Developmental Psychology

• Chronological development: Age-based changes in development.

• Lifespan development: Study of growth from birth to death.

• Stability and change: Traits that persist or evolve over time.

• Nature and nurture: Influence of genetics and environment.

• Continuous development: Gradual, ongoing developmental changes.

• Discontinuous development: Development through distinct stages.

• Teratogens: Harmful substances affecting prenatal development.

• Fine motor coordination: Small muscle movements (e.g., writing).

• Gross motor coordination: Large muscle movements (e.g., walking).

• Maturation: Biological growth enabling behavior changes.

• Reflexes: Automatic newborn responses (e.g., sucking).

• Rooting reflex: Infant’s response to touch near the mouth.

• Visual cliff: Tool for studying depth perception in infants.

• Critical periods: Key times for specific developmental processes.

• Sensitive periods: Times when development is most responsive to stimuli.

• Imprinting: Early bonding process in some animals.

• Growth spurt: Rapid physical growth during puberty.

• Puberty: Period of sexual maturation.

• Primary sex characteristics: Reproductive organs and structures.

• Secondary sex characteristics: Non-reproductive features (e.g., body hair).

• Menarche: First menstrual period.

• Spermarche: First ejaculation.

• Menopause: End of menstrual cycles.

• Schemas: Frameworks for organizing information.

• Assimilation: Fitting new information into existing schemas.

• Accommodation: Adjusting schemas for new information.

• Sensorimotor stage: Birth-2 years; learning through senses and actions.

• Object permanence: Understanding objects exist when out of sight.

• Preoperational stage: 2-7 years; symbolic thinking develops.

• Mental symbols: Using images/words to represent objects or ideas.

• Pretend play: Imaginary scenarios during play.

• Conservation: Knowing properties (e.g., volume) remain constant despite changes in form.

• Reversibility: Understanding actions can be undone.

• Animism: Belief that inanimate objects have feelings.

• Egocentrism: Difficulty seeing others’ perspectives.

• Theory of mind: Understanding others have thoughts and feelings.

• Concrete operational stage: 7-11 years; logical thinking develops.

• Systematic thinking: Organized, logical reasoning.

• Formal operational stage: 12+ years; abstract reasoning develops.

• Abstract thinking: Ability to think about concepts beyond the tangible.

• Hypothetical thinking: Reasoning about “what if” situations.

• Scaffolding (Vygotsky): Support to help learning within the zone of proximal development.

• Zone of proximal development: Skills within reach with assistance.

• Crystallized intelligence: Accumulated knowledge and skills.

• Fluid intelligence: Ability to solve novel problems.

• Dementia: Cognitive decline affecting memory and reasoning.

• Phonemes: Smallest sound units in language.

• Morphemes: Smallest meaning-carrying units in language.

• Semantics: Study of meaning in language.

• Grammar: Language rules for combining words.

• Syntax: Sentence structure rules.

• Cooing: Early vowel-like sounds made by infants.

• Babbling: Repetitive consonant-vowel sounds by infants.

• One-word stage: Single-word communication by toddlers.

• Telegraphic speech: Short, essential-word sentences by young children.

• Overgeneralization of language rules: Misapplying grammar rules (e.g., “goed” instead of “went”).

• Ecological systems theory: Interaction of individual and environmental factors (Bronfenbrenner).

• Microsystem: Immediate environment (e.g., family, school).

• Mesosystem: Interactions between microsystems.

• Exosystem: Indirect environmental influences (e.g., parent’s workplace).

• Macrosystem: Cultural and societal influences.

• Chronosystem: Changes over time affecting development.

• Authoritarian parenting: Strict, high-demand parenting style.

• Authoritative parenting: High demand with warmth and responsiveness.

• Permissive parenting: Few demands, high responsiveness.

• Attachment styles: Emotional bonds with caregivers.

• Secure attachment: Comfortable with exploration and caregiver return.

• Insecure attachment: Anxiety or avoidance in relationships.

• Avoidant attachment: Avoids closeness with others.

• Anxious attachment: Fear of abandonment.

• Disorganized attachment: Mixed, erratic behavior toward caregiver.

• Temperament: Innate emotional and behavioral traits.

• Separation anxiety: Distress when separated from caregiver.

• Parallel play: Playing near, but not with, peers.

• Pretend play: Using imagination in play.

• Egocentrism: Self-focused viewpoint in childhood.

• Imaginary audience: Belief that everyone is watching you (adolescents).

• Personal fable: Belief in personal uniqueness and invulnerability.

• Social clock: Societal expectations for life milestones.

• Emerging adulthood: Transitional stage (18-25 years).

• Stage theory of psychosocial development (Erikson): Eight life stages with key conflicts.

• Trust and mistrust: Infants’ stage of relying on caregivers.

• Autonomy and shame/doubt: Toddler stage of independence.

• Initiative and guilt: Preschool stage of asserting power.

• Industry and inferiority: School-age stage of mastering skills.

• Identity and role confusion: Adolescence stage of self-discovery.

• Intimacy and isolation: Young adult stage of forming relationships.

• Generativity and stagnation: Middle adult stage of contribution to society.

• Integrity and despair: Late adult stage of reflecting on life.

• Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs): Stressful events affecting development.

• Foreclosure (adolescent development): Commitment without exploration.

• Moratorium (adolescent development): Exploration without commitment.

• Racial/ethnic identity: Self-concept related to race or ethnicity.

• Religious identity: Connection to religious beliefs or practices.

• Occupational identity: Career-related sense of self.

• Familial identity: Relationship dynamics within a family.

• Possible selves: Ideas about future selves.