Development Psychology

Question 1

Brain

Answer 1

The organ in your head made up of nerves. It processes information and controls behaviour.

Question 2

Forebrain

Answer 2

The anterior part of the brain, including the hemispheres and the central brain structures.

Question 3

Midbrain

Answer 3

The middle section of the brain forming part of the central nervous system.

Question 4

Hindbrain

Answer 4

The lower part of the brain that includes the cerebellum, pons and medulla oblongata.

Question 5

Anterior

Answer 5

Directed towards the front (when used in relation to our biology).

Question 6

Posterior

Answer 6

Directed towards the back (when used in relation to our biology).

Question 7

Cerebellum

Answer 7

An area of the brain near to the brainstem that controls motor movements (muscle activity).

Question 8

Medulla oblongata

Answer 8

Connects the upper brain to the spinal cord and controls automatic responses. It controls involuntary responses such as sneezing and breathing, as well as heart rate and blood pressure.

Question 9

Involuntary response

Answer 9

A response to a stimulus that occurs without someone making a conscious choice. They are automatic, such as reflexes.

Question 10

Neural connections

Answer 10

Links formed by messages passing from one nerve cell (neuron) to another.

Question 11

Seriation

Answer 11

sorting objects into an order. Develops during the concrete operational stage.

Question 12

Conservation

Answer 12

The child knows that quantity, length or number are not related to shape e.g. juice test

Question 13

Decentration

Answer 13

Ability to take on another’s viewpoint.

Question 14

Symbolic Play

Answer 14

Children use other objects e.g. toys to represent other things. This develops at the pre-operational stage.

Question 15

Egocentric

Answer 15

Unable to see the world from another’s point of view.

Question 16

Animism

Answer 16

The belief that objects can behave as if they were alive.

Question 17

Reversibility

Answer 17

Understanding that action can return something to its original state. Develops in the concrete operational stage.

Question 18

Morality

Answer 18

The general principle about what is right and wrong,

Question 19

Symbolic play

Answer 19

Children play using objects and ideas to represent other objects and ideas.

Question 20

Schema

Answer 20

Mental representations of the world based on one’s own experiences

Question 21

Sensorimotor stage

Answer 21

Infants use their senses and movements to get information about the world. at first, they live in the present. They develop object permanence and learn to control their movements.

Question 22

Pre-operational stage

Answer 22

Children engage in symbolic play. They think in pictures and use symbols, including some words (the beginning of language development). Children are egocentric and show animism. Later in this stage, they start reasoning and show centration and irreversibility.

Question 23

Formal operational stage

Answer 23

Develops around 12 years old and is associated with moral reasoning and deductive reasoning.

Question 24

Concrete operational stage

Answer 24

develops at 7 to 12 and involves the development of abilities to such conservation, reversibility, serration and decentration.

Question 25

Equilibrium

Answer 25

When a child’s schemas can explain all that they experience - a state of mental balance may have resulted from new accommodation.

Question 26

Assimilation

Answer 26

Incorporating new experiences into existing schemas.

Question 27

Accommodation

Answer 27

When a schema has to be changed to deal with a new experience.