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91 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Behavior genetics |
The study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behavior |
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Environment |
Every nongenetic influence, from prenatal nutrition to the people and things around us |
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Chromosomes |
Threadless structures made of DNA molecules that contain the genes |
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DNA |
A complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes |
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Genes |
The biochemical units of heredity that make up the chromosomes; segments of DNA capable of synthesizing a protein |
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Genome |
The complete instructions for making an organism, consisting of all the genetic material in that organism’s chromosomes |
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Identical Twins |
Twins who develop from a single (monozygotic) fertilized egg that splits in two, creating two genetically identical organisms |
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Fraternal twins |
Twins who develop from separate (dizygotic fertilized eggs. They are genetically no closer than brothers and sisters, but they share a fetal environment. |
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Temperament |
A person’s characteristic emotional reactivity and intensity |
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Interaction |
The interplay that occurs when the effect of one factor (such as environment) depends on another factor (such as heredity) |
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Epigenetics |
The study of influences on gene expression that occur without a DNA change |
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Evolutionary Psychology |
The study of the evolution of behavior and the mind, using principles of natural selection. |
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Natural Selection |
The principle that, among the range of inherited trait variations, those contributing to increased reproduction and survival will most likely be passed on to succeeding generations |
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Culture |
The enduring behaviors, ideas, attitudes, values, and traditions shared by a group of people and transmitted from one group of people to the next |
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Norm |
An understood rule for accepted and expected behavior. Norms prescribe proper behavior |
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Individualism |
Giving priority to one's own goals over group goals and defining one’s own identity in terms of personal attributes rather than group identifications |
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Collectivism |
Giving priority to the goals of one’s group (often one's extended family or work group) and defining one’s own identity accordingly |
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Gender |
In psychology, the biologically and socially influenced characteristics by which people define male or female |
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Aggression |
Any physical or verbal behavior intended to hurt or destroy |
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X chromosome |
The sex chromosome found in both men and women. Females have two X chromosomes; males have one. An X chromosome from each parent produces a female child |
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Y chromosome |
The sex chromosome found only in males. When paired with an X chromosome from the mother, it produces a male child |
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Testosterone |
The most important of male sex hormones> Both males and females have it, but the additional testosterone in males stimulates the growth of male sex organs in the fetus and the development of the male sex characteristics during puberty |
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Role |
A set of expectations (norms) about a social position, defining how those in the position ought to behave |
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Gender role |
A set of expected behaviors for males or for females |
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Social learning theory |
The theory that we learn social behavior by observing and imitating and by being rewarded or punished |
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Gender Identity |
Our sense of being male or female |
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Gender typing |
The acquisition of a traditional masculine or feminine role |
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Transgender |
An umbrella term describing people whose gender identity or expression differs from that associated with their birth sex |
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Developmental Psychology |
A branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive, and social change throughout the lifespan |
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Zygote |
The fertilized egg; it enters a 2-week period of rapid cell division and develops into an embryo |
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Embryo |
The developing human organism from about 2 weeks after fertilization through the second month |
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Fetus |
The developing human organism from 9 weeks after conception to birth |
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Teratogens |
Agents, such as chemicals and viruses, that can reach the embryo or fetus during prenatal development and cause harm |
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Fetal Alcohol syndrome |
Physical and cognitive abnormalities in children caused by a pregnant woman’s heavy drinking. In severe cases, symptoms include noticeable facial misproportions |
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Habituation |
Decreasing responsiveness with repeated stimulation. As infants gain familiarity with repeated exposure to a visual stimulus, their interest wanes and they look away sooner |
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Cognition |
All the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating |
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Schema |
A concept or framework that organizes and interprets information |
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Accommodation |
Adapting our current understandings (schemas) to incorporate new information |
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Sensorimotor stage |
In Piaget’s theory, the stage (from birth to about 2 years of age) during which infants know the world mostly in terms of their sensory impressions and motor activities |
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Object Permanence |
The awareness that things continue to exist even when not perceived |
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Egocentrism |
In Piaget’s theory, the preoperational child’s difficulty taking another’s point of view |
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Preoperational stage |
In Piaget's theory the stage (from about 2 to about 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 |
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Conservation |
The principle (which Piaget believed to be a part of concrete operational reasoning) that properties such as mass, volume, and number remain the same despite changes in the forms of objects |
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Theory of mind |
People’s Ideas about their own and others’ mental states about their feelings, perceptions, and thoughts, and the behaviors these might predict |
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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 |
