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Introduction to Psychology (Midterm #1)
PSYC*1000(DE) H. Marmurek - Psychology 10th Edition in Modules
207
Psychology
Undergraduate 1
05/12/2012

Additional Psychology Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term

Psychology

Definition
the science of behaviour and mental processes.
Term

Structuralism

Definition
an early school of psychology that used introspection to explore the structural elements of the human mind.
Term

Functionalism

Definition
a school of psychology that focused on how our mental and behavioural processes function – how they enable us to adapt, survive, and flourish.
Term

Introspection

Definition
self-reflective, looking inward
Term

Adaptive

Definition

contributed to our ancestors’ survival

Term

Behaviour

 

Definition

something an organism does that we can observe and record (blinking, smiling, crying)

Term
Mental processes
Definition
internal subjective experiences we infer from behaviour. (sensations, dreams, thoughts, beliefs)
Term

Behaviourism

Definition
the view that psychology (1) should be an objective science that (2) studies behaviour without reference to mental processes.  Most research psychologists today agree with (1) but not with (2).
Term

Humanistic Psychology

Definition
historically significant perspective that emphasized the growth potential of healthy people.
Term

Cognitive Neuroscience

Definition
the interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition (including perception, thinking, memory, and language).
Term

Nature-Nurture Issue

Definition
the longstanding controversy over the relative contributions that genes and experience make to the development of psychological traits and behaviours.  Today’s science sees traits and behaviours arising from the interaction of nature and nurture.
Term

Natural Selection

Definition
the principle that, among the range of inherited trait variations, those contributing to reproduction and survival will most likely be passed on to succeeding generations.
Term

Levels of Analysis

Definition
the differing complementary views, from biological to psychological to socio-cultural, for analyzing any given phenomenon.
Term

Biopsychosocial Approach

Definition
an integrated approach that incorporates biological, psychological, and social-cultural levels of analysis.
Term

Basic Research

Definition
pure science that aims to increase the scientific knowledge base.
Term

Applied Research

Definition
scientific study that aims to solve practical problems.
Term

Counselling Psychology

Definition
a branch of psychology that assists people with problems in living (often related to school, work, or marriage) and in achieving greater well-being.
Term

Clinical Psychology

Definition
a branch of psychology that studies, assesses, and treats people with psychological disorders.
Term

Psychiatry

Definition
a branch of medicine dealing with psychological disorders:  practiced by physicians who sometimes provide medical (for example, drug) treatments as well as psychological therapy.
Term

Positive Psychology

Definition
the scientific study of human functioning, with the goals of discovering and promoting strengths and virtues that help individuals and communities to thrive.
Term

Community Psychology

Definition
a branch of psychology that studies how people interact with their social environments and how social institutions affect individuals and groups. 
Term

Testing Effect

Definition
enhanced memory after retrieving, rather than simply reading, information.  Also sometimes referred to as a retrieval practice effect or test-enhanced learning.
Term

SQ3R

Definition
a study method incorporating five steps:  Survey, Question, Read, Retrieve, Review.
Term

Hindsight Bias

Definition
the tendency to believe, after learning an outcome, that one would have foreseen it. (Also known as the I-knew-it-all-along phenomenon.)
Term

Overconfidence

Definition
thinking we know more than we do.
Term

Perceiving Order in Random Events

Definition
when sequences often don’t look random and are then over interpreted.
Term

Critical Thinking

Definition
thinking that does not blindly accept arguments and conclusions.  Rather, it examines assumptions, discerns hidden values, evaluates evidence, and assesses conclusions.
Term

Culture

Definition
the enduring behaviours, ideas, attitudes, values, and traditions shared by a group of people and transmitted from one generation to the next. 
Term

Informed Consent

Definition
an ethical principle that research participants be told enough to enable them to choose whether they wish to participate.
Term

Debriefing

 

Definition
the post-experimental explanation of a study, including its purpose and any deceptions, to its participants. 
Term

Theory

Definition
an explanation using an integrated set of principles that organizes observations and predicts behaviours or events.
Term

Hypothesis

Definition
a testable prediction often implied by a theory.
Term
Operational Definition
Definition
a statement of the procedures used to define research variables.
Term

Replication

Definition
repeating the essence of a research study, usually with different participants in different situations, to see whether the basic finding extends to other participants and circumstances.
Term

The Scientific Method

Definition
a self-correcting process for asking questions and observing answers.
Term
Case Study
Definition

an observation technique in which one person is studied in depth in he hope of revealing universal principles.

