| age of viability | The point at which the fetus can survive if born prematurely (Module 27)
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| chromosomes | Rod-shaped structures that contain the basic hereditary information (Module 27)
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| cross-sectional research | A research method in which people of different ages are compared at the same point in time (Module 27)
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| developmental psychology | The branch of psychology that studies the patterns of growth and change occurring throughout life (Module 27)
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| embryo | A developed zygote that has a heart, a brain, and other organs (Module 27)
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| fetus | A developing child, from eight weeks after conception until birth (Module 27)
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| genes | The parts of the chromosomes through which genetic information is transmitted (Module 27)
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| identical twins | Twins who are genetically identical (Module 27)
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| longitudinal research | A research method that investigates behavior as participants age (Module 27)
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| nature-nurture issue | A research method that combines cross-sectional and longitudinal research by considering a number of different age groups and examining them over several points in time (Module 27)
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| teratogens | Environmental agents such as a drug, chemical, virus, or other factors that produce a birth defect (Module 27)
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| zygote | The new cell formed by the union of an egg and sperm (Module 27)
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| attachment | The positive emotional bond that develops between a child and a particular individual (Module 28)
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| authoritarian parents | Parents who are rigid and punitive and value unquestioning obedience from their children (Module 28)
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| autonomy-versus-shame-and-doubt stage | The period during which, according to Erikson, toddlers (ages 18 months to 3 years) develop independence and autonomy if exploration and freedom are encouraged, or shame and self-doubt if they are restricted and overprotected (Module 28)
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| cognitive development | The process by which a child's understanding of the world changes as a function of age and experience (Module 28)
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| concrete operational stage | According to Piaget, the period from 7 to 12 years of age that is characterized by logical thought and a loss of egocentrism (Module 28)
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| egocentric thought | A way of thinking inwhich the child views the world entirely from his or her own perspective (Module 28)
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| formal operational stage | According to Piaget, the period from age 12 to adulthood that is characterized by abstract thought (Module 28)
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| habituation | The decrease in the response to a stimulus that occurs after repeated presentations of the same stimulus (Module 28)
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| industry-versus-inferiority stage | According to Erikson, the last stage of childhood during which children ages 6 to 12 years may develop positive social interactions with others or may feel inadequate and become less sociable (Module 28)
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| information processing | The way in which people take in, use, and store information (Module 28)
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| initiative-versus-guilt stage | According to Erikson, the period during which children ages 3 to 6 years experience conflict between independence of action and the sometimes negative results of that action (Module 28)
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| metacognition | An awareness and understanding of one's own cognitive processes (Module 28)
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| neonate | A newborn child (Module 28)
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| object permanence | The awareness that objects—and people—continue to exist even if they are out of sight (Module 28)
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| permissive parents | Parents who give their children lax or inconsistent direction and, although warm, require little of them (Module 28)
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| preoperational stage | According to Piaget, the period from 2 to 7 years of age that is characterized by language development (Module 28)
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| principle of conservation | The knowledge that quantity is unrelated to the arrangement and physical appearance of objects (Module 28)
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| psychosocial development | Development of individuals' interactions and under-standing of each other and of theirknowledge and understanding of themselves as members of society (Module 28)
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| reflexes | Unlearned, involuntary responses that occur automatically in the presence of certain stimuli (Module 28)
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| sensorimotor stage | According to Piaget, the stage from birth to 2 years during which a child has little competence in representing the environment using images, language, or other symbols (Module 28)
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| temperament | A basic, innate disposition that emerges early in life (Module 28)
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| trust-versus-mistrust stage | According to Erikson, the first stage of psychosocial development, occurring from birth to 18 months of age, during which time infants develop feelings of trust or lack of trust (Module 28)
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| uninvolved parents | Parents who show little interest in their children and are emotionally detached (Module 28)
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| zone of proximal development (ZPD) | According to Vygotsky, the level at which a child can almost, but not fully, comprehend or perform a task on his or her own (Module 28)
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| adolescence | The developmental stage between childhood and adulthood (Module 29)
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| ego-integrity-versus-despair stage | According to Erikson, a period from late adulthood until death during which we review life's accomplishments and failures (Module 29)
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| generativity-versus-stagnation stage | According to Erikson, a period in middle adulthood during which we take stock of our contributions to family and society (Module 29)
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| identity | The distinguishing character of the individual: who each of us is, what our roles are, and what we are capable of (Module 29)
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| identity-versus-role-confusion stage | According to Erikson, a time in adolescence of major testing to determine one's unique qualities (Module 29)
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| intimacy-versus-isolation stage | According to Erikson, a period during early adulthood that focuses on developing close relationships (Module 29)
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| puberty | The period at which maturation of the sexual organs occurs, begins at about age 11 or 12 for girls and 13 or 14 for boys (Module 29)
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| wear-and-tear theories of aging | Theories that suggest that the mechanical functions of the body simply stop working efficiently (Module 30)
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| activity theory of aging | A theory that suggests that the elderly who age most successfully are those who maintain the interests and activities they had during middle age (Module 30)
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| Alzheimer's disease | A progressive brain disorder that leads to a gradual and irreversible decline in cognitive abilities (Module 30)
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| disengagement theory of aging | A theory that suggests that aging is a gradual withdrawal from the world on physical, psychological, and social levels (Module 30)
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| genetic preprogramming theories of aging | Theories that suggest there is a built-in time limit to the reproduction ofhuman cells, and that after a certain time they are no longer able to divide (Module 30)
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| life review | The process by which peopleexamine and evaluate their lives (Module 30)
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| menopause | The point at which women stop menstruating and are no longer fertile (Module 30)
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