Developmental Psychology Chapter 5 Flashcards

Developmental Psychology

• Studies physical, cognitive, and social changes throughout the life span.

Zygote

• Fertilized egg that undergoes rapid cell division during a 2-week period before developing into an embryo.

Embryo

• Developing human organism from about 2 weeks after fertilization until the end of the second month.

Fetus

• Developing human organism from 9 weeks after conception until birth.

Teratogens

• Agents such as chemicals and viruses that can cause harm to the embryo or fetus during prenatal development.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)

• Physical and cognitive abnormalities in children due to heavy drinking by a pregnant woman; severe cases show noticeable facial disproportions.

Habituation

• Decreasing responsiveness to repeated stimulation; infants lose interest in familiar visual stimuli over time.

Maturation

• Biological growth processes leading to orderly changes in behavior, largely independent of experience.

Schema

• Concepts or frameworks that organize and interpret information.

Cognition

• Encompasses all mental activities involved in thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating.

Accommodation

• Modifying current understandings (schemas) to integrate new information.

Assimilation

• Interpreting new experiences based on existing schemas.

Sensorimotor Stage

• Piaget's initial stage of development from birth to about 2 years, characterized by knowledge gained through sensory impressions and motor activities.

Object Permanence

• Awareness that objects continue to exist even when not perceived, developing during the sensorimotor stage.

Preoperational Stage

• Piaget's stage from about 2 to 6 or 7 years where children use language but do not grasp concrete logic.

Conservation

• Understanding that properties like mass and volume remain unchanged despite changes in object forms.

Egocentrism

• Inability of preoperational children to perceive situations from others' viewpoints.

Theory of Mind

• Ideas about one's own and others' mental states, including feelings, perceptions, and thoughts that predict behavior.

Autism

• Childhood disorder characterized by impaired communication, social interaction, and understanding of others' perspectives.

Concrete Operational Stage

• Piaget's stage from about 6 or 7 to 11 years, where logical thinking develops concerning concrete events.

Formal Operational Stage

• Piaget's stage starting around age 12, where abstract reasoning and logical thinking about concepts emerges.

Stranger Anxiety

• Fear of strangers displayed by infants, typically beginning around 8 months of age.

Attachment

• Emotional bond with another person; seen in children as they seek closeness to caregivers and show distress upon separation.

Critical Period

• Optimal time shortly after birth for exposure to stimuli or experiences necessary for proper development.

Imprinting

• Process in which certain animals form strong attachments during a critical early life period.

Basic Trust

• According to Erik Erikson, the sense that the world is predictable and trustworthy, formed during infancy through responsive caregiving.

Self-Concept

• Awareness of one’s identity and sense of personal worth.

Adolescence

• Transition period from childhood to adulthood, marked by puberty and the journey toward independence.

Puberty

• Period of sexual maturation where physical and reproductive changes occur.

Explore key concepts from Chapter 5 of Developmental Psychology with these flashcards. Learn important terms like zygote and embryo, and understand how humans develop physically, cognitively, and socially throughout their lifespan. Perfect for students looking to reinforce their learning.