General Psychology Exam 3 (SBU Walkup)

developmental psychology

studies the physical, cognitive, and social changes that humans experience (whole lifespan or sperm to worm)

cross-sectional studies

observes different individuals of different ages at one point in time to track differences related to age

cohorts

a group of people who share a common temporal life experience (boomers, generation x, etc.)

longitudinal

a study of the same group over the long haul (most accurate)

nature

inherited characteristics that influence (genetics/at conception)

nurture

environmental influences (parents, where you grew up)

monozygotic twins

one egg becomes two

teratogens

anything that can negatively impact an embryo

fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD)

physical and cognitive abnormalities in children resulting from a pregnant mother's alcohol intake

critical periods

the focus of development changes at different times

the effects of teratogen are dependent on what four factors?

-what it is?

-when? (critical period)

-how much?

-mother

what is the distance that babies see best at?

8-10 inches

what is the number 1 cause of death between one month and 12 months?

sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)

synaptic pruning

a process in which excess synapses are gradually reduced during childhood (brain cleaning out certain things)

schemas

concepts or frameworks around which we organize and interpret information (ex. young children putting things in their mouths)

what does cognitive development depend on?

environmental stimulation and biological maturation

assimilation

process through which we incorporate new experiences in terms of existing schemas (bringing something in)

accommodated

process through which we adjust and refine our schemas to incorporate new information (having to change a thought to bring in new things)

Mary Ainsworth

studied infant attachment and how the child reacted when a mom left then came back

Henry Harlow

studied the importance of physical touch through monkeys

secure attachment

children are upset when mother leaves but are comforted when she returns (explore and investigate but look to mom for safety)

anxious-ambivalent

children are distressed when mom leaves, but difficult to soothe when she returns (insecure and over-emotional; try to connect but also resist)

anxious-avoid

children are not particularly distressed when mother leaves and ignore when she comes back (can be distressed and avoid the parent)

temperament

how we respond (quickness, intensity, mood)

easy temperament

adapt easily (go with the flow)

difficult temperament

slowly adapt to change (they are intense and it doesn't change much or at all)

slow-to-warm temperament

take a while to adapt

authoritarian parent style

parents have high levels of control over the children (high demands)

permissive parent style

parents have few limits on behavior (parent wants to be a friend rather than a parent)

authoritative parent style

parents allow freedom within limits

Diana Baumrind

parenting styles have two areas that consist of demanding and responsiveness

adolescence

the period of transition between childhood and adulthood (psychological and social)

puberty

when physical development begins to full sexual maturation (physical changes)

average age of physical development to full sexual maturation for females

10-11 years old

average age of physical development to full sexual maturation for males

12-13 years old

pre conventional morality

behavior that is rewarded is viewed as right while behavior that is punished is viewed as wrong (a child does what they do based on right and wrong based on if they got caught)

identity achievement

a crisis and a commitment

identity foreclosure

no crisis but there is a commitment

emerging adulthood

a period of time between adolescence and adulthood in primarily western cultures where emotional ties loosen but dependence on parents for financial support is still there (18-25 years old)

dementia

progressive loss of cognitive functioning

fluid intelligence

ability to see new stuff (declines)

crystalized intelligence

ability to use info learned in the past (grows)

single people need to develop...

close relationships

ageism

prejudice against people based upon their age

Kubler-Ross (DABDA)

studied death and dying

stages of death

1. denial

2. anger

3. bargaining

4. depression

5. acceptance

motivation

a need or desire that energizes and directs behavior

drive-reduction theory

clark hull's theory that we act when a physiological need creates an aroused state that drives us to reduces the need

homeostasis

a state of balance

how many billion people in the United States deal with obesity?

147-210 billion

maslow's hierarchy of needs

physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem, self-actualization

three things people are motivated by (CAR)

-competence

-autonomy

-relatedness

limbic system

connected to the emotions

amygdala

helps us analyze and develop emotion meaning/response

the six universally recognized emotions

joy, sadness, anger, surprise, disgust, fear

cultural display rules

culturally prescribes rules that influence the degree and type of emotional expressions (emotions are displayed in a way that is certain cultures around the world)

cognitive-mediational theory

proposed by Lazarus that the cognitive interpretation of an event or stimulus comes before the physiological arousal or emotional experience (we see something, the brain processes, then the heart rate and breathing starts)

facial feedback

theory that facial expressions can influence emotional experiences

primary sex characteristics

sex specific reproductive organs

secondary sex characteristics

the sexual organs and traits that develop at puberty and are not directly involved in reproduction (ex. body hair)

instrumental traits

traditionally masculine traits and behaviors (ex. assertive, aggression, dominance)

expressive traits

traditionally feminine traits and behaviors (ex. gentle, emotional, soft-hearted, submissive, talkative)

androgynous

people who have both masculine and feminine traits

social learning theory

states that children learn gendered behavior by observing and imitating adults and responding to rewards and punishment (learn gender from society)

gender dysphoria

persistent feelings of identification with the opposite gender and discomfort with the sex someone is born with

episodic memory

memory of specific events or experiences (females are better at this)

Kinsey Study (1940)

researched that 10% of people are homosexual (very skewed)

sexual orientation

refers to the pattern of a person's sexual attraction

phases of sex

1. excitement phase

2. plateau phase

3. orgasm phase

4. resolution phase

5. refractor period (only in men)

social norms

spoken and unspoken rules about what behavior is considered appropriate in a given society

STI (sexually transmitted infections)

infections that are spread primarily through person-to-person sexual contact (1/2 of the new diagnoses of STIs are between 15-24)

Developmental age

The age at which a person functions emotionally, physically or cognitively

Dizygotic twins

Fraternal twins who develop from two separate fertilized eggs

zygote

fertilized egg formed by the union of sperm and egg

xx

female chromosal patter

xy

male chromosome pattern

accomadation

changing schemas to fit new info

slow to warm temperament

generally happy, adaptable, calm behavior

Basic trust vs mistrust

infants learn to trust caregivers or develop mistrust

Preconventional morality

moral reasoning based on rewards and punishments

conventional morality

moral reasoning based on social rules and approval

postconventional

moral reasoning based on personal ethical principles

Alzheimers disease

progressive brain disorder causing memory loss and confusion

crystallized intelligence 

ability to retrieve and use info

Generativity vs stagnation

give to next generation

sex

biological status

Gender

social/psychological traits of being male/female

gender identity

personal sense of being male/female

intersex

born with mixed sex traits

transgender

identity differs from biological sex