Chapter 5: Human Development Key Terms

Question 1

Germinal stage:

Answer 1

The first prenatal stage of development, which begins at conception and lasts 2 weeks.

Question 2

Zygote:

Answer 2

The single cell that results when a sperm fertilizes an egg.

Question 3

Embryo:

Answer 3

A developing organism from 2 weeks until about 8 weeks after conception.

Question 4

Embryonic stage:

Answer 4

The second prenatal stage, from 2 weeks to 8 weeks after conception, when all of the major organs form (nervous system, heart, eyes, ears, arms, lets, teeth, palate, and external genitalia)

Question 5

Fetal stage:

Answer 5

The third prenatal stage, which begins with the formation of bone cells 8 weeks after conception and ends at birth.

Question 6

Neuronal migration:

Answer 6

The movement of neurons from one part of the fetal brain to their more permanent destination; occurs during months 3–5 of the fetal stage.

Question 7

Prenatal programming:

Answer 7

The process by which events in the womb alter the development of physical and psychological health; includes stress and teratogens.

Question 8

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD):

Answer 8

A consequence of prenatal alcohol exposure that causes multiple problems, notably brain damage.

Question 9

Temperament:

Answer 9

The biologically based tendency to behave in particular ways from very early in life.

Where personality stems from.

Question 10

Personality:

Answer 10

The unique and relatively enduring set of behaviors, feelings, thoughts, and motives that characterize an individual.

Question 11

Pruning:

Answer 11

The degradation of synapses and dying off of neurons that are not strengthened by experience.

Think of it as a prune.

Question 12

Sensorimotor stage:

Answer 12

Piaget’s first stage of cognitive development (ages 0–2), when infants learn about the world by using their senses and by moving their bodies.

Object permanence develops between 4 and 9 months.

Question 13

Object permanence:

Answer 13

The ability to realize that objects still exist when they are not being sensed.

Question 14

Preoperational stage:

Answer 14

The second major stage of cognitive development (ages 2–5), which begins with the emergence of symbolic thought.

• Verbal and egocentric thinking develop
• Can do mentally what once could only do physically
• Conservation of shape, number, liquid not yet possible

Question 15

Egocentrism:

Answer 15

Viewing the world from one’s own perspective and not being capable of seeing things from another person’s perspective.

Question 16

Conservation:

Answer 16

Recognition that when some properties (such as shape) of an object change, other properties (such as volume) remain constant.

Question 17

Concrete operational stage:

Answer 17

Piaget’s third stage of cognitive development, which spans ages 6–11, during which the child can perform mental operations—such as reversing—on real objects or events.

• Conservation of shape, number, liquid are now possible
• Logic and reasoning develop, but are limited to appearance and what is concretely observed

Question 18

Formal operational stage:

Answer 18

Piaget’s final stage of cognitive development, from age 11 or 12 through adulthood, when formal logic is possible.

• Abstract reasoning - principles and ideals develop
• Systematic problem-solving is now possible (no longer just trial and error)
• Metacognition
• Scientific reasoning

Question 19

Zone of proximal development:

Answer 19

The distance between what a child can learn ALONE and what that child can learn when ASSISTED by someone else, usually an adult.

Question 20

Preconventional level:

Answer 20

The first level in Kohlberg’s theory of moral reasoning, focusing on avoiding punishment or maximizing rewards.

Judgements are based on personal needs.

“Heinz should not steal the drug because he will get in trouble and go to jail.”

Question 21

Conventional level:

Answer 21

The second level in Kohlberg’s theory of moral reasoning, during which the person values caring, trust, and relationships as well as the social order and lawfulness.

• Rules are rules and they are not to be broken
• Judgements are based on the needs of society; individual needs serve group needs

“Heinz should not steal the drug because stealing is wrong. Society cannot function if people steal all the time.”

Question 22

Postconventional level:

Answer 22

The third level in Kohlberg’s theory of moral reasoning, in which the person recognizes that universal moral rules may trump unjust or immoral local rules.

• Willing to break law - and suffer the consequences - if it is perceived as unjust or immoral
• Judgements balance needs of society with personal convictions

“Although it is legally wrong, Heinz should steal the drug to save his wife’s life. But he also has to be willing to suffer the consequences and go to jail if need be.”

Question 23

Imprinting:

Answer 23

The rapid and innate learning (by the baby) of the characteristics of a caregiver very soon after birth.

Caregiver = first large creature = protector

Question 24

Attachment:

Answer 24

The strong emotional connection that develops early in life between infants and their caregivers.

This relationship shapes the child’s social and emotional development and forms the foundation for social relationships later in life.

Question 25

Separation anxiety:

Answer 25

The distress reaction shown by babies when they are separated from their primary caregiver (typically shown at around 9 months of age).

Question 26

Securely attached:

Answer 26

An attachment style characterized by infants who will gradually explore new situations when the caregiver leaves and initiate contact when the caregiver returns after separation.

Question 27

Emotional competence:

Answer 27

The ability to control emotions and know when it is appropriate to express certain emotions.

Question 28

Adolescence:

Answer 28

The transition period between childhood and adulthood. From 12-18

Question 29

Puberty:

Answer 29

The period when sexual maturation begins; it marks the beginning of adolescence.

Question 30

Menarche:

Answer 30

The first menstrual period.

Question 31

Spermarche:

Answer 31

The first ejaculation.

Question 32

Gender identity:

Answer 32

The gender one feels oneself to be internally.

Question 33

Sexual orientation:

Answer 33

Inherent romantic, emotional, and sexual attraction to other people—whether same-sex, opposite-sex, or both.

Question 34

Transgender identity:

Answer 34

Occurs when one identifies with the gender opposite the one that was assigned at birth.

Question 35

Cisgendered:

Answer 35

When a person’s gender identity is the same (cis) as their sex assigned at birth.

Question 36

Emerging adulthood:

Answer 36

The transitional phase between adolescence and young adulthood; includes ages 18–25 years.

Question 37

Young adulthood:

Answer 37

The development stage that usually happens by the mid-20s, when people complete the key developmental tasks of emerging adulthood.

Question 38

Parenting style:

Answer 38

Techniques that parents use to control and socialize their children.

Question 39

Intimacy:

Answer 39

As defined by Erikson, the ability to fuse one’s identity with another’s without the fear of losing it.

Before they have completely figured out who they are, people may develop very close love relationships and then let the relationship define who they are, which is not healthy

Question 40

Individuation:

Answer 40

The process of a person’s personality becoming whole and full, usually in middle adulthood.

Question 41

Generativity:

Answer 41

A term Erik Erikson used to describe the process in adulthood of creating new ideas, products, or people.

Question 42

Stagnation:

Answer 42

A situation in which an adult becomes more self-focused than oriented toward others and does not contribute in a productive way to society or family.

Question 43

Fluid intelligence:

Answer 43

One type of intelligence: Raw mental ability, pattern recognition, and abstract reasoning that can be applied to a problem one has never confronted before.

Question 44

Crystallized intelligence:

Answer 44

One type of intelligence: The kind of knowledge that one gains from experience and learning, education, and practice.

Question 45

Dementia:

Answer 45

A loss of mental function, in which many cognitive processes are impaired, such as the ability to remember, reason, solve problems, make decisions, and use language.

Question 46

Alzheimer’s disease:

Answer 46

A degenerative disease marked by progressive cognitive decline and characterized by a collection of symptoms, including confusion, memory loss, mood swings, and eventual loss of physical function.

Question 47

Teratogens:

Answer 47

Substances that can disrupt normal prenatal development and cause lifelong deficits.