Term
Naturalistic Observation
Definition

observing and recording behaviour in naturally occurring situations without trying to manipulate and control the situation.

Term
Survey
Definition

a technique for ascertaining the self-reported attitudes and behaviours of a particular group, usually by questioning a representative, random sample of the group.

Term

Population

 

Definition
all the cases in a group being studied, from which samples may be drawn.
Term

Random Sample

Definition
a sample that fairly represents a population because each member has an equal chance of inclusion.
Term

Correlation

Definition
a measure of the extent to which two factors vary together, and thus of how well either factor predicts the other.
Term

Correlation Coefficient

 

Definition
a statistical index of the relationship between two things (from –1 to +1)
Term

Scatterplot

Definition
a graphed cluster of dots, each of which represents the values of two variables. The slope of the points suggests the direction of the relationship between the two variables.  The amount of scatter suggests the strength of the correlation (little scatter indicates high correlation). 
Term

Experiment

 

Definition
a research method in which an investigator manipulates one or more factors (independent variables) to observe the effect on some behaviour or mental process (the dependent variable). By random assignment of participants, the experimenter aims to control other relevant factors. 
Term

Experiment

Definition
a research method in which an investigator manipulates one or more factors (independent variables) to observe the effect on some behaviour or mental process (the dependent variable). By random assignment of participants, the experimenter aims to control other relevant factors. 
Term

Experimental Group

Definition
in an experiment, the group that is exposed to the treatment, that is, to one version of the independent variable.
Term

Control Group

Definition
in an experiment, the group that is not exposed to the treatment; contrasts with the experimental group and serves as a comparison for evaluating the effect of the treatment.
Term

Random Assignment

Definition
assigning participants to experimental and control groups by chance, thus minimizing pre-existing differences between those assigned to the different groups.
Term

Double-Blind Procedure

Definition
an experimental procedure in which both the research participants and the research staff are ignorant (blind) about whether the research participants have received the treatment or a placebo. 
Term

Placebo Effect

Definition
experimental results caused by expectations alone; any effect on behaviour caused by the administration of an inert substance or condition, which the recipient assumes is an active agent.
Term

Independent Variable

 

Definition
the experimental factor that is manipulated; the variable whose effect is being studied.
Term

Confounding Variable

 

Definition
a factor other than the independent variable that might produce an effect in an experiment.
Term

Dependent Variable

 

Definition
the outcome factor; the variable that may change in response to manipulations of the independent variable. 
Term

Mode

Definition
the most frequently occurring score(s) in a distribution.
Term

Mean

Definition
an arithmetic average of distribution, obtained by adding the scores and then dividing by the number of scores
Term

Median

 

Definition
the middle score in a distribution; half the scores are above it and half are below it. 
Term

Range

 

Definition
the difference between the highest and lowest scores in a distribution.
Term

Standard Deviation

 

Definition
a computed measure of how much scores vary around the mean score.
Term

Normal Curve

 

Definition
(normal distribution) a symmetrical, bell-shaped curve that describes the distribution of many types of data; most scores fall near the mean (about 68% fall within one standard deviation of it) and fewer and fewer near the extremes. 
Term

Statistical Significance

 

Definition
a statistical statement of how likely it is than an obtained result occurred by chance. 
Term

Biological Perspective

Definition

concerned with the links between biology and behaviour. Includes psychologists working in neuroscience, behaviour genetics, and evolutionary psychology. These researchers call themselves behavioural neuroscientists, neuropsychologists, behaviour geneticists, physiological psychologists, or biopsychologists.

Term

Neuron

Definition

a nerve cell; the basic building block of the nervous system.

