Development Psychology Chapter 2

evolutionary psychology

A branch of psychology that emphasizes the importance of adaptation, reproduction, and "survival of the fittest" in shaping behavior

doula

A caregiver who provides continuous physical, emotional, and educational support for the mother before, during, and after childbirth

natural childbirth

A childbirth method that attempts to reduce the mother's pain by decreasing her fear through education about childbirth stages and relaxation techniques during delivery

turner syndrome

A chromosomal disorder in females in which either an X chromosome is missing, making the person XO instead of XX, or part of one X chromosome is deleted

Klinefelter Syndrome

A chromosomal disorder in which males have an extra X chromosome, making them XXY instead of XY

XYY syndrome

A chromosomal disorder in which males have an extra Y chromosome

fragile X syndrome

A chromosomal disorder involving an abnormality in the X chromosome, which becomes constricted and often breaks

Down syndrome

A chromosomally transmitted form of intellectual disability caused by the presence of an extra copy of chromosome 21

Phenylketonuria (PKU)

A genetic disorder in which an individual cannot properly metabolize phenylalanine, an amino acid; PKU is now easily detected—but, if left untreated, results in intellectual disability and hyperactivity

Sickle cell anemia

A genetic disorder that affects the red blood cells and occurs most often in African Americans

postpartum depression

A major depressive episode that typically occurs about four weeks after delivery; women with this condition have such strong feelings of sadness, anxiety, or despair that they have trouble coping with daily tasks during the postpartum period

adoption study

A study in which investigators seek to discover whether, in behavior and psychological characteristics, adopted children are more like their adoptive parents, who provided a home environment, or more like their biological parents, who contributed their heredity. Another form of the adoption study compares adoptive and biological siblings

twin study

A study in which the behavioral similarity of identical twins is compared with the behavioral similarity of fraternal twins

kangaroo care

A way of holding a preterm infant so that there is skin-to-skin contact

apgar scale

A widely used method to assess the health of newborns at one and five minutes after birth; it evaluates an infant's heart rate, respiratory effort, muscle tone, body color, and reflex irritability

genotype

All of a persons actual genetic material

teratogen

Any agent that can potentially cause a birth defect or negatively alter cognitive and behavioral outcomes

mitosis

Cellular reproduction in which the cells nucleus duplicates itself; two new cells are formed, each containing the same DNA as the original cell, arranged in the same 23 pairs of chromosomes

active (niche-picking) genotype- environment

Correlations that exist when children seek out environments they find compatible and stimulating

passive genotype-environment correlations

Correlations that exist when the biological parents, who are genetically related to the child, provide a rearing environment for the child

evocative genotype-environment correlations

Correlations that exist when the child's characteristics elicit certain types of environments

prepared childbirth

Developed by French obstetrician Ferdinand Lamaze, a childbirth strategy similar to natural childbirth but one that teaches a special breathing technique to control pushing in the final stages of labor and provides details about anatomy and physiology

preterm infants

Infants born three weeks or more before the pregnancy has reached its full term.

low birth weight infants

Infants that weigh less than 5½ pounds at birth

small for date infants

Infants whose birth weights are below normal when the length of pregnancy is considered; also called small for gestational age infants. Small for date infants may be preterm or full-term

neurons

Nerve cells that handle information processing at the cellular level

epigenetic view

Perspective that emphasizes that development is the result of an ongoing, bidirectional interchange between heredity and environment

organogenesis

Process of organ formation that takes place during the first two months of prenatal development

shared environmental experiences

Siblings' common experiences, such as their parents' personalities or intellectual orientation, the family's socioeconomic status, and the neighborhood in which they live

non shared environmental experiences

The child's own unique experiences, both within the family and outside the family, that are not shared by another sibling; thus, experiences occurring within the family can be part of the "nonshared environment

behavior genetics

The field that seeks to discover the influence of heredity and environment on individual differences in human traits and development

bonding

The formation of a close connection, especially a physical bond between parents and their newborn in the period shortly after birth

postpartum period

The period after childbirth when the mother adjusts, both physically and psychologically, to the process of childbirth. This period lasts for about six weeks or until her body has completed its adjustment and returned to a near prepregnant state

embryonic period

The period of prenatal development that occurs from two to eight weeks after conception. During the embryonic period, the rate of cell differentiation intensifies, support systems for the cells form, and organs appear

germinal period

The period of prenatal development that takes place during the first two weeks after conception; it includes the creation of the zygote, continued cell division, and the attachment of the zygote to the wall of the uterus

fetal period

The prenatal period of development that begins two months after conception and lasts for seven months, on average

Chromosomes

Threadlike structures made up of deoxyribonucleic acid

genes

Unites of hereditary information composed of DNA. Genes help cells to reproduce themselves and assemble proteins that direct body processes

DNA

a complex molecule that has a double helix shape and contains genetic information

zygote

a single cell formed through fertilization

meiosis

a specialized form of cell division that occurs to form eggs and sperm (or gametes)

fertilization

a stage in reproduction when an egg and a sperm fuse to create a single cell, called zygote

phenotype

observable and measurable characteristics of an individual, such as height, hair, and intelligence

genetic imprinting

occurs wen genes have differing effects depending on whether they are inherited from the mother or father