Psych 4 Flashcards
Stages of Development
a branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive, and social change throughout the life span
developmental psychology
the fertilized egg; it enters a 2-week period of rapid cell division and develops into an embryo
zygote
the developing human organism from about 2 weeks after fertilization through the second month
embryo
The developing human organism from 9 weeks after conception to birth
Fetus
(literally, “monster maker”) agents, such as chemicals and viruses, that can reach the embryo or fetus during prenatal development and cause harm
Teratoogens
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)
decreasing responsiveness with repeated stimulation. As infants gain familiarity with repeated exposure to a visual stimulus, their interest wanes and they look away sooner
Habituation
biological growth processes that enable orderly changes in behavior, relatively uninfluenced by experience
Maturation
all the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating
Cognition
a concept or framework that organizes and interprets information
Schema
interpreting our new experiences in terms of our existing schemas
Assimilation
adapting our current understandings (schemas) to incorporate new information
Accomadation
in Piaget’s theory, the stage (from birth to about 2 years of age) during which infants know the world mostly in terms of their sensory impressions and motor activities
Sensorimo For Stage
the awareness that things continue to exist even when not perceived
Object Permanence
in Piaget’s theory, the stage (from about 2 to 6 or 7 years of age) during which a child learns to use language but does not yet comprehend the mental operations of concrete logic
Preoperational Stage
the principle (which Piaget believed to be a part of concrete operational reasoning) 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
people’s ideas about their own and others’ mental states—about their feelings, perceptions, and thoughts, and the behaviors these might predict.
Theory of Mind
in Piaget’s theory, the stage of cognitive development from about 7 years to 11 years of age) during which children gain the mental operations that enable them to think logically about concrete events
Concrete operational stage
in Piaget’s theory, the stage of cognitive development (normally beginning about age 12) during which people begin to think logically about abstract concepts
Formal Operational Stage
in Vygotsky’s theory, a framework that offers children temporary support as they develop higher levels of thinking
Scaffold
a disorder that appears in childhood and is marked by significant deficiencies in communication and social interaction, and by rigidly fixated interests and repetitive behaviors
Autism Spectrum Disorder
the fear of strangers that infants commonly display, beginning by about 8 months of age
Stranger Anxiety
an emotional tie with another person; shown in young children by their seeking closeness to the caregiver and showing distress on separation
Attachment
an optimal period early in the life of an organism when exposure to certain stimuli or experiences produces normal development
Critical Period
the process by which certain animals form attachments during a critical period very early in life
Imprinting
according to Erik Erikson, a sense that the world is predictable and trustworthy; said to be formed during infancy by appropriate experiences with responsive caregivers
Basic Trust
all our thoughts and feelings about ourselves, in answer to the question, “Who am I?”
Self-Concept
the transition period from childhood to adulthood, extending from puberty to independence
Adolescence
the period of sexual maturation, during which a person becomes capable of reproducing
Puberty
our sense of self; according to Erikson, the adolescent’s task is to solidify a sense of self by testing and integrating various roles
Identity
the “we” aspect of our self-concept; the part of our answer to “Who am I?” that comes from our group memberships
Social Identity
in Erikson’s theory, the ability to form close, loving relationships; a primary developmental task in late adolescence and early adulthood
Intimacy
a period from about age 18 to the mid-twenties, when many in Western cultures are no longer adolescents but have not yet achieved full independence as adults
Emerging Adulthood
the time of natural cessation of menstruation; also refers to the biological changes a woman experiences as her ability to reproduce declines
Menopause
research that compares people of different ages at the same point in time
Cross-Sectional Study
research approach that follows a group of people over time to determine change or stability in behavior.
Longitudinal Study
acquired (not lifelong) disorders marked by cognitive deficits; often related to Alzheimer’s disease, brain injury or disease, or substance abuse; formerly called dementia
Neurocognitive Disorders
a neurocognitive disorder marked by neural plaques, often with an onset after age 80, and entailing a progressive decline in memory and other cognitive abilities
Alzheimer’s disease
the culturally preferred timing of social events such as marriage, parenthood, and retirement
Social Clock
