AP Psychology - Unit 3 Part 5 Vocabulary

Ecological systems theory

a scientific theory that explains how human development is influenced b a variety of environmental systems

Microsystem

groups that have direct contact with the individual

Mesosystem

relationship between groups and microsystem

Exosystem

indirect factors in an individual’s life

Macrosystem

cultural events that affect the individual and others around them

Chronosystem

individual’s current stage of life

Parenting styles

can be described as a combination of two traits: how responsive parents are and how demanding parents are

Authoritarian

coercive parenting, impose rules and expect obedience

Authoritative

confrontive parenting, both demanding and responsive

Permissive

un-restraining parenting, make few demands, set few limits, and use little punishment

Attachment styles

characterized by specific behaviors in children, such as seeking proximity with the attachment figure when upset or threatened

Secure

attachment style that develops when a caregiver is consistently responsive to a child’s needs, child feels safe, understood, and supported, leads to confidence in relationships and self-reliance

Insecure

attachment style that develops when a caregiver is inconsistent, unresponsive, or frightening in their interactions with the child, child struggles to feel safe and secure in their relationship with the caregiver, leads to challenges in regulating emotions and forming healthy relationships later in life

Avoidant

attachment style that develops when a caregiver is emotionally unavailable or dismissive, child learns to suppress emotions and rely on themselves, leads to discomfort with closeness in relationships

Anxious

attachment style that develops when a caregiver is inconsistent in their responses - sometimes attentive, sometimes unavailable, child becomes preoccupied with gaining the caregiver’s attention, leads to fear of abandonment and clinginess in relationships

Disorganized

attachment style that develops in an environment where the caregiver is a source of fear or confusion (e.g., neglect or abuse), child struggles with trust and may exhibit contradictory behaviors, like seeking comfort while avoiding it, leads to difficulty managing emotions and relationships

Temperament

refers to a person’s natural disposition or characteristic behavioral style, including their typical mood, emotional reactivity, and how they generally respond to situations

Separation anxiety

a distressed response experienced by young children when separated from their primary caregiver, often characterized by crying

Attachment

shown with two styles that are predictive of later relationships: securely attached tends to be more comfortable in relationships and insecurely attached has more difficulty trusting others later in life

Contact comfort vs. food

Harry Harlow’s study on monkeys showing that contact comfort is a more fundamental need for infant attachment and security than mere nourishment

Parallel play

a stage of play commonly observed in toddlers, where children play alongside of each other without directly interacting or engaging in cooperative play

Pretend play

a type of play where children use their imagination to create scenarios, roles, and stories, often involving symbolic use of objects

Adolescent egocentrism

a cognitive limitation in young children, particularly during Piaget’s preoperational stage (ages 2-7), where they are unable to take the perspective of others

Imaginary audience

a phenomenon often observed during adolescence, where individuals believe that others are constantly watching, judging, or paying attention to them, even when this is not the case

Personal fable

an aspect of adolescent egocentrism where individuals believe that their experiences, feelings, and challenges are unique and unlike anyone else’s

Social clock

a culture’s preferred timing for social events, such as marriage, parenthood, and retirement

Emerging adulthood

a period from about age 18 to 29 when many in Western cultures are no longer adolescents but have not yet achieved full independence as adults

Psychosocial stages

according to Erik Erikson, the lifespan is split into 8 stages that each have a psychosocial crisis and personality is shaped by how individuals deal with crises that involve transitions in important social relationships

Trust vs. mistrust

if an infant’s needs are adequately met by their caregiver and sound attachments are formed, the child should develop an optimistic, trusting attitude toward the world, if not, then a more distrusting, pessimistic personality may result (infancy, birth-1 year)

Autonomy vs. shame and doubt

child must begin to take some personal responsibility for feeding, dressing, and bathing, if all goes well, they acquire a sense of autonomy, but if parents are never satisfied with the child and there are constant conflicts, child may develop a sense of personal shame and doubt (toddlerhood, 2-3 years)

Initiative vs. guilt

experiment and take initiatives that may conflict with their parents’ rules, parents support emerging independence while maintaining appropriate controls and children will retain their sense of initiative while learning to respect the rights and privileges of others, over controlling parents may begin to instill feelings of guilt and self-esteem may suffer as a result (preschool, 3-6 years)

Identity vs. inferiority

challenge of learning to function socially is extended beyond the family to the broader social realm of the neighborhood and school, children able to function effectively in social sphere where productivity is highly valued, should learn to value achievement and take pride in accomplishment, results in sense of competence, if things don’t go well in this broader social domain, they may develop a sense of inferiority (elementary school, 6 years-puberty)

Identity vs. role confusion

those able to integrate their experiences and develop a stable identity gain a sense of direction and purpose, if they struggle to form a clear identity, they may experience confusion about who they are and their role in society (adolescence, puberty-20s)

Intimacy vs. isolation

those who succeed in creating strong, healthy relationships experience love and connection, if they struggle with forming close relationships or fear commitment, they may experience loneliness and isolation (early adulthood, 20s-40s)

Generativity vs. stagnation

those who succeed in nurturing others and contributing to society gain a sense of fulfillment and purpose, if they fail to find a way to contribute, they may feel stagnant, unproductive, and disconnected (middle adulthood, 40s-60s)

Integrity vs. despair

those who accept their life as meaningful and well-lived gain a sense of wisdom and peace, if they dwell on regrets or feel their life lacked purpose, they may experience despair and fear or death (late adulthood, 60s-death)

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)

potentially traumatic events during childhood that can have long-term impacts on physical and mental health

Identity statuses

according to James Marcia, the presence or absence of a sense of commitment and a sense of crisis can combine to form four different identity statuses

Identity achievement

arriving at one’s sense of self and direction after thinking through alternatives

Identity diffusion

a state of apathy with no commitment to an ideology

Identity foreclosure

a premature commitment to visions, values, and goals

Identity moratorium

involves delaying commitment for a while to experiment with alternative ideologies and careers

Racial/ethnic identity

provides a sense of belonging and pride in one’s heritage, influences experiences of discrimination, privilege, or marginalization, shaping self-concept, plays a role in cultural practices, traditions, and shared language, which contribute to one’s worldview

Sexual orientation

shapes personal relationships, intimacy, and connections with others, coming out or affirming one’s sexual identity can be a significant step in forming an authentic self, societal acceptance or stigma surrounding sexual orientation can influence mental health and self-perception

Religious identity

provides morals, guiding principles, sense of purpose while offering community of belonging and support, influences worldview, decision-making, and coping strategies, struggles with faith or religious identity can prompt significant self-reflection and growth

Occupational identity

represents a source of self-esteem and achievement, shapes social roles and interactions, as people often define themselves by what they do, challenges like unemployment or career changes can impact self-concept and lead to identity exploration, work-life balance and job satisfaction contribute to overall identity stability

Familial identity

early dynamics play a critical role in developing self-concept and attachment styles, traditions, values, and expectations contribute to one’s understanding of themselves and their place in the world, conflict or harmony can shape one’s ability to form healthy relationships

Possible selves

a psychological concept that describes the ideas people have about who they might become in the future