A subfield of psychology that studies physical, cognitive, and social change throughout the life span
developmental psyc
Adapting current schemas to incorporate new information
new experience is so novel the person's schema must be changed to accommodate it
accomodation
In Piaget's theory, the stage of cognitive development (beginning about age 12) during which people begin to think logically about abstract concepts and form strategies about things they may not have experienced
can solve hypothetical (what if..., if then) problems
abstract thinking
potential for mature moral reasoning
formal operational stage
In classical conditioning, the initial stage, when one links a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus so that the neutral stimulus begins triggering the conditioned response. In operant conditioning, the strengthening of a reinforced response.
Acquisition
a stimulus that gains its reinforcing power through its association with a primary reinforcer; also known as secondary reinforcer.
Conditioned reinforcer
person's characteristic emotional excitability
temperament
The biochemical units of heredity that make up chromosomes
genes
the inability of the preoporational child to take another person's pov or understand that symbols can represent another object
stand in front of the TV and not realize the person behind them can't see
Egocentrism
In classical conditioning, the learned ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus and stimuli that do not signal an unconditioned stimulus.
Discrimination
reinforcing a response only part of the time; results in slower acquisition of a response but much greater resistance to extinction that does continuous reinforcement.
Partial (intermittent) reinforcement
Substances that cross the placental barrier and prevent the fetus from developing normally
radiation, toxic chemicals. viruses, drugs alcohol, nicotine, etc
teratogen
In Piaget's theory, the stage (from about 2 to 6 or 7 years of age) during which a child learns to use language but cannot yet think logically
pretend play
egocentrism
language development
pre operational stage
The fear of strangers that infants commonly display, beginning by about 8 months of age
stranger anxiety
In classical conditioning, a learned response to a previously neutral (but now conditioned) stimulus (CS).
Conditioned Response (CR)
in operant conditioning, a schedule of reinforcement that reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals
Fixed-interval schedule
A developing human organism from 9 weeks after conception to birth (9-40 weeks)
fetus
in Piaget's theory, the stage of cognitive development (from about 6 or 7 to 11 years of age) during which children gain the mental operations that enable them to think logically about concrete events
law of conservation
mathematical transformation
concrete operational stage
The emotional tie with another person shown by seeking closeness to the caregiver and showing distress on separation
attachment
The diminishing of a conditioned response; occurs in classical conditioning when an unconditioned stimulus (US) does not follow a conditioned stimulus (CS); occurs in operant conditioning when a response is no longer reinforced.
Extinction
in operant conditioning, a schedule of reinforcement that reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses.
Variable-ratio
an automatic, unlearned response to a sensory stimulus
-sucking, swallowing, and grasping reflexes are all present in a newborn
reflex
In Piaget's theory, the stage (from birth to about 2 years of age) during which infants learn about the world through their sensory impressions and motor activities
learn object permanance
sensorimotor stage
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
conservation
A procedure in which the conditioned stimulus in one conditioning experience is paired with a new neutral stimulus, creating a second (often weaker) conditioned stimulus.
Higher-Order Conditioning
a relatively permanent change in an organism's behavior due to experience
Learning