Development Flashcards
in developmental psychology, adapting our current understandings (schemas) to incorporate new information
accomodation
interpreting our new experiences in terms of our existing schemas;similarities
assimilation
all the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating
cognition
the principle that properties such as mass, volume, and number remain the same despite changes in the forms of objects
conservation
in Piaget’s theory, the preoperational child’s difficulty taking another’s point of view
egocentrism
physical and cognitive 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)
the developing human organism from 9 weeks after conception to birth
fetus
decreasing responsiveness with repeated exposure to a stimulus
habituation
biological growth processes that enable orderly changes in behavior, relatively uninfluenced by experience
maturation
the awareness that things continue to exist even when not perceived
object permanence
In Piaget’s theory, the stage (from about 2-7) during which a child learns to use language but does not yet comprehend the mental operations of concrete logic
preoperational stage
a concept or framework that organizes and interprets information
schema
in Piaget’s theory, a stage (from about birth-2 years) during which infants know the world mostly in terms of their sensory impressions and motor activities
sensorimotor stage
agents, such as chemicals and viruses that can reach the embryo or fetus during prenatal development and cause harm
teratogens
people’s ideas about their own and other’s mental states-about their feelings, perceptions, and thoughts, and the behaviors that these may predict
theory of mind
an emotional tie with another person; shown in young children by their seeking of closeness to the caregiver and showing distress on separation
attachment
in Piaget’s theory, the stage of cognitive development (from about 6/7-11 years) during which children gain the mental operations that enable them to think logically about events
concrete operational stage
an optimal period shortly after birth when an organism’s exposure to certain stimuli or experiences produce proper development
critical period
in Piaget’s theory, the stage of development ( normally beginning around age 12) during which people begin to think logically about abstract concepts
formal operational stage
in psychology, the biologically and socially influenced characteristics by which people define male and female
gender
our sense of being male, female, or some combination of the two; seeing who we are
gender identity
set of expected behaviors, attitudes, and traits for males or females; a set of expectations specifically for one gender or the other
gender roles
the acquisition of a traditional masculine or feminine role; to learn the role of male or female
gender typing
demonstrated by infants who display either a clinging, anxious attachment or an avoidant attachment that resists closeness
insecure attachment
a set of expectations (norms) about a social position, defining how those in the position ought to behave; just a set of expectations
role
demonstrated by infants who comfortably explore environments in the presence of their caregiver, show only temporary distress when the caregiver leaves and find comfort in the caregiver’s return
secure attachment
all our thoughts and feelings about ourselves, in answer to the question, “Who am I?”
self-concept
the fear of strangers that infants commonly display, beginning by about 8 months
stranger anxiety
the theory that we learn social behavior by observing and imitating and by being rewarded or punished
social learning theory
a person’s characteristic emotional reactivity and intensity
temperament
the transition period from childhood to adulthood, extending from puberty to independence
adolescence
a neurocognitive disorder marked by neural plaques, often with onset after age 80 and entailing a progressive decline in memory and other cognitive abilities
Alzheimer’s
research that compares people of different ages at the same point in time; quicker, less expensive test
cross-sectional study
research in which the same people are restudied and retested over a long period
longitudinal study
the time of natural cessation of menstruation; also refers to the biological changes a woman experiences as her ability to reproduce declines
menopause
acquired (not lifelong) disorders marked by cognitive deficits; often related to alzheimer’s disease, brain injury or disease, or substance abuse. in older adults neurocognitive disorders were formerly called dementia
neurocognitive disorders
the body structures (ovaries, testes, and external genitalia) that make sexual reproduction possible; these are needed to reproduce
primary sexual characteristics
the period of sexual maturation, during which a person becomes capable of reproducing
puberty
nonreproductive sexual traits, such as female breasts and hips, male voice quality, and hair; these are not needed to reproduce
secondary sexual characteristics
our enduring sexual attraction, usually toward members of our own sex or the other sex; variations include attractions to both sexes
sexual orientation
the culturally preferred timing of social events such as marriage, parenthood, and retirement
social clock
the “we” aspect of our self-concept; the part of our answer to “Who am I?” that comes from our group memberships; figuring out who we should associate ourselves with
social identity
an umbrella term describing people whose gender identity or expression differs from that associated with their birth sex
transgender
the sex chromosome found in both men and women. Females have 2; males have 1. One of these chromosomes from each parent produces a a female child
X chromosome
the sex chromosome found only in males
Y chromosome
