Chapter 9 Human Development Flashcards
Accommodation
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)
Assimilation
The process by which we place new information into an existing schema. (See page 385)
Attachment
A strong emotional connection that persists over time and across circumstances. (See page 374)
Concrete operational stage
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)
Conventional level
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)
Developmental psychology
The study of changes, over the life span, in physiology, cognition, emotion, and social behavior. (See page 366)
Dynamic systems theory
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)
Formal operational stage
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)
Gender identity
Personal beliefs about whether one is male or female. (See page 401)
Gender roles
The characteristics associated with males and females because of cultural influence or learning. (See page 401)
Gender schemas
Cognitive structures that reflect the perceived appropriateness of male and female characteristics and behaviors. (See page 401)
Infantile amnesia
The inability to remember events from early childhood. (See page 383)
Insecure attachment
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)
Object permanence
The understanding that an object continues to exist even when it cannot be seen. (See page 386)
Postconventional level
Highest stage of moral development; at this level, decisions about morality depend on abstract principles and the value of all life. (See page 391)
Preconventional level
Earliest level of moral development; at this level, self-interest and event outcomes determine what is moral. (See page 391)
Preoperational stage
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)
Secure attachment
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)
Sensitive periods
Time periods when specific skills develop most easily. (See page 373)
Sensorimotor stage
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)
Synaptic pruning
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)
Telegraphic speech
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)
Teratogens
Environmental agents that harm the embryo or fetus. (See page 368)
Theory of mind
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)
