the stage of cognitive development (normally beginning about age 12) during which people begin to think logically about abstract concepts

stranger anxiety

the fear of strangers that infants commonly display, beginning by about 8 months of age

attachment

an emotional tie with another person; shown in young children by their seeking closeness to the caregiver and showing distress on separation

critical period

an optimal period shortly after birth when an organism's exposure to certain stimuli or experiences produces proper development

imprinting

the process by which certain animals form attachments during a critical period very early in life

menarche

the first menstrual period

cross-sectional study

study in which people of different ages are compared with one another

social clock

culturally preferred timing of social events such as marriage, parenthood, and retirement

autism spectrum disorder

a disorder that appears in childhood and is marked by significant deficiencies in communication and social interaction, and by rigidly fixated interests and repetitive behaviors

temperament

A person's characteristic emotional reactivity and intensity.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)

physical and cognitive abnormalities in children caused by a pregnant woman's heavy drinking. In severe cases, symptoms include noticeable facial misproportions

social identity

The "we" aspect of our self-concept; the part of our answer to "Who am I?" that comes from our group memberships.

menopause

the time of natural cessation of menstruation; also refers to the biological changes a woman experiences as her ability to reproduce declines

gender identity

our sense of being male or female

gender role

a set of expected behaviors for males or for females

gender-typing

the acquisition of a traditional masculine or feminine role

primary sex characteristics

the body structures (ovaries, testes, and external genitalia) that make sexual reproduction possible

secondary sex characteristics

nonreproductive sexual characteristics, such as female breasts and hips, male voice quality, and body hair

social learning theory

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

X chromosome

The sex chromosome found in both men and women. Females have two; males have one.

Y chromosome

the sex chromosome found only in males.

adolescence

the transition period from childhood to adulthood, extending from puberty to independence

basic trust

according to Erik Erikson, a sense that the world is predictable and trustworthy; said to be formed during infancy by appropriate experiences with responsive caregivers

cognition

all the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating

developmental psychology

a branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive, and social change throughout the life span

emerging adulthood

for some people in modern cultures, a period from the late teens to mid-twenties, bridging the gap between adolescent dependence and full independence and responsible adulthood

identity

our sense of self; according to Erikson, the adolescent's task is to solidify a sense of self by testing and integrating various roles

intimacy

in Erikson's theory, the ability to form close, loving relationships; a primary developmental task in late adolescence and early adulthood

puberty

the period of sexual maturation, during which a person becomes capable of reproducing

self-concept

all our thoughts and feelings about ourselves, in answer to the question, "Who am I?"