Term

Dendrites

Definition

a neuron’s bushy, branching extensions that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body

Term

Axon

Definition

the neuron extension that passes messages through its branches to other neurons or to muscles or glands

Term

Myelin sheath

Definition

a fatty tissue layer segmentally encasing the axons of some neurons; enables vastly greater transmission speed as neural impulses hop from one node to the next

Term

Action Potential

Definition

a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon

Term

Threshold

Definition

the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

Term

Synapse

Definition

the junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron.  The tiny gap at this junction is called the synaptic gap or synaptic cleft.

Term

Neurotransmitters

Definition

chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons.  When released by the sending neuron, neurotransmitters travel across the synapse and bind to receptor sites on the receiving neuron, thereby influencing whether that neuron will generate a neural impulse.

Term

Reuptake

Definition

a neurotransmitter’s reabsorption by the sending neuron.

Term

Endorphins

Definition

“morphine within” – natural, opiate-like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and to pleasure.

Term

Nervous System

Definition

the body’s speedy, electrochemical communication network consisting of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems

Term

Central Nervous System (CNS)

Definition

the brain and spinal cord.

Term

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

Definition

the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system (CNS) to the rest of the body.

Term

Nerves

Definition

bundled axons that form neural ‘cables’ connecting the central nervous system with muscles, glands, and sense organs.

Term

Sensory Neurons

Definition

neurons that carry incoming information from the sensory receptors to the brain and spinal cord.

Term

Motor Neurons

Definition

neurons that carry outgoing information from the brain and spinal cord to the muscles and glands.

Term

Interneurons

Definition

neurons within the brain and spinal cord that communicate internally and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs.

Term

Somatic Nervous System

Definition

the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body’s skeletal muscles.  Also called the skeletal nervous system.

Term

Autonomic Nervous System

Definition

the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs such as the heart).  Its sympathetic division arouses; its parasympathetic division calms.

Term

Sympathetic Nervous System

Definition

the division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situations.

Term

Parasympathetic Nervous System

Definition

the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy. 

Term

Reflex

Definition

a simple, automatic response to a sensory stimulus, such as the knee-jerk response.

Term

Endocrine System

Definition

the body’s “slow” chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream.

Term

Hormones

Definition

chemical messengers that are manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream and affect other tissues.

Term

Adrenal Glands

Definition

a pair of endocrine glands that sit just above the kidneys and secrete hormones (epinephrine and norepinephrine) that help arouse the body in times of stress.

Term

Pituitary Gland

Definition

the endocrine system’s most influential gland.  Under the influence of the hypothalamus the pituitary regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands.

Term

Lesion

Definition

tissue destruction.  A brain lesion is a naturally or experimentally caused destruction of brain tissue.

Term

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

Definition

an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain’s surface.  These waves are measured by electrodes places on the scalp.

Term

PET (positron emission tomography) scan

Definition

a visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task.

Term

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

Definition

a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images of soft tissue.  *shows brain anatomy.

Term

fMRI (functional MRI)

Definition

a technique for revealing bloodflow and, therefore, brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans.  *shows brain function.

Term

Brainstem

Definition

the oldest part and central core of the brain beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; the brainstem is responsible for automatic survival functions.

Term

Medulla

Definition

the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing.

Term

Thalamus

Definition

the brain’s sensory switchboard, located on top of the brainstem; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla.

Term

Reticular Formation

Definition

a nerve network that travels through the brainstem and plays an important role in controlling arousal.

Term

Cerebellum

Definition

the “little brain” at the rear of the brainstem; functions include processing sensory input and coordinating movement output and balance.

Term

Limbic System

Definition

neural system (including the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus) located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives.

Term

Amygadala

Definition

two lima-bean-sized neural clusters in the limbic system; linked to emotion.

Term

Hypothalamus

Definition

a neural structure lying below (hypo) the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature), helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward.

Term

Cerebral Cortex

Definition

the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the cerebral hemispheres; the body’s ultimate control and information-processing centre.

Term

Glial Cells (Glia)

Definition

cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons; they may also play a role in learning and thinking.

Term

Frontal Lobes

Definition

portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgements.

Term

Parietal Lobes

Definition

portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; receives sensory input for touch and body position.

