Developmental Psychology
a branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive, and social changes throughout the life span.
Zygote
the fertilized egg; it enters a 2-week period of rapid cell division and develops into embryo
Embryo
the developing human organism from about 2 weeks after fertilization through the second month
Fetus
the developing human organism from about 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 (FAS)
physical and cognitive abnormalities in children caused by a pregnant woman’s heavy drinking. In severe cases, symptoms include noticeable facial disproportions
Maturation
biological growth processes that enable orderly changes in behavior, relatively uninfluenced by experience
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, (from birth to about 2 years of age) during which infants know the world mostly in terms of their sensory impressions and motor activities
Object Performance
the awareness that things continue to exist even when not perceived
Preoperational Stage
in Piaget’s Theory, (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
Conservation
the principle (which Piaget believed to be part of concrete operational reasoning) 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 state – about their feelings, perceptions, and thoughts, and the behaviors these might predict
Concrete Operational Stage
in Piaget’s Theory, the stage of cognitive development (from about age 6 or 7 to 11 years of age) during which children gain the mental operations that enable them to think logically about concrete events
Autism
a disorder that appears in childhood and is marked by deficient communication, social interaction and understanding of others’ state of mind
Formal Operational Stage
in Piaget’s Theory, the stage of cognitive development (normally beginning about age 12) during which people start to think logically about abstract concepts
Stranger Anxiety
the fear of strangers that infant commonly display, beginning by about 8 months of age
Attachment
an emotional tie with another person; shown in young children by their seeking closeness to the caregiver and showing distress on separation
Critical Period
an optimal period after birth when an organism’s exposure to certain stimuli of experiences produces proper development.
Imprinting
the process by which certain animals form attachments during a critical period very early in life
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 of reproducing
Primary Sex Characteristics
the body structures (ovaries, testes, and external genitalia) that make sexual reproduction possible
Secondary Sex Characteristics
nonreproductive sexual characteristics, such as female breasts and hips, male voice quality, and body hair
Menarche
The first menstrual period
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 am I?” that comes from our group membership
Intimacy
In Erikson’s theory, the ability to form close, loving relationships; a primary developmental task in late adolescence and early adulthood
Emerging Adulthood
for some people in modern cultures, a period from the late teens to mid-twenties, bridging the gap between adolescent dependence and full independence and responsible adulthood
Menopause
The time of natural cessation of menstruation; also refers to the biological changes a women experiences as her ability to reproduce declines
Crystalized Intelligence
our accumulated knowledge and verbal skills; tends to increase with age
Fluid Intelligence
our ability to reason speedily and abstractly; tends to decrease during late adulthood
Social Clock
the culturally preferred timing of social events such as marriage, parenthood, and retirement