CHAPTER 10 Vocab G-Z Flashcards
A gradual reduction in the strength of a response when a stimulus event is presented repeatedly
Habituation
Careful systematic observation of one’s own conscious experience
Introspection
The inability to envision reversing an action
Irreversibility
A densely connected network of structures roughly located along the border between the cerebral cortex and deeper subcortical areas
Limbic system
A research design in which investigators observe one group of subjects repeatedly over a period of time
Longitudinal design
Development that reflects the gradual unfolding of one’s genetic blueprint
Maturation
The first occurrence of menstruation
Menarche
Subnormal general mental ability accompanied by deficiencies in everyday living skills originating prior to age 18
Mental retardation
Combining the statistical results of many studies of the same question, yielding an estimate of the size and consistency of a variable’s effects
Meta-analysis
A difficult, turbulent period of doubts and reappraisal of one’s life
Mid-life crisis
A person whose behavior is observed another
Model
The progression of muscular coordination required for physical activities
Motor development
Drugs derived from opium that are capable of relieving pain
Narcotics (opiates)
Recognizing that objects continue to exist even when they are no longer visible
Object permanence
A general tendency to expect good outcomes
Optimism
The release of sexual tension that occurs when arousal reaches its peak intensity and is discharged in a series of muscular contractions that pulsate through the pelvic area
Orgasm
A durable disposition to behave in a particular way in a variety of situations
Personality trait
The “master gland” of the endocrine system
Pituitary gland
A structure that allows oxygen and nutrients to pass into the fetus from the other’s bloodstream and bodily wastes to pass out to the mother
Placenta
The period from conception to birth, usually encompassing nine months of pregnancy
Prenatal period
The sexual structures necessary for reproduction
Primary sex characteristics
Active efforts to discover what must be done to achieve a goal that is not readily available
Problem solving
The repository of memories for actions, skills, and operations
Procedural memory system
The center - outward direction of motor development
Proximodistal trend
