Glossary 449
postural control.
Being able to achieve and maintain
a state of balance while performing an activity, such
as jumping. (7)
pragmatics.
Refers to using language properly. (7)
preconventional morality.
The first level in
Kohlberg’s theory of moral development in which
people make decisions based on whether or not
they will be punished or rewarded. (7)
prefrontal cortex.
Part of the brain that regulates
emotions and impulse control. (9)
prejudice.
Unfounded negative bias often based on
stereotyping. (3)
prekindergarten programs.
Educational programs
intended for children who will be attending
kindergarten in the next year. Also called
Pre-K.
(16)
prenatal vitamins.
Vitamins that contain extra folic
acid, calcium, and iron. (4)
preoperational stage.
Piaget’s second stage of
cognitive development in which young children
are beginning to use more rational thought
processes. (7)
presbycusis.
Hearing loss associated with age, most
often caused by damage to the inner ear. (12)
presbyopia.
Eye condition common in middle age
due to loss of elasticity of the lens of the eye, which
results in a slow decrease in the ability to focus on
nearby objects. (11)
preschoolers.
Children between the ages of
3 through 5. (7)
preschool programs.
Educational programs for 3- to
5-year-olds. (13)
progesterone.
A hormone that prepares the female
body for reproduction. (11)
program director.
A professional who oversees the
mission, goals, and programs of an organization,
such as a child care center. (16)
proximodistal development.
Pattern of
development that occurs from the body core to the
extremities. (5)
psychoanalytic theories.
Ideas that analyze the
symbolic meaning behind behaviors. (2)
psychological dependency.
Develops when a
person uses a drug for the feeling it causes. (9)
psychologist.
Professional who studies human
behavior and mental processes and develops
theories to explain why people behave the way they
do. (17)
psychosocial development stages.
Erikson’s
theory consisting of eight stages in which people
must successfully resolve a psychological and/or
social conflict before moving to the next stage in
life. (2)
puberty.
Period of development marked by growth
spurts and sexual maturation. (9)
pullout programs.
School programs that allow
gifted children to leave the regular classroom for
certain periods of the day or week for advanced
learning in a particular subject area along with social
opportunities with peers. (3)
purging.
Self-induced method of expelling food from
the system by means such as vomiting or using
laxatives. (9)
Q
quantifying.
Measuring the quantity of items. (8)
R
receptive language.
Understanding spoken
language even without the ability to verbally
respond. (5)
recession mode.
When the economy slows or
declines. (3)
recovery mode.
When the economy begins to
accelerate or look hopeful. (3)
references.
People other than relatives who know
a person and can attest to his or her work habits,
skills, and abilities. (15)
rehabilitation counselor.
Therapist who helps
people overcome effects of physical and emotional
disabilities to achieve optimum independence. (17)
résumé.
An organized summary of a person’s
education, qualifications, and work experience. (15)
retirement homes.
Living environment that
provides more intense nursing care for older adults,
usually with a medical staff that provides oversight
as needed. (12)
reversibility.
The ability to understand how actions
can be reversed. (8)
Rh Factor.
When the type of protein in red blood cells
do not match between the mother and baby. (4)
romantic love.
Develops from the combination of
friendly love and affectionate love and creates the
feelings of security in the relationship and care and
appreciation for each other. (10)
rooting reflex.
The natural inclination of newborns
to turn their head toward the food source when the
side of their mouth is stroked. (5)
S
sandwich generation.
A term used to describe the
situation when adults are caring for needs of both
their aging parents and their own children at the
same time. (11)