Term

Occipital Lobes

Definition

portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; includes areas that receive information from the visual fields.

Term

Temporal Lobes

Definition

portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes the auditory areas, each receiving information primarily from the opposite ear.

Term

Motor Cortex

Definition

an area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements.

Term

Sensory Cortex

Definition

area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations.

Term

Association Areas

Definition

areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions; rather, they are involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking.

Term

Plasticity

Definition

the brain’s ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience.

Term

Neurogenesis

Definition

the formation of new neurons.

Term

Corpus Callosum

Definition

the large band of neural fibers connecting two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them.

Term

Split Brain

Definition

a condition resulting from surgery that isolates the brain’s two hemispheres by cutting the fibers (mainly those of the corpus callosum) connecting them.

Term

Consciousness

Definition

our awareness of ourselves and our environment

Term

Cognitive Neuroscience

Definition

the inter-disciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition (including perception, thinking, memory, and language).

Term

Dual Processing

Definition

the principle that information is often simultaneously processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks.

 

Term

Blindsight

Definition

a condition in which a person can respond to a visual stimulus without consciously experiencing it.

Term

Selective Attention

Definition

the focusing of conscious awareness on a particular stimulus.

Term

Inattentional Blindness

Definition

failing to see visible objects when our attention is directed elsewhere

Term

Change Blindness

Definition

failing to notice changes in the environment.

Term

Motivation

Definition

a need or desire that energizes and directs behaviour.

Term

Instinct

Definition

a complex behaviour that is rigidly patterned throughout a species and is unlearned.

Term

Drive-Reduction Theory

Definition

the idea that a physiological need creates an aroused tension state (a drive) that motivates an organism to satisfy the need.

Term

Homeostasis

Definition

a tendency to maintain a balanced or constant internal state; the regulation of any aspect of body chemistry, such as blood glucose, around a particular level.

Term

Incentive

Definition

a positive or negative environmental stimulus that motivates behaviour.

Term

Hierarchy of Needs

Definition

Maslow’s pyramid of human needs, beginning at the base with physiological needs that must first be satisfied before higher-level safety needs and then psychological needs become active.

Term

Glucose

Definition

the form of sugar that circulates in the blood and provides the major source of energy for body tissues.  When its level is low, we feel hunger.

Term

Set Point

Definition

the point at which an individual’s “weight thermostat” is supposedly set. When the body falls below this weight, an increase in hunger and a lowered metabolic rate may act to restore the lost weight.

Term

Basal Metabolic Rate

Definition

the body’s resting rate of energy expenditure.

Term

Developmental Psychology

Definition

a branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive, and social change throughout the life span.

Term

Zygote

Definition

the fertilized egg; it enters a 2-week period of rapid cell division and develops into an embryo.

Term

Embryo

Definition

the developing human organism from about 2 weeks after fertilization through the second month.

Term

Teratogens

Definition

(literally, “monster maker”) agents, such as chemicals and viruses that can reach the embryo or fetus during prenatal development and cause harm.

Term

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)

Definition

physical and cognitive abnormalities in children caused by a pregnant woman’s heavy drinking.  In severe cases, symptoms include noticeable facial misproportions.

Term

Habituation

Definition

decreasing responsiveness with repeated stimulation.  As infants gain familiarity with repeated exposure to a visual stimulus, their interest wanes and they look away sooner.

Term

Maturation

Definition

biological growth processes that enable orderly changes in behaviour, relatively uninfluenced by experience.

Term

Cognition

Definition

all the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating.

Term

Schema

Definition

a concept or framework that organizes and interprets information.

Term

Assimilation

Definition

interpreting our new experiences in terms of our existing schemas.

Term

Accommodation

Definition

adapting our current understandings (schemas) to incorporate new information.

Term

Sensorimotor Stage

Definition

in Piaget’s theory, the stage (from birth to about 2 years of age) during which infants know the world mostly in terms of their sensory impressions and motor activities.

Term

Object Permanence

Definition

the awareness that things continue to exist even when not perceived.

Term

Egocentrism

Definition

in Piaget’s theory, the preoperational child’s difficulty taking another’s point of view.

