Midterm 1 Chapter 1, 5, 6, 7 Flashcards
accommodation
According to Piaget, the modification of existing schemes to permit the incorporation of new events or knowledge. p. 19
adaptation
According to Piaget, an interaction between the organism and the environment that consists of two processes: assimilation and accommodation. p. 19
assimilation
According to Piaget, the incorporation of new events or knowledge into existing schemes. p. 19
behaviourism
John B. Watson’s view that a science or theory of development must study observable behaviour only and investigate relationships between stimuli and responses. p. 8
case study
A carefully drawn biography of the life of an individual. p. 35
child
A person undergoing the period of development from infancy through puberty. p. 4
chronosystem
The environmental changes that occur over time and have an impact on the child (from the Greek chronos, meaning “time”). p. 24
classical conditioning
A simple form of learning in which one stimulus comes to bring forth the response usually elicited by a second stimulus by being paired repeatedly with the second stimulus. p. 13
cognitive-developmental theory
The stage theory that holds that the child’s abilities to mentally represent the world and solve problems unfold as a result of the interaction of experience and the maturation of neurological structures. p. 18
cohort effect
Similarities in behaviour among a group of peers that stem from the fact that group members are approximately the same age. p. 40
control group
A group made up of subjects in an experiment who do not receive the treatment, but for whom all other conditions are comparable to those of subjects in the experimental group. p. 38
correlation
A relationship between variables in which one variable increases as a second variable also increases (a positive correlation) or decreases (a negative correlation). p. 36
correlation coefficient
A number ranging from +1.00 to ?1.00 that expresses the direction (positive or negative) and strength of the relationship between two variables. p. 36
cross-sectional research
The study of developmental processes by taking measures of children of different age groups at the same time. p. 39
cross-sequential research
An approach that combines the longitudinal and cross-sectional methods by following individuals of different ages for abbreviated periods of time. p. 40
dependent variable
In a scientific study, a measure of an assumed effect of an independent variable. p. 38
dynamic systems perspective
View that children’s physical, social, and cognitive development are all part of an integrated and actively changing system. p. 26
ecological systems theory
The view that explains child development in terms of the reciprocal influences between children and the settings that make up their environment. p. 22
ecology
The branch of biology that deals with the relationships between living organisms and their environment. p. 22
empirical
Based on observation and experimentation. p. 33
equilibration
The creation of an equilibrium, or balance, between assimilation and accommodation as a way of incorporating new events or knowledge. p. 19
ethnic groups
Groups of people distinguished by their cultural heritage, race, language, and common history. p. 26
ethology
The study of behaviours that are specific to a species—how these behaviours evolved, help the organism adapt, and develop during critical periods. p. 21
exosystem
Community institutions and settings that indirectly influence the child, such as the school board and the parents’ workplaces (from the Greek exo, meaning “outside”). p. 24
experiment
A method of scientific investigation that seeks to discover cause-and-effect relationships by introducing independent variables and observing their effects on dependent variables. p. 33
experimental group
A group made up of subjects who receive a treatment in an experiment. p. 38
genes
The basic building blocks of heredity. p. 31
growth
The processes by which organisms increase in size, weight, strength, and other traits as they develop. p. 4
hypothesis
A specific statement about behaviour that is tested by research. p. 34
identity achievement
An identity status that characterizes those who have explored alternatives and have developed commitments. p. W16-4
identity diffusion
An identity status that characterizes those who have made no commitments and are not in the process of exploring alternatives; according to Marcia, the stage when adolescents are not committed to an identity and are not questioning who they are yet. p. W16-5
identity foreclosure
According to Marcia, the stage at which adolescents are committed to ready-made values and goals, and have not yet experienced crisis or exploration.p. 13
identity moratorium
According to Marcia, the stage at which adolescents are exploring but have not committed to self-chosen goals and values. p. 14
imprinting
The process by which some animals exhibit the fixed action pattern (FAP) of attachment in response to a releasing stimulus. The FAP occurs during a critical period and is difficult to modify. p. 21
independent variable
In a scientific study, the condition that is manipulated (changed) so that its effects can be observed. p. 38
infancy
The period of very early childhood, characterized by lack of complex speech; the first two years after birth. p. 4
life crisis
An internal conflict that attends each stage of psychosocial development. Positive resolution of early life crises sets the stage for positive resolution of subsequent life crises. p. 12
longitudinal research
The study of developmental processes by taking repeated measures of the same group of children at various stages of development. p. 39
macrosystem
The basic institutions and ideologies that influence the child, such as the western ideals of freedom of expression and equality under the law (from the Greek makros, meaning “long” or “enlarged”). p. 24
mesosystem
The interlocking settings that influence the child, such as the interaction of the school and the larger community when children are taken on field trips (from the Greek mesos, meaning “middle”). p. 24
