Ch. 5 Development Flashcards
developmental psychology
studies physical, cognitive, and social development throughout the life span
cross-sectional study
research that compares people of different ages at the same point in time
longitudinal study
research, follows and retests the same people over time
zygote
fertilized egg, develops into an embryo
embryo
developing human organism from about 2 weeks after fertilization
fetus
developing human organism from 9 weeks after conception to birth
teratogens
agents that can reach embryo/fetus during prenatal development and cause harm
fetal alcohol syndrome
physical and cognitive abnormalities in children caused by pregnant woman’s heavy drinking
habituation
decreasing responsiveness w/repeated stimulation
maturation
biological growth processes that enable orderly changes in behavior, relatively uninfluenced by experience
cognition
all mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating
schema
concept or framework that organizes and interprets information
assimilation
interpreting new experiences in terms of our existing schemas
accomodation
adapting our current understanding to incorporate new information
sensorimotor stage
piaget’s theory, from birth to 2 years old, infants know world mostly in terms of their sensory impressions and motor activities
object permanence
awareness that things continue to exist even when not perceived
preoperational stage
piaget’s theory, 2 to 6 years old, child learns to use language but doesnt comprehend mental operations of concrete logic
conservation
principle, piaget believed, that properties such as mass, volume, and number remain the same despite changes in forms of objects
egocentrism
preoperational child’s difficulty taking anothers point of view
concrete operational stage
stage of cognitive development, 7 to 11, children gain mental operations that enable them to think logically about concrete events
formal operational stage
stage of development, beings at 12, people begin to think logically about abstract concepts
scaffold
Vygotsky’s theory, offers children temporary support as they develop hgiher levels of thinking
theory of mind
peoples ideas about their own and others mental states
stranger anxiety
fear of strangers that infants commonly display at about 8 months old
attachment
emotional tie with others
critical period
optimal period early in life of an organism when exposed to certain stimuli or experiences produces normal development
basic trust
Erik Erikson, sense that world is predictable and trustworthy
self-concept
all thoughts and feelings about ourselves
adolescence
transition period from childhood to adulthood
puberty
period of sexual maturation, capable of reproducing
identity
sense of self, testing and integrating various roles
social identity
“we” aspect of our self-concept
intimacy
Erikson’s theory, ability to form close, loving relationships
emerging adulthood
18-mid 20’s, no longer adolescents but have not yet achieved full independence as adults
menopause
time of natural cessation of menstration
neurocognitive disorders
acquired disorders marked by cognitive defictis
Alzheimer’s disease
neurocognitive disorder marked by neural plagues, progressive decline of memory and other cognitive abilities
social clock
culturally preferred timing of social events
