Psychology week 2

right and left halves of the cortex

flat group of cells present in prenatal development that becomes the brain and spinal cord

end of the neuron that receives information; it looks like a tree with many branches

any behavior that benefits another person

fatty sheath that wraps around neurons and enables them to transmit information more rapidly

experiencing another person's feelings

relationship in which infants have come to trust and depend on their mothers

play that begins at about 15 to 18 months; toddlers engage in similar activities as well as talk and smile at each other

behavior in which infants in unfamiliar or ambiguous environments look at an adult for cues to help them interpret the situation

crediting inanimate objects with life and lifelike properties such as feelings

process by which an individual's unique experiences over a lifetime affect brain structures and organization

perceptual cue to depth based on the fact that the texture of objects changes from coarse and distinct for nearby objects to finer and less distinct for distant objects

process by which the wiring of the brain is organized by experiences that are common to most humans

according to Piaget, changing existing knowledge based on new knowledge

processes by which the brain receives, selects, modifies, and organizes incoming nerve impulses that are the result of physical stimulation

enduring socioemotional relationship between infants and their caregivers

according to Piaget, a process by which children reorganize their schemes to return to a state of equilibrium when disequilibrium occurs

glass-covered platform that appears to have a "shallow" and a "deep" side; used to study infants' depth perception

wrinkled surface of the brain that regulates many functions that are distinctly human

first distinct signs of fear that emerge around 6 months of age when infants become wary in the presence of unfamiliar adults

tubelike structure that emerges from the cell body and transmits information to other neurons

gradual reduction in the number of synapses, beginning in infancy and continuing until early adolescence

relationship in which infants turn away from their mothers when they are reunited following a brief separation

linking individual motions into a coherent, coordinated whole

according to Piaget, taking in information that is compatible with what one already knows

pattern of brain waves recorded from electrodes that are placed on the scalp

ability to move around in the world

theory that views motor development as involving many distinct skills that are organized and reorganized over time to meet specific needs

brain region that regulates personality and goal-directed behavior

children's belief that living things and parts of living things exist for a purpose

difficulty in seeing the world from another's point of view; typical of children in the preoperational period

a cue to depth perception based on the fact that parallel lines come together at a single point in the distance

basic cellular unit of the brain and nervous system that specializes in receiving and transmitting information

prosocial behavior such as helping and sharing in which the individual does not benefit directly from his or her behavior

when children play alone but are aware of and interested in what another child is doing

cues to depth perception in which motion is used to estimate depth

coordinated movements of the muscles and limbs

infants are born with rudimentary knowledge of the world, which is elaborated based on experiences

method of studying brain activity by using magnetic fields to track blood flow in the brain

interaction in which one partner tries to emerge as the victor by threatening or contradicting the other

infants' sensory systems are attuned to information presented simultaneously to different sensory modes

according to Piaget, narrowly focused type of thought characteristic of preoperational children

motor skills associated with grasping, holding, and manipulating objects

relationship in which, after a brief separation, infants want to be held but are difficult to console

chemicals released by neurons in order for them to communicate with each other

according to Piaget, a mental structure that organizes information and regulates behavior

specialized neurons in the back of the eye that sense color

infant's understanding of how responsive and dependable the mother is; thought to influence close relationships throughout the child's life

according to Erikson, a young child's understanding that he or she can act on the world intentionally; this occurs when autonomy, shame, and doubt are in balance

center of the neuron that keeps the neuron alive

way of inferring depth based on differences in the retinal images in the left and right eyes

according to Erikson, balance between individual initiative and the willingness to cooperate with others

cues to depth perception that are used to convey depth in drawings and paintings

play that is organized around a theme, with each child taking on a different role; begins at about 2 years of age

first of Piaget's four stages of cognitive development, which lasts from birth to approximately 2 years

thick bundle of neurons that connects the two hemispheres

children's belief that all living things have an essence that can't be seen but gives a living thing its identity

understanding, acquired in infancy, that objects exist independently of oneself

smallest pattern that one can distinguish reliably

kinetic cue to depth perception that is based on the fact that an object fills an ever-greater proportion of the retina as it moves closer

distinguishing and mastering individual motions

relationship in which infants don't seem to understand what's happening when they are separated and later reunited with their mothers

young children who have learned to walk

extent to which brain organization is flexible

smile that infants produce when they see a human face

theoretical view that many human behaviors represent successful adaptations to the environment

ideas about connections between thoughts, beliefs, intentions, and behavior that create an intuitive understanding of the link between mind and behavior

according to Erikson, an openness to new experience tempered by wariness that occurs when trust and mistrust are in balance

emotions experienced by humankind and that consist of three elements: a subjective feeling, a physiological change, and an overt behavior

kinetic cue to depth perception based on the fact that nearby moving objects move across our visual field faster than do distant objects

individuals' actions and remarks that tend to support others and sustain the interaction

early, unsteady form of walking done by infants

being small for one's age because of inadequate nutrition