Ch. 9 Vocab Flashcards
the fertilized egg; it enters a 2-week period of rapid cell division and develops into an embryo
zygote
the developing human organism from about 2 weeks after fertilization through the second month
embryo
the developing human organism from 9 weeks after conception to birth
fetus
literally “monster makers” agents, such as chemicals and viruses, that can reach the embryo or fetus during prenatal development and cause harm.
teratogens
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
fetal alcohol syndrome
decreasing responsiveness with repeated stimulation. As infants gain familiarity with repeated exposure to a visual stimulus, their interest wanes and they look away sooner
habituation
biological growth processes that enable orderly changes in behavior, relatively uninfluenced by experience
maturation
all the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating
cognition
a concept or framework that organizes and interprets information
schema
interpreting our new experiences in terms of our existing schemas
assimilation
in developmental psychology, adapting our current understandings (schemas) to incorporate new information
accommodation
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
sensorimotor stage
the awareness that things continue to exist even when not perceived
object permanence
in Piaget’s theory, the stage (from about 2 to about 6 or 7 years of age) during which a child learns to use language but does not yet comprehend the mental operations of concrete logic
preoperational stage
the principle (which Piaget believed to be a part of concrete operational reasoning) that properties such as mass, volume, and number remain the same despite changes in the forms of objects
conservation
in Piaget’s theory, the preoperational child’s difficulty taking another’s point of view
egocentrism
people’s ideas about their own and others’ mental states—about their feelings, perceptions, and thoughts, and the behaviors these might predict
theory of mind
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
autism spectrum disorder
in Piaget’s theory, the stage of cognitive development (from about 6 or 7 to 11 years of age) during which children gain the mental operations that enable them to think logically about concrete events
concrete 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
formal operational stage
the fear of strangers that infants commonly display, beginning by about 8 months of age
stranger anxiety
an emotional tie with another person; shown in young children by their seeking closeness to the caregiver and showing distress on separation
attachment
an optimal period early in the life of an organism when exposure to certain stimuli or experiences produces normal development
critical period
the process by which certain animals form strong attachments during an early life critical period
imprinting
a person’s characteristic emotional reactivity and intensity
temperament
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
basic trust
all our thoughts and feelings about ourselves, in answer to the question, “Who am I?”
self-concept
the socially constructed roles and characteristics by which a culture defines male and female
gender
any physical or verbal behavior intended to hurt or destroy
aggression
a set of expected behaviors for males or for females
gender role
a set of expectations (norms) about a social position, defining how those in the position ought to behave
role
our sense of being male or female
gender identity
the theory that we learn social behavior by observing and imitating and by being rewarded or punished
social learning theory
the acquisition of a traditional masculine or feminine role
gender typing
an umbrella term describing people whose gender identity or expression differs from that associated with their birth sex
transgender
the transition period from childhood to adulthood, extending from puberty to independence
adolescence
our sense of self; according to Erikson, the adolescent’s task is to solidify a sense of self by testing and integrating various roles
identity
the “we” aspect of our self-concept; the part of our answer to “Who am I?” that comes from our group memberships
social identity
in Erikson’s theory, the ability to form close, loving relationships; a primary developmental task in late adolescence and early adulthood
intimacy
for some people in modern cultures, a period from the late teens to mid-twenties, bridging the gap between adolescent dependence and full independence and responsible adulthood
emerging adulthood
the sex chromosome found in both men and women
X chromosome
the sex chromosome found only in males; when paired with an X chromosome from the mother, it produces a male child
Y chromosome
the most important of the male sex hormones. Both males and females have it, but the additional amount in males stimulates the growth of the male sex organs in the fetus and the development of the male sex characteristics during puberty
testosterone
the period of sexual maturation, during which a person becomes capable of reproducing
puberty
the body structures (ovaries, testes, and external genitalia) that make sexual reproduction possible
primary sex characteristics
nonreproductive sexual traits, such as female breasts and hips, male voice quality, and body hair
secondary sex characteristics
a life-threatening, sexually transmitted infection caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); depletes the immune system, leaving the person vulnerable to infections
AIDS
an enduring sexual attraction toward members of either one’s own sex (homosexual orientation), the other sex (heterosexual orientation), or both sexes (bisexual orientation)
sexual orientation
the time of natural cessation of menstruation; also refers to the biological changes a woman experiences as her ability to reproduce declines
menopause
a study in which people of different ages are compared with one another
cross-sectional study
research in which the same people are restudied and retested over a long period
longitudinal study
the culturally preferred timing of social events such as marriage, parenthood, and retirement
social clock
the first menstrual period
menarche
a branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive, and social change throughout the life span
developmental psychology
