PYC2601 - Glossary

acceleration Approach to educating the gifted that moves them through the curriculum at an unusually rapid pace. 362 accommodation Piaget's term for changes in a cognitive structure to include new information. 33 acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) Viral disease that undermines effective functioning of the immune system. 99 acute medical conditions Occasional illnesses that last a short time. 325 adaptation Piaget's term for adjustment to new information about the environment. 33 adolescence Developmental transition between childhood and adulthood entailing major physical, cognitive, and psychosocial changes. 396 adolescent growth spurt Sharp increase in height and weight that precedes sexual maturity. 400 adolescent rebellion Pattern of emotional turmoil, characteristic of a minority of adolescents that may involve conflict with family, alienation from adult society, reckless behavior, and rejection of adult values. 454 alleles Two or more alternative forms of a gene that can occupy the same position on paired chromosomes and affect the same trait. 66