Term

Preoperational Stage

Definition

in Piaget’s theory, the stage (from about 2 to about 6 or 7 years of age) during which a child learns to use language but does not yet comprehend the mental operations of concrete logic.

Term

Conservation

Definition

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.

Term

Theory of Mind

Definition

people’s ideas about their own and others’ mental stages – about their feelings, perceptions, and thoughts, and the behaviours these might predict.

Term

Concrete Operational Stage

Definition

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.

Term

Autism

Definition

a disorder that appears in childhood and is marked by deficient communication, social interaction, and understanding others’ states of mind.

Term

Formal Operational Stage

Definition

in Piaget’s theory, the stage of cognitive development (normally beginning about age 12) during which people begin to think logically about abstract concepts.

Term

Stranger Anxiety

Definition

the fear of strangers that infants commonly display, beginning by about 8 months of age.

Term

Attachment

Definition

an emotional tie with another person; shown in young children by their seeking closeness to the caregiver and showing distress on separation.

Term

Critical Period

Definition

an optimal period early in the life of an organism when exposure to certain stimuli or experiences produces normal development.

Term

Imprinting

Definition

the process by which certain animals form attachments during a critical period very early in life. 

Term

Basic Trust

Definition

according to Erik Erikson, a sense that the world is predictable and trustworthy; said to be formed during infancy by appropriate experiences with responsive caregivers.

Term

Self-Concept

Definition

all our thoughts and feelings about ourselves, in answer to the question, “Who am I”?

Term

Circadian Rhythm

Definition

the biological clock; regular bodily rhythms (for example, of temperature and wakefulness) that occur on a 24-hour cycle.

Term

REM Sleep

Definition

rapid eye movement sleep; a recurring sleep stage during which vivid dreams commonly occur. Also known as paradoxical sleep, because the muscles are relaxed (except for minor twitches) but other body systems are active.

Term

Alpha Waves

Definition

the relatively slow brain waves of a relaxed, awake state.

Term

Sleep

Definition

periodic, natural, easily reversible loss of consciousness – as distinct from unconsciousness resulting from a coma, general anaesthesia, or hibernation.

Term

Hallucinations

Definition

false sensory experiences, such as seeing something in the absence of an external visual stimulus.

 

Term

Delta Waves

Definition

the large, slow brain waves associated with deep sleep.

Term

Insomnia

Definition

recurring problems in falling or staying asleep.

Term

Narcolepsy

Definition

a sleep disorder characterized by uncontrollable sleep attacks.  The sufferer may lapse directly into REM sleep, often at inopportune times.

Term

Sleep Apnea

Definition

a sleep disorder characterized by temporary cessations of breathing during sleep and repeated momentary awakenings.

Term

Night Terrors

Definition

a sleep disorder characterized by high arousal and an appearance of being terrified; unlike nightmares, night terrors occur during NREM-3 sleep, within two or three hours of falling asleep, and are seldom remembered.

Term

Dream

Definition

a sequence of images, emotions, and thoughts passing through a sleeping person’s minds.  Dreams are notable for their hallucinatory imagery, discontinuities, and incongruities, and for the dreamer’s delusional acceptance of the content and later difficulties remembering it.

Term

Manifest Content

Definition

according to Freud, the remembered story line of a dream (as distinct from its latent, or hidden, content).

Term

Latent Content

Definition

according to Freud, the underlying meaning of a dream (as distinct from its manifest content).

Term

Behaviour Genetics

Definition

the study of the relative power and limits of genetic and environmental influences on behaviour.

Term

Environment

Definition

every nongenetic influence, from prenatal nutrition to the people and things around us.

Term

Chromosomes

Definition

threadlike structures made of DNA molecules that contain the genes.

Term

DNA

Definition

deoxyribonucleic acid – a complex molecule containing the genetic information that makes up the chromosomes.

Term

Genes

Definition

the biochemical units of heredity that make up the chromosomes; segments of DNA capable of synthesizing a protein.

Term

Genome

Definition

the complete instructions for making an organism, consisting of all the genetic material in that organism’s chromosomes.