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Formal operational Stage |
In Piaget’s theory, the stage of cognitive development (normally beginning about age 12) during which people begin to think logically about abstract concepts |
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Stranger Anxiety |
The fear of strangers that infants commonly display, beginning by about 8 months of age |
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Attachment |
An emotional tie with another person; shown in young children by their seeking closeness to the caregiver and showing distress on separation |
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Critical Period |
An optimal period early in the life of an organism when exposure to certain stimuli or experiences produces normal development |
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Imprinting |
The process by which certain animals form attachments during a critical period very early in life |
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Basic life |
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 |
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Adolescence |
The Transition Period from childhood to adulthood extending from puberty to independence |
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Puberty |
The period of sexual maturation, during which a person becomes capable of reproducing |
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Primal sex characteristics |
The body structures (ovaries, testes, and external genetalia) that make sexual reproduction possible |
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Secondary sex characteristics |
Non reproductive sexual characteristics, such as female breasts and hips, male voice quality, and body hair |
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Menarche |
The first menstrual period |
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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 |
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Social Identity |
The we aspect of our self-concept; the part of our answer to “who am I?” that comes from our group memberships |
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Intimacy |
In Erikson’s theory, the ability to form close, loving relationships; a primary developmental task in late adolescence and early adulthood |
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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 |
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Menopause |
The time of natural cessation of menstruation; also refers to the biological changes a woman experiences as her ability to reproduces declines |
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Cross-sectional study |
A study in which people of different ages are compared with one another |
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Longitudinal study |
Research in which the same people are restudied and retested over a long period |
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Social Clock |
The culturally preferred timing of social events such as marriage, parenthood, and retirement |
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Prejudice |
An unjustifiable and usually negative attitude toward a group and it'd members. Prejudice generally involves stereotyped belief, negative feelings, and a predisposition to discriminatory action |
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Stereotype |
A general (sometimes accurate but often overgeneralized) belief about a group of people |
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Discrimination |
Unjustifiable negative behavior toward a group and it's numbers |
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Just-worls phenomenon |
The tendency for people to believe the world is just and that people therefore get what they deserve and deserve what they get |
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Ingroup |
"Us" -people with whom we share a common identity |
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Outgroup |
"Them" -those perceived as different or apart from our ingroup |
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Ingroup bias |
The tendency to favor our own group |
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Scapegoat theory |
The theory that prejudice offers an outlet for anger by providing someone to blame |
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Other-race effect |
The tendency to recall faces of obe's own race more accurately than faces of other races. Also called the cross-race effect and the own-race buas |
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Aggression |
Any physical or verbal behavior intended to hurt or destroy |
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Social script |
Culturally modeled guide for how to act in various situations |
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Social Psychology |
The scientific study of how we think about, influence, and relate to one another |
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Attribution Theory |
The theory that we explain someone's behavior by crediting either the situation or the person's disposition |
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Fundamental Attribution Error |
The tendency for observers, when analyzing another's behavior, to underestimate the impact of the situation and to overestimate the impact of personal disposition |
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Attitude |
Feelings, often influenced by our beliefs, that predispose us to respond in a particular way to objects, people, and events |
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Peripheral route persuasion |
Occurs when people are influenced by incidental cues, such as a speaker's attractiveness |
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Central route persuasion |
Occurs when interested people focus on the arguments and respond with favorable thoughts |
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Foot-in-the-door phenomenon |
The tendency for people who have first agreed to small requests to comply later with a larger request |
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Cognate dissonance theory |
The theory that we act to reduce the discomfort (dissonance) we feel when two of our thoughts (cognitions) are inconsistent. For example, when we become aware that our attitudes and our actions clash, we can reduce the resulting dissonance by changing our attitudes |
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Conformity |
Adjusting our behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard |
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Normative social influence |
Influence resulting from a person's desire to gain approval or avoid dissaproval |
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Informational social influence |
Influence resulting from one's willingness to accept other's opinions about reality |
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Social facilitation |
Stronger responses on simple or well learned tasks in the presence of others |
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Social loafing |
The tendency for people in a group to exert less effort when pooling their efforts toward attaining a common goal than when individually accountable |
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Deindividuation |
The loss of self awareness and self restraint occurring in group situations that foster arousal and anonymity |
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Group polarization |
The enhancement of a group's prevailing inclinations through discussion within the group |
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Groupthink |
The mode of thinking that occurs when the desire for harmony on a decision making group overrides a realistic appraisal of alternatives |
