7.1 prenatal development and infancy

Question 1

developmental psychology

Answer 1

The scientific study of biological, cognitive, social, and personality development across the lifespan.

Question 2

zygote

Answer 2

The fertilized egg that is formed from the union of the sperm and egg cells in human reproduction.

Question 3

gene

Answer 3

The basic unit of genetic instruction.

Question 4

chromosomes

Answer 4

Molecules of DNA that hold the genetic instructions for every cell in the body.

Question 5

identical
(monozygotic)
twins

Answer 5

twins that originate from the same zygote.

Question 6

fraternal
(dizygotic)
twins

Answer 6

Twins that originate from the fertilization of two eggs at approximately the same time (two zygotes).

Question 7

teratogens

Answer 7

Environmental agents such as drugs and viruses, diseases, and physical conditions that impair prenatal development and lead to birth defects and sometimes death.

Question 8

fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)

Answer 8

A syndrome affecting infants whose mothers consumed large amounts of alcohol during pregnancy, resulting in a range of severe effects, including intellectual disability and facial abnormalities.

Question 9

sucking reflex

Answer 9

An innate human reflex that leads infants to suck anything that touches their lips.

Question 10

rooting reflex

Answer 10

An innate human reflex that leads infants to turn their mouth toward anything that touches their cheeks and search for something to suck on.

Question 11

habituation

Answer 11

A decrease in the physiological responding to a stimulus once it becomes familiar.

Question 12

phonemes

Answer 12

The smallest distinctive speech sounds in a language.