Unit 3 - Development (Modules 42, 43, and 46-51) Flashcards
Developmental Psychology
A branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive and social change throughout the life span
Zygote
The fertilized egg
Embryo
The developing human organism from about two weeks after fertilization through the second month.
Fetus
The developing human organism from 9 weeks after conception to birth
Teratogens
Agents, such as chemicals and viruses, that can reach the embryo or fetus during prenatal development and cause harm
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Physical and cognitive abnormalities in children caused by a pregnant women heavy drinking. Signs include a small out of proportion head and abnormal facial features
Habituation
Decreasing responsiveness with repeated stimulation. as infants gain familiarity with repeated exposure to a stimulus, their interest wanes and they look away sooner
Maturation
Biological growth processes that enable orderly changes in behavior, relatively uninfluenced by experience
Sex
In psychology, the biologically influenced characteristics by which people define male and female
Gender
In psychology, the socially influenced characteristics by which poeple define boy, girl, man and women.
Aggression
Any physical or verbal behavior intended to harm someone physically or emotionally
Relational Aggression
An act of aggression (physical or verbal) intended to harm a persons relationship or social standing
Role
A set of expectations (norms) about a social position, defining how those in the position ought to behave
Gender Role
A set of expected behaviors, attitudes, and traits for males or for females
Gender Identity
Our sense of being male, female, or some combination of the two
Social Learning Theory
The theory that we learn social behavior by observing and imitating and by being rewarded or punished
Gender Typing
The acquisition of a traditional masculine or female role
Androgyny
Displaying both traditional masculine and feminine psychology characteristics
Transgender
An umbrella term describing people whose gender identity or expression differs from that associated with their birth-designated sex
Cognition
All the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering and communicating
Schema
A concept or framework that organizes and interprets information
Assimilation
Interpreting our new experiences in terms of our existing schemas
Accommodation
Adapting our current understandings (schemas) to incorporate new information
Sensorimotor stage
In Piaget’s theory, the stage (birth - 2 years) during which infants know the world mostly in terms of their sensory impressions and motor activities
Object Permanence
The awareness that things continue to exist even when not perceived
Preoperational Stage
In Piaget’s theory, the stage (2 - 6/7 years) during which a child learns to use language but does not yet comprehend the mental operations of concrete logic
Conservation
The principle that properties such as mass, volume and number remain the same despite changes in the forms of objects
Egocentrism
In Piaget’s theory, the preoperational child’s difficulty taking another’s point of view
Theory of Mind
People’s ideas about their own and others mental states - about their feelings, perceptions, and thoughts, and the behaviors these might predict
Concrete Operational Stage
In Piaget’s theory, the stage of cognitive development (7-11 years) during which children gain the mental operations that enable them to think logically about concrete events
Formal Operational Stage
In Piaget’s theory, the stage of development (starting around age 12) during which poeple begin to think logically about abstract concepts
Autism Spectrum Disorder
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
Stranger Anxiety
The fear of strangers that infants commonly display, beginning about 8 months of age
Attachment
An emotional tie with another person; shown in young children by their seeking closeness to their caregiver and showing distress on seperation
Critical Period
An optimal period early in life of an organism when exposure to certain stimuli or experiences produces normal development
Imprinting
The process by which certain animals form strong attachments during early life
Strange Situation
A procedure for studying child-caregiver attachment; a child is placed in an unfamiliar environemnt while their caregiver leaves and then returns, and the childs reactions are observed
Secure Attachment
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
Insecure Attachment
Demonstrated by infants who display either a clinging, anxious attachment or an avoidant attachment that resists closeness
Temperament
A persons characteristic emotional reactivity and intensity
Basic Trust
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
Adolescence
The transition period from childhood to adulthood, extending from puberty to independence
Puberty
The period of sexual maturation, during which a person becomes capable or reproducing
Identity
Our sense of self; according to Erikson, the adolescent’s task is to solidify a sense of self by testing and integrating various roles
Social Identity
The “we” aspect of our self-concept; the part of our answer to “who and I?” that comes from our group memberships
Intimacy
In Erikson’s theory, the ability to form close, loving relationships; a primary developmental task in young adulthood
Menopause
The time of natural cessation of mensuration; also refers to the biological changes a woman experiences as her ability to reproduce declines
Neurocognitive Disorders
Acquired disorders marked by cognitive deficits; often related to Alzheimer’s disease, brain injury or disease, or substance abuse
Alzheimer’s Disease
A neurocognitive disorder marked by neural plaques, often with onset after age 80, and entailing a progressive decline in memory and other cognitive abilities
Social Clock
The culturally preferred timing of social events such as marriage, parenthood and retirement
