Skip to ContentGo to accessibility pageKeyboard shortcuts menu
OpenStax Logo

abstinence
not engaging in sexual activity
affect heuristic
mental shortcut that causes us to use emotions more than other factors when making a decision
affective empathy
being able to vicariously experience someone’s emotions
affective theory of mind
ability to draw conclusions about another person’s feelings
apprenticeship
paid position involving a combination of on-the-job training, mentoring, and classroom learning
availability heuristic
mental shortcut that helps us think of memorable information quickly and use it to make decisions
barrier method
type of contraception and STI prevention that prevents exchange of bodily fluids
cisgender
describes an individual who has a gender identity compatible with their sex assigned at birth
civil service job
government job that doesn’t involve political appointments or legal work; examples include urban planners, budget analysts, sanitation workers, and firefighters
cognitive empathy
being able to adopt someone’s point of view
cognitive theory of mind
ability to draw conclusions about another person’s intentions and beliefs
communal norm
helping others with no expectation of reciprocity
convergent thought
using a known solution to deal with a problem
dental dam
thin piece of latex of polyurethane that’s placed over the vulva or anus prior to oral sex
dialectical thinking
ability to remain practical, flexible, and open to the multiple factors and solutions
divergent thought
creating new solutions to deal with a problem; related to creativity
emerging adulthood
beginning stages of adulthood characterized by the achievement of new legal statuses as well as intense exploration of career options, beliefs, and relationships
epiphyses
ends of long bones like the ones in arms and legs
exchange norms
either repaying a debt or anticipating future benefit when deciding whether to help another
experiential learning
education that involves “learning by doing” and reflecting on the learning experience
familiarity heuristic
mental shortcut that makes us feel more comfortable with things or people we have experience with than with those we have yet to experience or meet
future orientation
ability to think about and plan for what lies ahead, including predicting the consequences of one’s actions
gender expression
external manifestation of a person’s gender identity, including the way a person dresses, uses their voice, and presents themselves to the world
heuristic
mental shortcut used to process information more quickly
informal education
education that occurs without a set curriculum
obesity
when an individual’s BMI is over 30; correlated with many health issues including high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease
obesity paradox
observation that people with a high BMI who develop heart disease sometimes live longer and are in better health than people with a lower BMI who develop heart disease
post-formal thought
stage beyond formal operations that is more flexible, complex, and capable of recognizing more than one objectively correct answer to problem
pre-exposure prophylaxis (PreP)
medication taken regularly to reduce the chances of getting HIV
presbyopia
difficulty seeing things close up due to changes in the lens of the eye
reflective thought
logical thought processes involving continuous, active evaluation of information and beliefs using evidence and past experiences
relativism
idea that cultural standards, values, and ethics are a product of the time and cultural context within which they developed, and what is proper, relevant, or true for one individual may not be for another
scarcity heuristic
mental shortcut that causes us to believe that the rarer or less available something is, the more valuable it is
sexual assault
nonconsensual sexual contact
sexual harassment
unwanted physical or verbal attention with a sexual basis
sexually transmitted infection (STI)
disease caused by certain types of viruses, bacteria, or microorganisms and spread through contact with bodily fluids such as semen and blood
spermicide
substance that kills sperm cells
substance abuse
use of drugs or alcohol in excess or for purposes for which they weren’t intended, leading to problems in physical, social, and/or psychological functioning, often termed substance misuse or problematic substance use in order to avoid stigma of "abuse"; often related to substance use disorder (SUD)
Citation/Attribution

This book may not be used in the training of large language models or otherwise be ingested into large language models or generative AI offerings without OpenStax's permission.

Want to cite, share, or modify this book? This book uses the Creative Commons Attribution License and you must attribute OpenStax.

Attribution information
  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a print format, then you must include on every physical page the following attribution:
    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/lifespan-development/pages/1-what-does-psychology-say
  • If you are redistributing all or part of this book in a digital format, then you must include on every digital page view the following attribution:
    Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/lifespan-development/pages/1-what-does-psychology-say
Citation information

© Oct 2, 2024 OpenStax. Textbook content produced by OpenStax is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License . The OpenStax name, OpenStax logo, OpenStax book covers, OpenStax CNX name, and OpenStax CNX logo are not subject to the Creative Commons license and may not be reproduced without the prior and express written consent of Rice University.