Child Development Flashcards
Genes
The biochemical units of heredity that direct how our cells become specialized for various functions during prenatal development
Embryo
The developing human organism from about two weeks after fertilization through the end of the eighth week
Fetus
The developing human organism from nine weeks after conception to birth
Teratogens
Substances that cross the placental barrier and prevent and prevent the fetus from developing normally
Fetal Alcohol syndrome
A series of physical and cognitive abnormalities that appear in children whose mothers consumed large amounts of alcohol while pregnant. Symptoms may include noticeable facial misproportions
Rooting Reflex
A baby’s tendency, when touched on the cheek, to open the mouth and search for the nipple; this is an automatic, unlearned response
Temperament
A persons characteristic emotional reactivity and intensity
Maturation
Biological growth processes that enable orderly changes in behavior, relatively uninfluenced by experience
Zygote
The fertilized egg; it enters a two week period of rapid cell division and develops into an embryo
Jean Piaget (1896-1980)
Pioneer in the study of developmental psychology who introduced a stage theory of cognitive development that led to a better understanding of children’s thought process
Cognition
All the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, and remembering
Schemes
Concepts or mental frameworks that organize and interpret information
Assimilation
Interpreting ones new experience in terms of ones existing schemas
Accommodation
Adapting ones current understanding to incorporate new info
Sensorimotor Stage
In Piagets theory, the stage from from birth to two years, during which infants know the world mostly in terms of their sensory impressions and motor activities
Object Permanence
The awareness that things continue to exist even when you can not see or hear them
Preoperational Stage
In Piagets theory, the stage from 2 to 7 years old, during which a child learns to use language but does not yet comprehend the mental operations of concrete logic
Conservation
The principle that properties such as mass, volume, and number, remain the same despite changes in the forms of objects
Egocentrism
The inability of the ore preoperational child to take another’s point of view
Concrete Operational Stage
In Piagets theory, stage from 6 to 11 years old, during which children gain e mental skills that let them think logically about concrete events
Formal operational
Piagets theory, stage from 12 to adult, during which people begin to think logically about abstract concepts and form strategies
Stranger Anxiety
Fear of Strangers begins about 8 months
Attachment
An emotional tie with another person
Harry Harlow
Psychologist who researched the relationship of body contact and nourishment to attachment, using infant monkeys and artificial mothers
Critical Period
An optimal period shortly after birth when an organism’s exposure to certain stimuli or experiences produces proper development
Konrad Lorenz
Researcher who focused on critical attachment periods in baby birds, a concept he called imprinting
Authoritarian Parenting
Style of parenting marked by imposing rules and expecting obedience
Permissive Parenting
Style of parenting marked by submitting to children’s desires, making few demands, and using little punishment
Authoritative Parenting
A style of parenting marked by making demands on the child, being responsive, setting and enforcing rules and discussing the reasons behind the rules
