Psychology Chapter 9

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zygote

Back 1

a fertilized ovum (egg cell)

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germinal stage

Back 2

the first stage of prenatal development, during which the dividing mass of cells has not become implanted in the uterine wall

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amniotic sac

Back 3

a sac within the uterus that contains the embryo or fetus

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placenta

Back 4

a membrane that permits the exchange of nutrients and waste products between the mother and her developing child but does not allow the maternal and fetal bloodstream to mix

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umbilical cord

Back 5

a tube between the mother and her developing child through which nutrients and waste products are conducted

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reflex

Back 6

a simple inborn response to a stimulus

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rooting

Back 7

the turning of an infant's head toward a touch, such as by the mother's nipple

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fixation time

Back 8

the amount of time spent looking at a visual stimulus

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assimilation

Back 9

according to Piaget, the inclusion of a new event into an existing schema

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schema

Back 10

according to Piaget, a hypothetical mental structure that permits the classification and organization of new information

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accommodation

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according to Piaget, the modification of schemas so that information inconsistent with existing schemas can be integrated or understood

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object permanence

Back 12

recognition that objects removed from sight still exist, as demonstrated in young children by continued pursuit

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sensorimotor stage

Back 13

the first of Piaget's stages of cognitive development, characterized by coordination of sensory information and motor activity, early exploration of the environment, and lack of language

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preoperational stage

Back 14

the second of Piaget's stages, characterized by illogical use of words and symbols, spotty logic, and egocentrism

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egocentrism

Back 15

according to Piaget, the assumption that others view the world as one does oneself

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conservation

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according to Piaget, recognition that basic properties of substances such as weight and mass remain the same when superficial features change

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objective responsibility

Back 17

according to Piaget, the assignment of blame according to the amount of damage done rather than the motives of the actor

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concrete operational stage

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Piaget's third stage, characterized by logical thought concerning tangible objects, conservation, and subjective morality

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decentration

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simultaneous focusing on more than one dimension of a problem, so that flexible, reversible thought becomes possible

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subjective moral judgment

Back 20

according to Piaget, moral judgment that is based on the motives of the perpetrator

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zone of proximal development (ZPD)

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Vygotsky's term for the situation in which a child carries out tasks with the help of someone who is more skilled, frequently an adult who represents the culture in which the child develops

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scaffolding

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Vygotsky's term for temporary cognitive structures or methods of solving problems that help the child as he or she learns to function independently

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preconventional level

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according to Kohlberg, a period during which moral judgments are based largely on expectation of rewards or punishments

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conventional level

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according to Kohlberg, a period during which moral judgments largely reflect social conventions; a "law and order" approach to morality

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attachment

Back 25

the enduring affectional tie that binds one person to another

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contact comfort

Back 26

a hypothesized primary drive to seek physical comfort through contact with another

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ethologist

Back 27

a scientist who studies the characteristic behavior patterns of species of animals

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critical period

Back 28

a period of time when an instinctive response can be elicited by a particular stimulus

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imprinting

Back 29

a process occurring during a critical period in the development of an organism, in which that organism responds to a stimulus in a manner that will afterward be difficult to modify

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authoritative parents

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parents who are strict and warm; authoritative parents demand mature behavior but use reason rather than force in discipline

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authoritarian parents

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parents who are rigid in their rules and who demand obedience for the sake of obedience

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permissive parents

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parents who impose few, if any, rules and who do not supervise their children closely

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uninvolved parents

Back 33

parents who generally leave their children to themselves

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adolescence

Back 34

the period of life bounded by puberty and the assumption of adult responsibilities

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puberty

Back 35

the period of physical development during which sexual reproduction first becomes possible

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secondary sex characteristics

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characteristics that distinguish females from males, such as distribution of body hair and depth of voice, but that are not directly involved in reproduction

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menarche

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the beginning of mentruation

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formal operational stage

Back 38

Piaget's fourth stage, characterized by abstract logical thought and deduction from principles

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imaginary audience

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an aspect of adolescent egocentrism; the belief that other people are as concerned with our thoughts and behaviors as we are

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postconventional level

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according to Kohlberg, a period which moral judgments are derived from moral principles and people look to themselves to set moral standards

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ego identity

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Erikson's term for a firm sense of who one is and what one stands for

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role diffusion

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Erikson's term for lack of clarity in one's life roles (due to failure to develop ego identity)

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emerging adulthood

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period of development, roughly spanning the ages of 18 to 25, during which time many young people in affluent nations attend college and graduate school, sort out identity issues, and create life plants

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menopause

Back 44

the cessation of menstruation

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crystallized intelligence

Back 45

one's lifetime of intellectual achievement, as shown largely through vocabulary and knowledge of world affairs

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fluid intelligence

Back 46

mental flexibility as shown in learning rapidly to solve new kinds of problems

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Alzheimer's disease

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a progressive form of mental deterioration characterized by loss of memory, language, problem solving, and other cognitive functions

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empty-nest syndrome

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a sense of depression and loss of purpose felt by some parents when the youngest child leaves home f

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sandwich generation

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people in middle adulthood who are responsible for meeting the needs of their children yet also responsible for aging parents

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selective optimization with compensation

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reshaping of one's life to concentrate on what one finds to be important and meaningful in the face of physical decline and possible cognitive impairment