AP Psychology Unit 6 Vocabulary

Study of physical, cognitive and social changes throughout lifespan

Fertilized egg, 2-week period of rapid cell division then develops into an embryo

Developing organism from about 2 weeks after fertilization to second month

Developing organism from 9 weeks after fertilization to birth

Harmful agents (drugs, supplements or diseases) that can cause abnormal development or birth defects

Infant's tendency to respond to a touch on the cheek by turning towards it and opening their mouth (searching for a nipple)

Quick assessment of newborn immediately after birth, helps determine physical well-being and need for further medical assistance

Decreasing responsiveness to repeated stimuli (ex: as infants become more familiar with a visual stimulus they look away sooner when presented with it)

Biological growth processes that enable orderly changes in behavior, relatively uninfluenced by experience

Concept or framework that organizes and interprets information

Interpreting one's new experiences in terms of one's existing schemas

Adapting one's current understanding (schemas) to incorporate new information

All mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering and communicating

Piaget's theory: stage of cognitive development (birth-2 yrs) during which infants know the world mostly in terms of their sensory impressions and motor activities

Awareness that things continue to exist even when not perceived

Piaget's Theory: stage of cognitive development (2 yrs-6/7 yrs) during which a child learns to use language and symbols but doesn't yet comprehend the mental operations of logic

Principal that properties such as mass, volume, and number remain the same despite changes in the form of the object (believed to be part of concrete operational reasoning)

Preoperational difficulty of a child to understand another point of view

People's ideas about their own, and other's, mental states (feelings, perceptions, and thoughts) and the behavior they might predict

Piaget's theory: stage of cognitive development (6/7 yrs-11 yrs) during which children gain mental operations that enable them to think logically about concrete events

Piaget's theory: stage of cognitive development (12 yrs+) during which people begin to think logically about abstract concepts

Manner in which parents raise their children (can refer to: expectations, attentiveness and style of discipline utilized)

Fear of strangers commonly displayed by infants (begins around 8 months)

Emotional tie with another person, shown in young children by seeking closeness with caregiver and showing distress upon separation

Optimal period shortly after birth where organisms exposure to certain stimuli or experiences produces proper development

Process by which certain animals form attachment during a critical period just after birth

Erikson's Theory: sense/feeling that the world is predictable and trustworthy, formed in infancy by appropriate experiences with responsive caregivers

Sense of one's identity and personal worth

Transition period from childhood to adulthood, extending from puberty to independence

Period of sexual maturation, during with an organism becomes capable of reproducing

Body structures (internal organs and external genitalia) that make sexual reproduction possible

Non-reproductive sexual characteristics such as female breasts and hips, male body hair, etc.

The first menstrual period

Erikson's theory: a sense of self, developed in adolescence by testing and integrating various roles

Erikson's theory: ability to form close, loving relationships, he considered it the primary developmental task of adolescence and early adulthood

The natural cessation of menstruation, multiple biological changes a women experiences and her ability to reproduce declines

Study in which people of different ages are compared with one another for the same trait or factor

Study in which same people are re-interviewed and retested over a long period of timme

One's accumulated knowledge and verbal skills, tends to increase with age

One's ability to reason quickly and abstractly, tends to decrease following late adulthood

Culturally preferred timing of social event such as marriage, parenthood and retirement

The biologically and culturally influenced characteristics by which society defines male and female

Set of expected behaviors for male and female

One's sense of being male or female

"A Strange Situation" test, measured child's attachment to caregiver (early-late 1900's)

Know for social learning theory (early 1900's-present)

Researched parenting styles and huge critic of use of deception is psychological research (early 1900's-present)

Coined phrase "identity crisis", research psychological development of humans (early-late 1900's)

Founded psychoanalysis, focused on developmental/influential milestones in childhood (mid 1800's-1900's)

Theory of Moral Development and worked in ethics (mid 1900's-present)

Researched into dependency and maternal separation in monkeys (early-late 1900's)

Theory of Stages of Moral Development (early-late 1900's)

Researched imprinting phenomenon (early-late 1900's)

Theory of stages of cognitive development (late 1800's-1900's)

Formed the theory that social interactions support children language growth, and zone of proximal development

Physical deformities or cognitive and developmental abnormalities resulting from regularly consuming alcohol during pregnancy

Physical deformities and mental retardation due to extra chromosome 21

Genetic condition that appears mid-life with a decline in cognitive abilities and appearance of psychiatric issues.

Birth defects of brain, spine, or spinal cord that occur in the first trimester

Reading disorder where perceptions of letters and numbers appear to grow or move making reading and writing difficult

Related to brain abnormalities but cause unknown, characteristically unable to experience personal connections and affection like others

Mild form of autism with normal mental and physical development but delayed social and emotional development

Conditions caused by physical breakdown of brain functioning, physical or intellectual decline in excess of normal aging process

When touched on the cheek, a baby will turn their head to the side where they felt the touch and seek to put the object into their mouth

When an object is placed into the baby’s mouth, the infant will suck on it.

If an object is placed into a baby’s palm/foot pad the baby will try to grasp the object

When startled or feels like they are falling. The infant will have a startled look and the arms will fling out sideways with the palms up and the thumbs flexed.

When a baby foot is stroked, they will spread their toes

66% of infants, confidently explores new environment with parental presence, are distressed when parents leave, and come to the parents when they return.

21%, resist being held by parents in the new environment to explore, they do not come to their parents when they return.

12%, aka resistant attachment, extreme stress when parents leave, but resists being comforted by them when they return.

set strict standards and apply punishments. Obedience is valued more than discussions about the rationale behind the rules. Punishment for undesired behavior is more often used than reinforcing desired behavior

do not set clear guidelines for their children. Rules that do exist are constantly changed/are not enforced consistently.

set consistent standards for their child’s behavior. These standards are reasonable and explained. They reinforce (praise) as much as they punish.

1. Avoiding Punishment

Moral reasoning is based on direct consequences.

2. Self-Interest

Actions are seen in terms of rewards rather than moral value.

Heinz should not steal the drug because stealing is illegal, and he could be punished.

3. Good boy attitude

Good behavior is about living up to social expectations and roles.

Heinz should steal the drug because, as a good husband, he is expected to do whatever he can to save his wife

4. Law & Order Morality

Moral reasoning considers societal laws.

Heinz should not steal the drug because he must uphold the law and maintain societal order.

5. Social Contract

Rules are seen as social agreements that can be changed when necessary.

Heinz should steal the drug because preserving human life is a more fundamental value than property rights.

6. Universal Principles

Moral reasoning is based on universal ethical principles and justice.

Heinz should consider non-violent civil disobedience or negotiation with the pharmacist. The decision reflects a conflict between property rights and the sanctity of human life.