Unit 9: Developmental Psychology Flashcards
(113 cards)
developmental psychologist
studies how heredity and the environment influence human development and behavior throughout the lifespan
nature versus nurture
debate on whether heretical factors or environmental factors influence cognition and behavior
X chromosome
sex chromosome found in both genders
Y chromosome
sex chromosome found in males
Zygote
fertilized egg
How do heredity and environments affect development?
Heredity influences development by predisposing organisms to certain traits and behaviors. It is the environment that shapes those behaviors
temperament
natural tendency to think, feel, and behave a specific way
embryo
organism in the embryonic stage of prenatal development
fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)
when there are high alcohol levels in the baby due to mother’s consumption of alcohol
fetus
organism in the fetal stage of prenatal development
maturation
physical changes and development due to genetic programming
newborn reflexes
involuntary movements that newborns exhibit in responses to stimuli
What can newborn babies do?
Newborns exhibit natural reflexes such as the moro, sucking, grasping, and rooting reflexes
What influences does maturation have on early development?
Maturation facilitates early physical development
autism spectrum disorder
children deficient in communication and social interactions; have specific and repetitive interests
Habituation
decreased responsiveness to repeated stimulation
infantile amnesia
inability to recall events preceding age three
Jean Piaget’s cognitive developmental theory
theory of cognitive development emphasizing physical experiences and interactions
Schemata
concepts formed from experiences
Assimilation
interpretation of new experiences using current schemas
accommodation
combining of new experiences with personal schemas
sensorimotor stage
(ages 0-2) when children explore the world using senses and actions
object permanence
awareness that things continue to exist even when not perceived
preoperational stage
(ages 2- 6 or 7) can represent things with words and images (symbolic thinking) and use intuition but not logical reasoning