| A | B |
|---|
| activity theory | Proposes that an elderly person adjusts more positively to aging when remaining active in some way. |
| adolescence | the period of life between about age 13 to the early twenties. A young person is no longer physically a child but not yet independent, self-supporting. Not necessarily chronological age--the end may come early or late for different individuals |
| andropause | gradual changes in the sexual hormones and reproductive system of males |
| attachment | the behavioral characteristics that are fairly well established at birth, such as easy, difficult, and slow to warm up |
| autonomy vs. shame and doubt | second stage of personality development in which the toddler strives for physical independence |
| centration | In Piaget's theory, the tendency of a young child to focus only on one feature of an object while ignoring other relevant features |
| chromosome | tightly wound strand of genetic material or DNA |
| cognitive development | the development of thinking, problem-solving, and memory |
| conception | the moment at which a female becomes pregnant |
| concrete operations stage | third stage of cognitive development in which the school-age child becomes capable of logical thought processes but is not yet capable of abstract thinking |
| conservation | In Piaget's theory, the inability of the young child to mentally reverse an action |
| conventional morality | second level of Kohlberg's stages of moral development in which the child's behavior is governed by conforming to the society's norms of behavior |
| critical periods | times during which certain environmental influences can have an impact on the development of the infant |
| cross-sectional design | research design in which several different age groups of participants are studied at one particular point in time |
| cross-sequential design | research design in which participants are first studied by means of a cross-sectional design but also followed an dassessed for a period of no more than six years |
| dizygotic twins | often called fraternal twins, occurring when two eggs each get fertilized by two different sperm, resulting in two zygotes in the uterus at the same time |
| DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) | special molecule that contains the genetic material of the organism |
| dominant | referring to a gene that actively controls the expression of a trait |
| egocentrism | the inability to see the world through anyone else's eyes |
| embryo | name for the developing organism from two weeks to eight weeks after fertilization |
| embryonic period | the period from two to eight weeks after fertilization, during which the major organs and structures of the organism develop |
| fertilization | the union of the ovum and sperm |
| fetal period | the time from about eight weeks after conception until the birth of the child |
| fetus | name for the developing organism from eight weeks after fertilization to the birth of the baby |
| formal operations | Piaget's last stge of cognitive development in which the adolescent becomes capable of abstract thinking |
| gender identity | perception of one's gender and the behavior that is associated with that gender |
| gender | the behavior associated with being male or female |
| gene | section of DNA having the same arrangement of chemical elements |
| generativity | providing guidance to one's children or the next generation, or contributing to the well-being of the next generation through career or volunteer work |
| genetics | the science of inherited traits |
| germinal period | first two weeks after fertilization, during which the zygote moves down to the uterus and begins to implant in the lining |
| human development | the scientific study of the changes that occur in people as they age from conception to death |
| identity versus role confusion | fifth stage of personality development in which the adolescent must find a consistent sense of self |
| imaginary audience | type of thought common to adolescents in which young people believe that other people are just as concerned about the adolescent's thoughts and characteristics as they themselves are |
| industry versus inferiority | fourth stage of personality development in which the adolescent strives for a sense of competence and self-esteem |
| initiative versus guilt | third stage of personality development in which the preschool-aged child strives for emotional and psychological independence and attempts to satisfy curiosity about the world |
| integrity | sense of wholeness that comes from having lived a full life and the ability to let go of regrets; the final completion of the ego |
| intimacy | an emotional and psychological closeness that is based on the ability to trust, share, and care, while still maintaining a sense of self |
| irreversibility | in Piaget's theory, the inability of the young child to mentally reverse an action |
| longitudinal design | research design in which one participant or group of participants is studied over a long period of time |
| menopause | the cessation of ovulation and menstrual cycles and the end of a woman's reproductive capability |
| monozygotic twins | identical twins formed when one zygote splits into two separate masses of cells, each of which develops into a separate embryo |
| nature | the influence of our inherited characteristics on our personality, physical growth, intellectual growth, and social interactions |
| nurture | the influence of the environment on personality, physical growth, intellectual growth, and social interactions |
| object permanence | the knowledge that an object exists even when it is not in sight |
| ovum | the female sex cell, or egg |
| personal fable | type of thought common to adolescents in which young people believe themselves to be unique and protected from harm |
| postconventional morality | third level of Kohlberg's stages of moral development in which the person's behavior is governed by moral principles that have been decided on by the individual and which may be in disagreement with accepted social norms |
| preconventional morality | first level of Kohlberg's stages of moral development in which the child's behavior is governed by the consequences of the behavior |
| preoperational stage | Piaget's second stage of cognitive development in which the preschool child learns to use language as a means of exploring the world |
| puberty | the physical changes that occur in the body as sexual development reaches its peak |
| recessive | referring to a gene that only influences the expression of a trait when paired with an identical gene |
| scaffolding | process in which a more skilled learner gives help to a less skilled learner, reducing the amount of help as the less skilled learner becomes more capable |
| scheme (plural schemas) | a mental concept formed through experiences with objects and events |
| sensorimotor stage | Piaget's first stae of cognitive development in which the infant uses its senses and motor abilities to interact with objects in the environment |
| temperament | the behavioral characteristics that are fairly well established at birth, such as easy, difficult, and slow to warm up |
| teratogen | any factor that can cause a birth defect |
| trust versus mistrust | first stage of personality development in which the infant's basic sense of trust or mistrust develops as a result of consistent or inconsistent care |
| zone of proximal development (ZPD) | Vygotsky's concept of the difference between what a child can do alone and what that child can do with the help of a teacher |
| zygote | cell resulting from the uniting of the ovum and sperm |
