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