unit 6 developmental psych

Question 1

developmental psychology

Answer 1

a branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive, and social change throughout the life span

Question 2

zygote

Answer 2

the fertilized egg; it enters a two week period of rapid cell division and develops into an embryo

Question 3

embryo

Answer 3

the developing human organism from about two weeks after fertilization through the second month

Question 4

fetus

Answer 4

the developing human organism from nine weeks after conception to birth

Question 5

teratogens

Answer 5

“monster makers”
agents, such as chemicals and viruses, that can reach the embryo or fetus during prenatal development and cause harm

Question 6

fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)

Answer 6

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

Question 7

habituation

Answer 7

decreasing responsiveness to repeated exposure to a stimulus

Question 8

maturation

Answer 8

biological growth processes that enable orderly changes in behavior, relatively uninfluenced by experience

Question 9

cognition

Answer 9

all the mental abilities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating

Question 10

schema

Answer 10

a concept or framework that organizes and interprets information

Question 11

assimilation

Answer 11

interpreting our new experiences in terms of our existing schemas

Question 12

accomodation

Answer 12

adapting our current understandings (schemas) to incorporate new information

Question 13

sensorimotor stage

Answer 13

in piaget’s theory, the stage (from birth to early two years of age) during which infants know the world mostly in terms of their sensory impressions and motor activities

Question 14

object permanence

Answer 14

the awareness that things continue to exist even when not perceived

Question 15

preoperational stage

Answer 15

in piaget’s theory, the stage (from about 2 to 6-7 years of age) during which a child learns to use language but does not yet comprehend the mental operations of concrete logic

Question 16

conservation

Answer 16

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

Question 17

egocentrism

Answer 17

in piaget’s theory, the preoperational child’s difficulty taking another’s point of view

Question 18

theory of mind

Answer 18

people’s ideas about their own and others’ mental states- about their feelings, perceptions, and thoughts, and behaviors these might predict

Question 19

concrete operational stage

Answer 19

in piaget’s theory, the stage of cognitive development (about 7 to 11 years of age) during which children gain the mental operations that enable them to think logically about concrete events

Question 20

formal operational stage

Answer 20

in piaget’s theory, the stage of cognitive development (normally beginning about age 12) during which people begin to think logically about abstract concepts

Question 21

scaffold

Answer 21

a framework that offers children temporary support as they develop higher levels of thinking

Question 22

autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

Answer 22

a disorder that appears in children and is marked by significant deficiencies in communication and social interaction, and by rigidly fixated interests and repetitive behaviors

Question 23

stranger anxiety

Answer 23

the fear of strangers that infants commonly display, beginning by about 8 months of age

Question 24

attachment

Answer 24

an emotional tie with another person; shown in young children by seeking their closeness to their caregiver and showing distress on separation

Question 25

critical period

Answer 25

an optimal period early in the life of an organism when exposure to certain stimuli or experiences produces normal development

Question 26

imprinting

Answer 26

the process by which certain animals form strong attachments during early life

Question 27

strange situation

Answer 27

a procedure studying child-caregiver attachment; a child is placed in an unfamiliar environment while their caregiver leaves and then returns, and the child’s reactions are observed

Question 28

secure attachment

Answer 28

demonstrated by infants who comfortably explore their environments in the presence of their caregiver; show only temporary distress when the caregiver leaves, and find comfort in the caregiver’s return

Question 29

insecure attachment

Answer 29

demonstrated by infants who display a clinging anxious attachment or an avoidant attachment that resists closeness

Question 30

temperament

Answer 30

a person’s characteristic(s) emotional reactivity and intensity

Question 31

basic trust

Answer 31

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

Question 32

self-concept

Answer 32

all out thoughts and feelings about ourselves in answer to the question “who am i?”

Question 33

sex (chromosomes)

Answer 33

define or determine if you are male or female

Question 34

gender

Answer 34

in psychology, the socially influenced characteristics by which people define boy, girl, man and woman

Question 35

aggression

Answer 35

any physical or verbal behavior intended to harm someone physically or emotionally

Question 36

relational aggression

Answer 36

an act of aggression (physical or verbal) intended to harm a person’s relationship or social standing

Question 37

role

Answer 37

a set of expectations (norms) about a social position, defining how those in the position ought to behave

Question 38

gender role

Answer 38

a set of expected behaviors, attitudes, and traits for males and for females

Question 39

gender identity

Answer 39

our sense of being male, female, or some combination of the two

Question 40

social learning theory

Answer 40

the theory that we learn social behavior by observing and by being rewarded or punished

Question 41

gender typing

Answer 41

the acquisition of a traditional masculine or feminine role

Question 42

androgyny

Answer 42

displaying both traditional masculine and feminine psychological characteristics

Question 43

transgender

Answer 43

an umbrella term describing people whose gender identity or expression differs from that associated with their birth-designated sex

Question 44

adolescence

Answer 44

the transition period from childhood to adulthood, extending from puberty to independence

Question 45

puberty

Answer 45

the period of sexual maturation, during which a person becomes capable of reproducing

Question 46

identity

Answer 46

our sense of self; according to erikson, the adolescent’s task is to solidify a sense of self by testing and integrating various roles

Question 47

social identity

Answer 47

the “we” aspect of our self-concept; the part of our answer to “who am i?” that comes from our group memberships

Question 48

intimacy (erikson)

Answer 48

in erikson’s theory, the ability to form close, loving relationships; a primary developmental task in young adulthood

Question 49

emerging adulthood

Answer 49

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

Question 50

x chromosome

Answer 50

the sex chromosome found in both males and females; one from each parents produces a female child

Question 51

y chromosome

Answer 51

the sex chromosome typically found only in males when paired with an x chromosome from the mother produces a male child

Question 52

testosterone

Answer 52

the most important male sex hormone; both males and females have it, but the additional testosterone in males stimulates the growth of the male sex organs during the fetal period, and the development of the male sex characteristics during puberty

Question 53

primary sex characteristics

Answer 53

the body structures (ovaries, testes, and external genitalia) that makes sexual reproduction possible

Question 54

secondary sex characteristics

Answer 54

nonreproductive sexual traits, such as female breasts and hips, male voice quality, and body hair

Question 55

intersex

Answer 55

a condition present at birth due to unusual combinations of male and female chromosomes, hormones, and anatomy; possessing biological sexual characteristics of both sexes

Question 56

AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome)

Answer 56

a life-threatening, sexually transmitted infection caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); it depletes the immune system, leaving the person vulnerable to infections

Question 57

sexual orientation

Answer 57

our enduring sexual attraction, usually toward members of our sex (homosexual orientation) or the other sex (heterosexual orientation); variations include attraction toward both sexes (bisexual orientation)

Question 58

menopause

Answer 58

the time of natural cessation of menstruation; also refers to the biological changes a woman experiences as her ability to reproduce declines

Question 59

neurocognitive disorders (NSDs)

Answer 59

acquired (not lifelong) disorders marked by cognitive deficits often related to alzheimer’s disease, brain injury or disease, or substance abuse

Question 60

social clock

Answer 60

the culturally preferred timing of social events such as marriage, parenthood, and retirement