Unit 9 Flashcards
Developmental Psychology
a branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive, and social change throughout the life span
Zygote
a fertilized egg
Fetus
the developing human organism from 9 weeks after conception to birth
Embryo
stage in prenatal development from 2 to 8 weeks
teratogens
agents, such as chemicals and viruses, that can reach the embryo or fetus during prenatal development and cause harm
Attachment
The strong bond (social-emotional) a child forms with his or her primary caregiver.
Maturation
the internally programmed growth of a child
Assimilation
the process of assimilating new ideas into an existing cognitive structure
Accommodation
in the theories of Jean Piaget: the modification of internal representations in order to accommodate a changing knowledge of reality
Sensorimotor Stage
the first stage in Piaget’s theory, during which the child relies heavily on innate motor responses to stimuli
Object Permanence
the awareness that things continue to exist even when not perceived
Preoperational Stage
the second stage in Piaget’s theory, marked by well-developed mental representation and the use of language
Egocentrism
In Piaget’s theory, the preoperational child’s difficulty taking another’s point of view.
Concrete Operational Stage
the third of Piaget’s stages, when a child understands conversation but still is incapable of abstract thought
Conservation
the principle that properties such as mass, volume, and number remain the same despite changes in the forms of objects
Theory of Mind
an awareness that other people’s behavior may be influenced by beliefs, desires, and emotions that differ from one’s own
Temperament
individuals characteristic manner of behavior or reaction assumed to have a strong genetic basis
Adolescence
the time period between the beginning of puberty and adulthood
Puberty
the period of sexual maturation, during which a person becomes capable of reproducing
Primary Sex Characteristics
the body structures (ovaries, testes, and external genitalia) that make sexual reproduction possible
Secondary Sex Characteristics
Physical features that are associated with gender but that are not directly involved in reproduction.
Formal Operational Stage
In Piaget’s theory, the fourth stage of cognitive development during which people begin to think logically about abstract concepts
Mary Ainsworth
developmental psychology; compared effects of maternal separation, devised patterns of attachment; “The Strange Situation”: observation of parent/child attachment
Erik Erikson
8 psychosocial stages of development: theory shows how people evolve through the life span. Each stage is marked by a psychological crisis that involves confronting “Who am I?”