Studied by 1 PersonTags & Description
Behavior genetics
The study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior
Heredity
The genetic transfer of characteristics from parents to offspring
Environment
Every nongenetic influence, from prenatal nutrition to the people and things around us
Chromosomes
Threadlike structures made of DNA molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)
A complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes
Genes
The biochemical units of heredity that make up the chromosomes; segments of DNA capable of synthesizing proteins
Genome
The complete instructions for making an organism, consisting of all the genetic material in that organism's chromosomes
Identical (monozygotic) twins
Develop from a single fertilized egg that splits in two, creating two genetically identical organisms
Fraternal (dizygotic) twins
Develop from separate fertilized eggs. They are genetically no closer than ordinary brothers and sisters, but they share a prenatal environment
Heritability
The proportion of variation among individuals in a group that we can attribute to genes. The heritability of a trait may vary, depending on the range of populations and environments studied.
Interaction
The interplay that occurs when the effect of one factor (such environment) depends on another factor (such as heredity)
Molecular genetics
The subfield of biology that studies the molecular structure and function of genes
Molecular behavior genetics
The study of how the structure and function of genes interact with our environment to influence behavior
Epigenetics
"Above" or "in addition to" (epi) genetics; the study of environmental influences on gene expression that occur without a DNA change
Evolutionary psychology
The study of the evolution of behavior and the mind, using principles of natural selection
Natural selection
The principle that inherited traits that better enable an organism to survive and reproduce in a particular environment will (in competition with other trait variations) most likely be passed on to succeeding generations
Mutation
A random error in gene replication that leads to a change
Social Script
A culturally modeled guide for how to act in various situations
Developmental Psychology
A branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive, and social change throughout the life span
Zygote
The fertilized egg; it enters a 2-week period of rapid cell division and develops into a 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
(literally, "monster makers") agents, such as chemicals and viruses, that can reach the embryo or fetus during prenatal development and cause harm
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)
Physical and cognitive abnormalities in children caused by a pregnant woman's heavy drinking. In severe cases, signs include a small, out-of-proportion head and abnormal facial features
Habituation
Decreasing responsiveness with repeated stimulation. As infants gain familiarity with repeated exposure to a stimulus, their interest wanes and they look away sooner
Maturation
Biological growth processes that enable orderly changes in behavior, relatively uninfluenced by experience
Proximodistal
Babies form from center out.
Principle of motor primacy
Neuromuscular structures of the body must reach certain levels of maturation before they can respond to stimulation.
Cognition
All the mental activities associated with thinking; knowing, remembering, and communicating
Schema
A concept or framework that organizes and interprets information
Assimilation
Interpreting our new experiences in terms of our existing schemas
Accommodation
Adapting our current understandings (Schemas) to incorporate new information
Sensorimotor stage
In Piaget's theory, the stage ( from birth to nearly 2 years of age) during which infants know the world mostly in terms of their sensory impressions and motor activities
Object permanence
The awareness that things continue to exist even when not perceived
Preoperational stage
In Piaget's theory, the stage (from about 2 to 5 or 7 years old) during which a child learns to use language but doesn't yet comprehend that mental operations of concrete logic
Conservation
The principle (which Piaget believed to be apart of concrete operational reasoning) that properties such as mass, volume, and number remain the same despite changes in the forms of objects
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 other's mental states- about their feelings, perceptions, and thoughts, and the behaviors these might predict
Concrete operational stage
In Piaget's theory, the stage of cognitive development (from about 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
Scaffold
A framework that offers children temporary support as they develop higher levels of thinking
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
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
Jean Piaget
Was a developmental psychologist who studied children's cognition. His studies led him to believe that a child's mind develops through a series of stages , in a upward march from the newborn's simple reflexes to the adults abstract reasoning.
Lee Vyptsky
Was a psychologist who was studying how children think and learn. He emphazied how the child's mind grows through interaction with the physical environment, he emphasized how the child's mind grows through interaction with the social environment.
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 their caregiver and showing distress on separation
Critical Peroid
An optimal period early in the life of an organism when exposure to certain stimuli or experiences produces normal development
Imprinting
The process by which certain animals form attachments during early life
Strange situation
A procedure for studying child-caregiver attachment; a child is placed in an unfamiliar environment while their caregiver leaves and then returns, and the child's reactions are observed
secure attachment
Demonstrated by infants who comfortably explore environments in the presence of their caregiver. Show only temporary distress when the caregiver leaves and finds comfort in the caregiver's return
Insecure attachment
Demonstrated by infants who display either a clinging, anxious attachment or an avoidant attachment that resists closeness
Temperament
A person's characteristic emotional reactivity and intensity
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
Self-concept
All our thoughts and feelings about ourselves, in answer to the question, "Who am I?"
Harry and Maraget Harlow
Bred monkeys for their learning studies. They rasied them with two artifical mothers (cloth and wire). The infants much preferred contact with the comfortable cloth mother even while feeding from the wire nourishing mother.
Konrad Lorenz
He explored this rigid attachment process, called imprinting in ducklings. He found out that everywhere he went, the ducks were sure to go.
Mary Ainsworth
designed the strange situation experiment and found out about secure and insecure attachment.
Erik Erikson
believed that securely attached children approach life with a sense of basic trust.
Diana Baumrind
She came up with her theory of parenting styles, that consisted of four parenting types.
Authoritarian parents
They are coercive. They impose rules and expect obedience.
Permissive parents
They are unrestraining. They make few demands, set few limits and use little punishment.
Negligent parents
They are uninvolved. They are neither demanding nor responsive. They are careless, inattentive and do not seek to have a close relationship with their children.
Authoritative parents
They are confrontive. They are both demanding and responsive. They exert control by setting rules, but, especially with olden children, they encourage open discussion and allow exceptions.
Sex
In psychology, the biologically influenced characteristics by which people define male and female
Gender
In psychology, the socially influenced characteristics by which people define boy, girl, man, and woman
Aggression
Any physical or verbal behavior intended to harm someone physically or emotionally
Relational Aggression
An act of aggression (physical or verbal) intended to harm a person's relationship or social standing
Role
A set of expectations (norms) about a social position, defining how those in the position ought to behave
Gender role
A set of expected behaviors, attitudes, and traits for males or for females
Gender identity
Our sense of being male, female, or some combination of two
Social learning theory
The theory that we learn social behavior by observing and imitating and by being rewarded or punished
Gender typing
The acquisition of a traditional masculine or feminine role
Androgyny
Displaying both traditional masculine and feminine psychological characteristics
Trasngender
An umbrella term describing people whose gender identity or expression differs from that associated with their birth designated sex
Adolescence
The transition period from childhood to adulthood, extending from puberty to independence
Puberty
The period of sexual maturation, during which a person becomes capable of reproducing
Lawerence Kohlberg
Proposed that moral reasoning guides moral actions.
Preconventional morality
Self interest; obey rules to avoid punishment or gain concrete rewards
Conventional morality
Uphold laws and rules to gain social approval or maintain social order
Postconventional morality
Actions relfect belief in basic rights and self defined ethical principles
Identity
Our sense of self; according to Erickson, the adolescent's task is to solidify a sense of self by testing and integrating various roles
Social identity
The "we" aspect of our self-concept; the part of our answer to "Who am I?" that comes from our group membership
Intimacy
In Erikson's' theory, the ability to form close, loving relationships; a primary developmental task in young adulthood
Emerging adulthood
A period from about age 18 to the mid-twenties, when many in Western cultures are no longer adolescents but have not yet achieved full independence as adults