Chapter 3- Developing Through the Life Span Flashcards
Branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive, and social change throughout the life span
Developmental psychology
Threadlike structures made of DNA molecules that contain the genes
Chromosomes
A molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)
The biochemical units of heredity that make up the chromosomes; segments of DNA
Genes
The genetic transfer of characteristics from parents to offspring
Heredity
The complete instructions for making an organism, consisting of all the genetic material in that organism’s chromosomes
Genome
Every external influence, from prenatal nutrition to social support in later life
Environment
The interplay that occurs when the effect of one factor (such as environment) depends on another factor (such as heredity)
Interaction
The study of environmental influences on gene expression that occur without DNA change
Epigenetics
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
Twins who develop from a single fertilized egg that splits in two, creating two genetically identical siblings
Identical twins (monozygotic twins)
Twins who develop from separate fertilized eggs. they are genetically no closer than non-twin brothers and sisters, but they share a prenatal environment
Fraternal twins (dizygotic twins)
The developing human organism from 9 weeks after conception to birth
Fetus
An agent, such as a chemical or virus, that can reach the embryo or fetus during prenatal development and cause harm
Teratogen
Physical and mental 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 (FAS)
A simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus
Reflex
A person’s characteristic emotional reactivity and intensity
Temperament
Biological growth processes leading to orderly changes in behavior, mostly independent of experience
Maturation
A period early in life when exposure to certain stimuli or experiences is needed for proper development
Critical period
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
Adapting our current understandings (schemas) to incorporate new information
Accommodation
In Piaget’s theory, the stage (from birth to nearly 2 years of age) during which infants know the world mostly in terms of their sensory impressions and motor activities
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 6 or 7 years of age) in which a child learns to use language but cannot yet perform 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, volumes, and number remain the same despite changes in shapes
Conservation
The 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 (ASD)
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 Paiget’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, showing distress on separation
Attachment
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
The transition period from childhood to adulthood, extending from puberty to independence
Adolescence
The period of sexual maturation, during which a person becomes capable of reproducing
Puberty
Our sense of self; according to Erik Erikson, the adolescent’s task is to solidify a sense of self by testing and blending 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’ theory, the ability to form close, loving relationships; a primary developmental task in early adulthood
Intimacy
A period from about age 18 to the mid-twenties, when many in Western cultures are no longer adolescents but have not yet achieved full independence as adults
Emerging adulthood
The end of menstruation. in everyday use, it can also mean the biological transition a woman experiences from before until after the end of menstruation
Menopause
The culturally preferred timing of social events such as marriage, parenthood, and retirement
Social clock
XX
Female
XY
Male
Physical and mental abnormalities in children caused by a pregnant woman’s heavy drinking
Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)
We are born with this many times of neurons than we need
Twice as man
All of the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering and communicating
Cognition
The ability to understand that others have beliefs, desires, intentions and perspectives tthat are different from one’s own
Theory of mind
Muscular strength, reaction time, sensory keenness and cardiac output peak in this stage
Early adulthood
Physical vigor more closely linked to health and exercise than age. Physical decline is gradual and gradual decline in fertility
Middle adulthood
Difficulty seeing fine details, increased sensitivity to light. Small, gradual net loss of brain cells, smell, hearing and distance perception changes
Late adulthood
Peak time for some learning and memory
Early adulthood
Greater decline in the ability to recall rather than recognize memory
Middle adulthood
Characterized by better retention of meaningful than meaningless information, longer word production time
Late adulthood
Terminal decline typically occurs during last four years of life
End of life
