Psychology Test #2

the study of progressive changes in behavior and abilities over the life span.

the first heriditary difference that appears in newborn babies; it is the core of personality, and includes sensitivity, irritability, distractibility, and typical mood.

10% of newborns; moody, intense, and easily angered

15%; restrained, unexpressive, or shy

any substance capable of altering fetal development in ways that can cause birth defects; The impact of nurturing begins from the moment of conception (prenatally)

depends on the child's Readiness for rapid learning, which is dependent on certain levels of maturation

babies engage in _____ ______ whereby they observe otheres to obtain information or guidance in ambiguous situations.

the rapid and early learning of permanent behavior patterns; is guided by social referencing

between 8 and 12 months

an anxious emotional bond marked by a tendency to avoid reunion with caregiver

an anxious emotional bond marked by both a desire to be with the caregiver and some resistance to being reunited

enforce rigid rules and demand strict obedience to authority, Children are usually obedient, self-controlled, emotionally stiff, withdrawn, apprehensive, and lacking in curiosity

supply firm and consistent guidance, combined with love and affection. Children tend to be more competent, self-controlled, independent, assertive, and inquiring

However, social relationships contribute greatly to _____ ______ ______

a pattern of speech used when talking to infants, marked by a higher-pitched voice, short, simple sentences, repetition, slower speech, and exaggerated voice inflections. It is harmless for a short time. However, continued use can slow language learning

process of using existing mental patterns in new situations

process of existing ideas are modified to fit new requirements

an object still exists when out of sight

that size, weight, and volume remain unchanged when shape is changed

children's thinking develops through Guided Participation, which are dialogues and interactions with more capable people, such as parents, teachers, and older siblings

A relatively permanent change in behavior due to experience.

The keys to learning are:

is any event or experience that evokes a response

any identifiable behavior

any event that increases the probability that a response will occur again

a form fo learning based on antecedent events and involuntary responses

learning based on the consequences and voluntary responses

Classical Conditioning has five important elements:

occurs when a response is followed by a reward or other positive event; meant to Increase the likelihood that the behavior will occur again

occurs when a response is followed by an end to discomfort or the removal fo an unpleasant event; also meant to Increase the likelihood that the behavior will occur again

any aversive (unpleasant) event that follows a response and Decreases its likelihood of occuring again

natural, unlearned, and usually serve a biological need, such as food, water, and sex

learned and often associated with a primary reinforcer, such as money, praise, attention, and success

decreases the probablility that a response will occur again

any consequence that reduces the frequency of a target behavior, may be the onset of an unpleasant event (spanking) or the removal of something positive (no cell phone)

The effectiveness of punishment depends largely on _____ _____ _____

If you must punish, here's how:

achieved by watching and imitating the actions of another person or by noting the consequences of that person's actions; also referred to as Modeling

using rewards to alter your own behavior in seven easy steps:

anything donte often can serve as reinforcement for something you do not like to do

information is changed in to a useable form (like typing data into a computer)

information is held in one of the storage systems (like a file folder or on a computer disk)

memories are taken out of storage to be used (like opening a particular file or disk on a computer).

The Three Memory Systems

new information must first enter sensory memory, where it is held as an icon (a fleeting mental image) or an echo (a flurry of auditory activity) for a few seconds or less, just long enough to transfer it to the second system, otherwise, it is forgotten.

holds small amounts fo information briefly, though longer than sensory memory; acts as a sort of "mental scratchpad" while we think about the information. This system is limited to 7 ⁺/_- 2 information bits called Chunks

makes information more meaningful; it is far better than maintenance rehearsal in forming long-term memories.

information that is important if transferred to a long-term memory storehouse

updating memories is called _____ ______

through this process, it is possible for a person to form _____ _____, false memories that a person believes to be true

basic conditioned responses and learned actions, such as driving or playing golf

a type fo declarative memory that records impersonal information about the world, such as names of objects, days of the week, simple math skills, as well as words and language

a type of declarative memory that records personal experiences that are linked with specific times and places, such as remembering your 7^th birthda or your first date

(like on an essay exam)

the fading or weakening of memories due to disuse or the passage of time

information learned under the influenc of a certain drug may not be remembered unless the drugged state occurs again; also occurs with emotional states

tendency for new learning to inhibit retrieval of old information

tendency for old learning to inhibit retrieval of new information

any kind of memory system aid, such as using mental pictures, making things meaningful, making information familar, or forming bizarre, unusual, or exaggerated mental associations