microsystem
The immediate settings with which the child interacts, such as the home, the school, and the child’s peers (from the Greek mikros, meaning “small”). p. 23
naturalistic observation
A method of scientific observation in which children (and others) are observed in their natural environments. p. 34
nature
The processes within an organism that guide that organism to develop according to its genetic code. p. 31
negative reinforcer
A reinforcer that, when removed, increases the frequency of a behaviour. p. 15
nurture
The processes external to an organism that nourish it as it develops according to its genetic code or that cause it to swerve from its genetically programmed course. Environmental factors that influence development. p. 31
operant conditioning
A simple form of learning in which an organism learns to engage in behaviour that is reinforced. p. 15
positive correlation
A relationship between two variables in which one variable increases as the other variable increases. p. 37
positive reinforcer
A reinforcer that, when applied, increases the frequency of a behaviour. p. 15
psychosexual development
Freud’s view that as children develop, they find sexual gratification through stimulating different parts of their bodies. p. 9
psychosocial development
Erikson’s theory, which emphasizes the importance of social relationships and conscious choice throughout the eight stages of development. p. 12
punishment
An unpleasant stimulus that suppresses behaviour. p. 15
reinforcement
The process of providing stimuli following a behaviour, which has the effect of increasing the frequency of the behaviour. p. 15
scaffolding
Vygotsky’s term for temporary cognitive structures or methods of solving problems that help the child as he or she learns to function independently. p. 25
scheme
According to Piaget, an action pattern (such as a reflex) or mental structure that is involved in the acquisition or organization of knowledge. p. 18
shaping
In learning theory, the gradual building of complex behaviour patterns through reinforcement of successive approximations of the target behaviour. p. 213
social cognitive theory
A cognitively oriented learning theory that emphasizes the role of observational learning in determining behaviour. p. 17
socioeconomic status (SES)
Social position as determined mainly by level of income. p. 28
stage theory
A theory of development characterized by hypothesizing the existence of distinct periods of life. Stages follow one another in an orderly sequence. p. 9
standardized test
A test of some ability or trait in which an individual’s score is compared to the scores of a group of similar individuals. p. 35
stimulus
A change in the environment that leads to a change in behaviour. p. 15
theory
A formulation of relationships underlying observed events. A theory involves assumptions and logically derived explanations and predictions. p. 8
time-lag comparison
The study of developmental processes by taking measures of children of the same age group at different times. p. 41
time-out
A behaviour-modification technique in which a child who misbehaves is temporarily removed from positive reinforcement. p. 16
variables
Quantities that can vary from child to child or from occasion to occasion, such as height, weight, intelligence, and attention span. p. 36
zone of proximal development (ZPD)
Vygotsky’s term for the range of tasks that a child can carry out with the help of someone who is more skilled, frequently an adult who represents the culture in which the child develops. p. 25
development
The processes by which organisms unfold features and traits, grow, and become more complex and specialized in structure and function. p. 4
identity crisis
A turning point in development during which one examines one’s values and makes decisions about life roles; according to Erikson, an adolescent period of inner conflict during which one examines one’s values and makes decisions about one’s life roles. p. W16-4
negative correlation
A relationship between two variables in which one variable decreases as the other variable increases. p. 37
neuroscience
The scientific study of the brain and nervous system. p. 22
treatment
In an experiment, a condition received by subjects so that its effects may be observed. p. 38
axon
A long, thin part of a neuron that transmits impulses to other neurons through small branching structures called axon terminals. p. 166
canalization
The tendency of growth rates to return to genetically determined patterns after undergoing environmentally induced change. p. 63
cerebellum
The part of the hindbrain involved in muscle coordination and balance. p. 168
cerebrum
The large mass of the forebrain, which consists of two hemispheres. p. 168
dendrites
The rootlike parts of a neuron that receive impulses from other neurons. p. 166
differentiation
The processes by which behaviours and physical structures become more specialized. p. 157
failure to thrive (FTT)
A disorder of impaired growth in infancy and early childhood characterized by failure to gain weight within normal limits. p. 159
habituation
A process in which one becomes used to a repeated stimulus and therefore pays less attention to it. p. 180
kwashiorkor
A form of protein-energy malnutrition in which the body may break down its own reserves of protein, resulting in enlargement of the stomach, swollen feet, and other symptoms. p. 163
locomotion
Movement from one place to another. p. 172
marasmus
A wasted, potentially lethal body condition caused by inadequate nutrition and characterized by painful thinness. p. W14-9
medulla
A part of the brain stem that regulates vital and automatic functions such as breathing and the sleep–wake cycle. p. 150
multiple sclerosis
A disorder in which myelin is replaced by hard, fibrous tissue that impedes neural transmission. p. 167
myelin sheath
A fatty, white substance that encases and insulates neurons, permitting more rapid transmission of neural impulses. p. 166
myelination
The process by which axons are coated with myelin. p. 167
nerves
Bundles of axons from many neurons. p. 166