Download Terms and Definitions in Developmental Psychology and more Quizzes Developmental Psychology in PDF only on Docsity! TERM 1 Nature DEFINITION 1 Our biological endowment, the genes wereceivefrom our parents TERM 2 Nurture DEFINITION 2 the environments, both physical and social, that influence our development. TERM 3 Continuous Development DEFINITION 3 The idea that changes with age occur gradually, in small increments, like that of a pine tree growing taller and taller. TERM 4 Discontinuous Development DEFINITION 4 The idea that changes with age include occasional large shifts,likethe transition from caterpillar to cocoon to butterfly. TERM 5 Stage Theories DEFINITION 5 Approaches that propose that developmentinvolvesa series of discontinuous, age-related phases. TERM 6 Cognitive Development DEFINITION 6 The development of thinking and reasoning TERM 7 Neurotransmitters DEFINITION 7 Chemicals involved in communications among brain cells TERM 8 Sociocultural Context DEFINITION 8 The physical, social, cultural, economic, and historical circumstances that make up any child's environment. TERM 9 Socioeconomic Status DEFINITION 9 A measure of social class based on income and education TERM 10 Scientific Method DEFINITION 10 An approach to testing beliefs that involves choosing a question, formulating a hypothesis, testing the hypothesis, and drawing a conclusion. TERM 21 Structured Observation DEFINITION 21 A method that involves presenting an identical situation to each child and recording the child's behavior TERM 22 Variables DEFINITION 22 Attributes that vary across individuals and situations, such as age, gender, and expectations. TERM 23 Correlational Designs DEFINITION 23 Studies intended to indicate how variables are related to each other. TERM 24 Correlation DEFINITION 24 The association between two variables. TERM 25 Correlation Coefficient DEFINITION 25 A statistic that indicates that direction and strength of a correlation. TERM 26 Direction-of-Causation Problem DEFINITION 26 The concept that a correlation between two variables does not indicate which, if either variable is the cause of the other. TERM 27 Third-Variable Problem DEFINITION 27 The concept that a correlation between two variables may stem from both being influenced by some third variable. TERM 28 Experimental Designs DEFINITION 28 A group of approaches that allow inferences about causes and effects to be drawn. TERM 29 Random Assignment DEFINITION 29 A procedure in which each child has an equal chance of being assigned to each group within an experiment. TERM 30 Experimental Control DEFINITION 30 The ability of researchers to determine the specific experiences that children have during the course of an experiment. TERM 31 Experimental Group DEFINITION 31 A group of children in an experimental design who are presented the experience of interest. TERM 32 Control Group DEFINITION 32 The group of children in an experimental design who are not presented the experience of interest but in other ways are treated similarly TERM 33 Independent Variable DEFINITION 33 The experience that children in the experimental group receive and that children in the control group do notreceive TERM 34 Dependent Variable DEFINITION 34 A behavior that is measured to determine whether it is affected by exposure to the independent variable. TERM 35 Cross-Sectional Design DEFINITION 35 A research method in which children of different ages are compared on a given behavior or characteristic over a short period of time.
