Developmental Psychology - Level 4 Flashcards
accommodation
Modifying an existing schema to fit a new experience.
achievement motivation
A person’s tendency to strive for successful performance, to evaluate her performance against standards of excellence, and to feel pleasure at having performed successfully.
acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)
A viral disease that attacks the body’s immune systems; transmitted to a foetus or newborn in the form of the human immunodeficiency virus (HITS, this disorder weakens the child’s immune system and may ultimately cause its death.
active genetic–environmental interaction
A kind of interaction in which people’s genes encourage them to seek out experiences compatible with their
inherited tendencies.
activity theory
The theory that successful ageing involves maintaining interest in activities into late adulthood.
adaptation
Adjusting one’s thinking to fit with environmental demands.
aetiology
In medicine and psychiatry, the cause or causes of a specific disorder.
age cohort
People born within the same generation.
age of viability
The age of 22 to 26 weeks from conception, at which point the foetus’s physical systems are advanced enough that it has a chance to survive if born prematurely.
aggression
Behaviour that intentionally harms other people by inflicting pain or injury on them.
aggressive rejected children
Rejected children who have low self-control, are
highly aggressive and exhibit behaviour problems.
allele
Alleles are alternative forms of a gene. An individual typically has two alleles – one from the mother and one from the father.
altruism
An unselfish concern for the welfare of others.
amniotic sac
A membrane that contains the developing organism and the amniotic fluid around it; sac and fluid protect the organism from physical shocks and temperature changes.
androgynous
Possessing both feminine and masculine psychological characteristics.
andropause
The ‘male menopause’, linked to a decline in the production of testosterone but with varying symptoms and not universally acknowledged to exist.
animistic thinking
The attribution of life to inanimate objects.
approach/avoidance behaviour
A pattern of interaction in which the infant or child shows an inconsistent pattern of approaching and retreating from a person or an object.
assimilation
Applying an existing schema to a new experience.
associative learning
According to Jensen, lower-level learning tapped in tests of such things as short-term memorization and recall, attention, rote learning, and simple associative skills. Also called level I learning.
attachment
A strong emotional bond that forms between infant and caregiver in the second half of the child’s first year.
Attachment Q Sort (AQS)
An assessment method in which a caregiver or observer
judges the quality of a child’s attachment based on the child’s behaviour in naturalistic situations, often including brief separations from parents.
attention
The identification and selection of particular sensory input for more detailed processing.
attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
A childhood disorder characterized by a persistent pattern of inattention and hyperactivity or impulsivity that far exceeds such behaviours observed in children at comparable levels of development.
authoritarian parenting
Parenting that is harsh, unresponsive and rigid, and in which parents tend to use power-assertive methods of control.
authoritative parenting
Parenting that is warm, responsive and involved yet unintrusive, and in which parents set reasonable limits and expect appropriately mature behaviour from their children.
autistic disorder
A lifelong disorder in which children’s ability to communicate and interact socially is seriously impaired;
children with autism have specific language deficiencies, demonstrate a need for sameness in their environment, and often engage in repetitive and stereotyped kinds of behaviours.
autobiographical memory
A collection of memories of things that have happened to a person at a specific time or place.
automatization
The process of transforming conscious, controlled behaviours into unconscious and automatic ones.
autosomes
The 22 paired non-sex chromosomes.
average children
Children who have some friends but who are not as well liked as popular children.
basic reflex activity
An infant’s exercise of, and growing proficiency in, the use of innate reflexes.
