KEY TERMS

Match each of the terms on the left with its definition on the right. Click on the term first and then click on the matching definition. As you match them correctly they will move to the bottom of the activity.

Question

developmental theory
norm
psychoanalytic theory
behaviorism
conditioning
classical conditioning
operant conditioning
reinforcement
social learning theory
modeling
cognitive theory
cognitive equilibrium
assimilation
accommodation
information-processing theory
sociocultural theory
apprenticeship in thinking
guided participation
zone of proximal development
humanism
selective adaptation
eclectic perspective
An average, or typical, standard of behavior or accomplishment, such as the norm for age of walking or the norm for greeting a stranger.
A newer theory that holds that development results from the dynamic interaction of each person with the surrounding social and cultural forces.
The approach taken by most developmentalists, in which they apply aspects of each of the various theories of development rather than adhering exclusively to one theory.
An extension of behaviorism that emphasizes the influence that other people have over a person’s behavior. Even without specific reinforcement, every individual learns through observation and imitation of other people. (Also called observational learning.)
A group of ideas, assumptions, and generalizations that interpret and illuminate the thousands of observations that have been made about human growth. A developmental theory provides a framework for explaining the patterns and problems of development.
A grand theory of human development that holds that irrational, unconscious drives and motives, often originating in childhood, underlie human behavior.
In cognitive theory, a state of mental balance in which people are not confused because they can use their existing thought processes to understand current experiences and ideas.
The process by which living creatures (including people) adjust to their environment. Genes that enhance survival and reproductive ability are selected, over the generations, to become more prevalent.
Vygotsky’s term for how cognition is stimulated and developed in people by more skilled members of their community.
The process by which people learn from others who guide their experiences and explorations. This learning is direct and interactive.
In sociocultural theory, a metaphorical area, or “zone,” surrounding a learner that includes all the skills, knowledge, and concepts that the person is close (“proximal”) to acquiring but cannot yet master without help.
The restructuring of old ideas to include new experiences.
According to behaviorism, the processes by which responses become linked to particular stimuli and learning takes place. The word conditioning is used to emphasize the importance of repeated practice, as when an athlete conditions his or her body.
When a behavior is followed by something desired, such as food for a hungry animal or a welcoming smile for a lonely person.
The reinterpretation of new experiences to fit into old ideas.
The learning process in which a meaningful stimulus (such as the smell of food to a hungry animal) is connected with a neutral stimulus (such as the sound of a tone) that had no special meaning before conditioning. (Also called respondent conditioning.)
A theory that stresses the potential of all humans for good and the belief that all people have the same basic needs, regardless of culture, gender, or background.
A grand theory of human development that studies observable behavior. Behaviorism is also called learning theory because it describes the laws and processes by which behavior is learned.
The learning process by which a particular action is followed by something desired (which makes the person or animal more likely to repeat the action) or by something unwanted (which makes the action less likely to be repeated). (Also called instrumental conditioning.)
The central process of social learning, by which a person observes the actions of others and then copies them.
A grand theory of human development that focuses on changes in how people think over time. According to this theory, our thoughts shape our attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors.
A perspective that compares human thinking processes, by analogy, to computer analysis of data, including sensory input, connections, stored memories, and output.