Theorists
He proposed the Psychosocial Theory of Development, which includes stages like "Trust vs. Mistrust" and "Identity vs. Role Confusion."
Who is Erik Erikson?
Any environmental agent—biological, chemical, or physical—that causes damage to the developing embryo or fetus.
What is a teratogen?
The understanding that even if something changes shape (like water poured into a different glass), the mass or volume remains the same.
What is conservation?
The period of rapid physical growth and sexual maturation that marks the beginning of adolescence.
What is puberty?
Mental models or concepts that help us categorize and interpret information.
What are schemata?
This Swiss psychologist is famous for his theory of cognitive development, which includes the sensorimotor and preoperational stages.
Who is Jean Piaget?
This newborn reflex occurs when a baby’s cheek is stroked, causing them to turn their head and suck.
What is the rooting reflex?
A cognitive milestone typically reached between 3 and 5 years old, allowing children to understand that others have thoughts, feelings, and beliefs different from their own.
What is Theory-of-Mind (TOM)?
The term for a girl's first menstrual period.
What is menarche?
The process of adjusting a schema to include new information that doesn't fit into existing models.
What is accommodation?
He used the "Heinz Dilemma" to evaluate moral reasoning and proposed three levels of moral development.
Who is Lawrence Kohlberg?
Developed by Mary Ainsworth, this procedure involves leaving a child in a room with a stranger to observe their attachment style.
What is the "Strange Situation"?
The inability of a child in the preoperational stage to take the perspective of others.
What is egocentrism?
This part of the brain, responsible for judgment and impulse control, continues to develop into a person's mid-20s.
What is the frontal lobe?
This parenting style is characterized by reasonable demands, consistent limits, warmth, and listening to the child's point of view.
What is authoritative parenting?
This theorist criticized Kohlberg's work for being biased toward men and argued that women's moral reasoning focuses more on care and relationships.
Who is Carol Gilligan?
This organ connects the uterus to the embryo/fetus, providing nourishment and oxygen via the umbilical cord.
What is the placenta?
The understanding that objects continue to exist even when they are hidden from view, typically developed between 5 and 8 months.
What is object permanence?
A relatively newly defined period of development from age 18 to the mid-20s, characterized by identity exploration in work and love.
What is emerging adulthood?
The "blooming" period of neural growth is followed by this process, where neural connections are reduced to make the brain more efficient.
What is pruning?
A Russian psychologist who developed the Sociocultural Theory, emphasizing that human development is rooted in one's culture and historical influences.
Who is Lev Vygotsky?
The three stages of prenatal development, in correct order.
What are Germinal, Embryonic, and Fetal?
According to Chomsky, humans are born with this innate mechanism that allows them to learn language.
What is the Language Acquisition Device (LAD)?
The primary psychosocial conflict during adolescence (ages 12–18), according to Erikson.
What is Identity vs. Role Confusion?
The persistent difference in grades and test scores among students of different ethnicities, races, or sexes, often attributed to socioeconomic factors.
What is the achievement gap?