Development and Learning

Flashcards covering key concepts from the unit on Development and Learning in psychology.

Applied Psychology

A branch of psychology that focuses on practical application of psychological principles to real-world problems.

Developmental Psychology

The study of how humans develop physically, cognitively, and socially throughout their lifespan.

Nature versus Nurture

A debate concerning the relative importance of genetic inheritance (nature) and environmental factors (nurture) in human development.

Cross-sectional Research

A research method that compares different age groups at a single point in time to understand how certain variables may change with age.

Longitudinal Research

A research method that studies the same group of participants over an extended period to observe changes and developments over time.

Teratogens

Environmental agents that cause malformation or harm to a developing fetus.

Cognitive Development

The process of development in which an individual learns to think and understand.

Object Permanence

The understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen or heard.

Attachment Parenting

A style of parenting that emphasizes a strong emotional bond between parents and children, often involving close physical connection.

Zone of Proximal Development

The difference between what a learner can do without help and what they can do with help.

Erik Erikson's Psychosocial Stages

A theory outlining eight stages of human development, each characterized by a specific social conflict.

Classical Conditioning

A learning process in which a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a meaningful stimulus, eliciting a conditioned response.

Operant Conditioning

A method of learning that employs rewards and punishments for behavior.

Generalization

The tendency to respond in the same way to different but similar stimuli.

Negative Reinforcement

The removal of an unpleasant stimulus to increase the likelihood of a behavior.

Positive Reinforcement

The addition of a pleasant stimulus to increase the likelihood of a behavior.

Observational Learning

Learning that occurs through observing the behavior of others.

Insight Learning

A type of learning that involves a sudden realization of the solution to a problem.

Cognitive Map

A mental representation of one's physical environment or the layout of a space.

Schemata

Cognitive structures that help organize and interpret information.

Developmental Research Methods

Techniques used by developmental psychologists to study changes in behavior and thought throughout the lifespan.

Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

An originally neutral stimulus that, after association with an unconditioned stimulus, comes to trigger a conditioned response.

Unconditioned Stimulus (US)

A stimulus that naturally and automatically triggers a response without conditioning.