Chapter 9 Human Development

Question 1

Accommodation

Answer 1

The process by which we create a new schema or drastically alter an existing schema to include new information that otherwise would not fit into the schema. (See page 385)

Question 2

Assimilation

Answer 2

The process by which we place new information into an existing schema. (See page 385)

Question 3

Attachment

Answer 3

A strong emotional connection that persists over time and across circumstances. (See page 374)

Question 4

Concrete operational stage

Answer 4

The third stage in Piaget’s theory of cognitive development; during this stage, children begin to think about and understand logical operations, and they are no longer fooled by appearances. (See page 387)

Question 5

Conventional level

Answer 5

Middle stage of moral development; at this level, strict adherence to societal rules and the approval of others determine what is moral. (See page 391)

Question 6

Developmental psychology

Answer 6

The study of changes, over the life span, in physiology, cognition, emotion, and social behavior. (See page 366)

Question 7

Dynamic systems theory

Answer 7

The view that development is a self-organizing process, where new forms of behavior emerge through consistent interactions between a biological being and his or her cultural and environmental contexts. (See page 370)

Question 8

Formal operational stage

Answer 8

The final stage in Piaget’s theory of cognitive development; during this stage, people can think abstractly, and they can formulate and test hypotheses through deductive logic. (See page 388)

Question 9

Gender identity

Answer 9

Personal beliefs about whether one is male or female. (See page 401)

Question 10

Gender roles

Answer 10

The characteristics associated with males and females because of cultural influence or learning. (See page 401)

Question 11

Gender schemas

Answer 11

Cognitive structures that reflect the perceived appropriateness of male and female characteristics and behaviors. (See page 401)

Question 12

Infantile amnesia

Answer 12

The inability to remember events from early childhood. (See page 383)

Question 13

Insecure attachment

Answer 13

The attachment style for a minority of infants; the infant may exhibit insecure attachment through various behaviors, such as avoiding contact with the caregiver, or by alternating between approach and avoidance behaviors. (See page 377)

Question 14

Object permanence

Answer 14

The understanding that an object continues to exist even when it cannot be seen. (See page 386)

Question 15

Postconventional level

Answer 15

Highest stage of moral development; at this level, decisions about morality depend on abstract principles and the value of all life. (See page 391)

Question 16

Preconventional level

Answer 16

Earliest level of moral development; at this level, self-interest and event outcomes determine what is moral. (See page 391)

Question 17

Preoperational stage

Answer 17

The second stage in Piaget’s theory of cognitive development; during this stage, children think symbolically about objects, but they reason based on intuition and superficial appearance rather than logic. (See page 386)

Question 18

Secure attachment

Answer 18

The attachment style for a majority of infants; the infant is confident enough to play in an unfamiliar environment as long as the caregiver is present and is readily comforted by the caregiver during times of distress. (See page 377)

Question 19

Sensitive periods

Answer 19

Time periods when specific skills develop most easily. (See page 373)

Question 20

Sensorimotor stage

Answer 20

The first stage in Piaget’s theory of cognitive development; during this stage, infants acquire information about the world through their senses and motor skills. Reflexive responses develop into more deliberate actions through the development and refinement of schemas. (See page 386)

Question 21

Synaptic pruning

Answer 21

A process whereby the synaptic connections in the brain that are used are preserved, and those that are not used are lost. (See page 372)

Question 22

Telegraphic speech

Answer 22

The tendency for toddlers to speak using rudimentary sentences that are missing words and grammatical markings but follow a logical syntax and convey a wealth of meaning. (See page 394)

Question 23

Teratogens

Answer 23

Environmental agents that harm the embryo or fetus. (See page 368)

Question 24

Theory of mind

Answer 24

The term used to describe the ability to explain and predict another person’s behavior as a result of recognizing her or his mental state. (See page 390)