Term

Identical Twins

Definition

twins who develop from a single (monozygotic) fertilized egg that splits in two, creating two genetically identical organisms.

Term

Fraternal Twins

Definition

twins who develop from separate (dizygotic) fertilized eggs. They are genetically no closer than brothers and sisters, but they share a fetal environment.

Term

Temperament

Definition

a person’s characteristic emotional reactivity and intensity.

Term

Molecular Genetics

Definition

the subfield of biology that studies the molecular structure and function of genes.

Term

Heritability

Definition

the proportion of variation among individuals that we can attribute to genes.  The heritability of a trait may vary, depending on the range of populations and environments studied.

Term

Interaction

Definition

the interplay that occurs when the effect of one factor (such as environment) depends on another factor (such as heredity).

Term

Epigenetics

Definition

the study of influences on gene expression that occur without a DNA change.

Term

Evolutionary Psychology

Definition

the study of the evolution of behaviour and the mind, using principles of natural selection.

Term

Natural Selection

Definition

the principle that, among the range of inherited trait variations, those contributing to increased reproduction and survival will most likely be passed on to succeeding generations.

Term

Mutation

Definition

a random error in gene replication that leads to a change.

Term

Gender

Definition

in psychology, the biologically and socially influenced characteristics by which people define male and female.

Term

Adolescence

Definition

the transition period from childhood to adulthood, extending from puberty to independence.

Term

Puberty

Definition

the period of sexual maturation, during which a person becomes capable of reproducing.

Term

Primary Sex Characteristics

Definition

the body structures (ovaries, testes, and external genitalia) that make sexual reproduction possible.

Term

Secondary Sex Characteristics

Definition

non-reproductive sexual characteristics, such as female breasts and hips, male voice quality, and body hair.

Term

Menarche

Definition

the first menstrual period.

Term

Identity

Definition

our sense of self; according to Erikson, the adolescent’s task is to solidify a sense of self by testing and integrating various roles.

Term

Social Identity

Definition

the “we” aspect of our self-concept; the part of our answer to “Who am I?” that comes from our group memberships.

Term

Intimacy

Definition

in Erikson’s theory, the ability to form close, loving relationships; a primary developmental task in late adolescence and early adulthood.

Term

Emerging Adulthood

Definition

for some people in modern cultures, a period from the late teens to mid-twenties, bridging the gap between adolescent dependence and full independence and responsible adulthood.

Term

Erikson's Stage for Infancy

(age up to one year)

Definition
Trust vs. Mistrust
Term

Erikson's Stage for Toddlerhood

(ages 1-3 years)

Definition
Autonomy vs. shame and doubt
Term

Erikson's stage for Preschoolers

(ages 3-6 years)

Definition
Initiative vs. guilt
Term

Erikson's stage for Adolescence

(ages 13 and into the 20s)

Definition
Identity vs. role confusion
Term

Erikson's stage for Young Adulthood

(ages 20s to early 40s)

Definition
Intimacy vs. isolation
Term

Erikson's stage for Middle Adulthood

(Ages 40s to 60s)

Definition
Generativity vs. stagnation
Term

Erikson's stage for Late Adulthood

(ages late 60s and up)

Definition
Integrity vs. despair
Term

Sexual Response Cycle

Definition

the four stages of sexual responding described by Masters and Johnson – excitement, plateau, orgasm, and resolution.

Term

Refractory Period

Definition

a resting period after orgasm, during which a man cannot achieve another orgasm.

Term

Sexual Disorder

Definition

a problem that consistently impairs sexual arousal or functioning.

Term

Estrogens

Definition

sex hormones, such as estradiol, secreted in greater amounts by females than by males and contributing to female sex characteristics. In non-human female mammals, estrogen levels peak during ovulation, promoting sexual receptivity.

Term

Testosterone

Definition

the most important of the male sex hormones. Both males and females have it, but the additional testosterone in males stimulates the growth of the male sex organs in the fetus and the development of the male sex characteristics during puberty.

Term

Sexual Orientation

Definition

an enduring sexual attraction toward members of either one’s own sex (homosexual orientation) or the other sex (heterosexual orientation).

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