Unit 6 Part 1 Psych Vocab

Teratogens

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

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

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

Assimilation

Interpreting our new experiences in terms of our existing schemas

Sensorimotor Stage

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

Preoperational Stage

In Piaget’s theory, the stage (form about 2 to 6 or 7) during which a child learns to use language but does not yet comprehend the mental operations of concrete logic. Uses symbols as well.

Object Permanence

The understanding that objects continue to exist even when out of view

Egocentrism

In Piaget’s theory, the preoperational child’s difficulty taking another’s point of view

Concrete Operational Stage

In Piaget’s theory, the stage of cognitive development (from about 8 to 12 years of age) during which children gain the mental operations that enable them to think logically about concrete events

Conservation

The realization that properties of objects remain the same even when their shape changes

Formal Operational Stage

In Piaget’s theory, the stage of cognitive development (age 12 to adulthood) during which people begin to think logically about abstract concepts.

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

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.

Developmental Psychology

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

Mauration

Development that reflects the gradual unfolding of one’s genetic blueprint

Rolling over →Crawling→Walking

Schema

A conceptual framework a person uses to make sense of the world

Accommodation

Adapting our current schemas to incorporate new information

Theory of Mind

People’s ideas about their own and others mental states- about their feelings, perceptions, and thoughts, and the behaviors these might predict

Autism Spectrum Disorder

A developmental disorder characterized by deficits in social interaction, by impaired communication, and by restricted interests

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