15, 16, & 19 Chapters Flashcards
What is the role of specialization in brain development?
Allows for many new abilities and makes connections more efficient
What does symbolic thought refer to?
The ability to use symbols (words, sounds, images, toys, household items, etc.) to represent concrete things
What is pretend play?
An extension of deferred imitation; involves symbolic play
List the areas in which pretend play develops during preschool years.
- Symbol realism
- Context
- Roles
- Number of actions
- Involvement of others
What are mental images?
Symbols of objects and past experiences stored in the mind, functioning as a form of mental representation
How do mental images function in preschoolers’ thinking?
- Memories stored as mental images
- Crucial to language meanings (semantics)
- Involved in spatial reasoning
- Plays a role in inventive or creative thinking
What is the significance of drawing in preschoolers?
Children attempt to draw objects realistically, mixing skills from pretend play and mental images
How does memory capacity change during preschool years?
Increases; refers to what a person does with their memory, not how much is remembered
Define working memory.
Improvements allow preschoolers to follow directions, connect events, and play games with rules
What is long-term memory in preschoolers?
Continues to form explicit and implicit memories, developing episodic memory
What is the preoperational stage according to Piaget?
The stage before acquiring logical thinking skills, spanning from the last year of toddlerhood through preschool years
What are the two substages of the preoperational stage?
- Preconceptual substage
- Intuitive substage
Describe the preconceptual substage.
Children start to develop and understand some concepts, but many are still incomplete or illogical
What occurs during the intuitive substage?
Growth spurt in the brain, refining sensory and motor skills, increasing memory and problem-solving functions
What is egocentrism in preschoolers?
The belief that everyone thinks and has the same ideas as they do
What are the obstacles to logical thought in preschoolers?
- Egocentrism
- Centration
- Transformations
- Reversibility
- Transductive reasoning
- Problems with cause-and-effect reasoning
What is centration?
Focusing attention on only one part of an object or event instead of seeing all parts at the same time
Define transductive reasoning.
Mentally linking events without a logical reason, leading to flaws in logic and overgeneralization
What is overgeneralization?
The assumption that because something is true for one event or object, it is true for all similar events or objects
What is the concept of animism?
Assigning living qualities to inanimate objects
What is artificialism?
The belief that everything was made by a real or imaginary person
What is finalism?
The belief that everything has an identifiable and understandable purpose
At what age do children typically begin sorting and classifying objects?
Around 4 years old
What is cognitive flexibility?
The ability to adapt one’s thinking to new and unexpected conditions
What are conservation tasks?
Tasks that demonstrate a child’s understanding of the concept that quantity doesn’t change even when its shape does
What is egocentric speech?
Talking as though the listener will understand what they are trying to communicate in the same way
What is the ‘sensitive period’ for language learning?
A period before age 10 where a child can learn a new language more easily
What are tag questions?
Short questions added to the end of a statement to confirm information or seek agreement
Fill in the blank: Preschool children may use wrong case for pronouns, such as ‘_______ and me’ instead of ‘She and I’.
Her
What are the key aspects of expanding self-awareness during preschool years?
Children learn to show responsibility, learn gender roles, begin moral development, and expand their self-concept.
How do preschoolers show responsibility?
By demonstrating accountability and trustworthiness.
What role do adults play in helping preschoolers learn responsibility?
Adults set examples and give children tasks based on their abilities.
What are the three concepts preschoolers must grasp to understand gender roles?
- Gender identity
- Gender stability
- Gender constancy
What is sex typing?
The process by which a person adopts attitudes and behaviors considered culturally appropriate for each gender.
What can traditional gender-role learning lead to?
Sexual stereotyping, which inaccurately suggests fixed behaviors for males and females.
What is moral development in preschoolers?
The process by which children develop proper attitudes toward others based on various societal expectations.
What are the two substages of Kohlberg’s moral development theory that typically occur by age 9?
- Substage 1: Obedience-punishment orientation
- Substage 2: Individualism and exchange
What is self-concept?
The picture a person has of themselves, composed of accumulated experiences.
What are the several factors that constitute self-concept?
- Self-recognition
- Self-definition
- Self-esteem
- Self-correction
What is the significance of play in preschool development?
It contributes to cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being.
What is Erickson’s 3rd stage of development for preschoolers?
Initiative vs. guilt (ages 3-5).
How do preschoolers extend social relations with adults?
Through secure attachments, which enhance learning and self-confidence.
What percentage of children aged 2-7 have imaginary friends?
~2/3.
What are common sources of negative emotions in preschoolers?
- Common childlike stressors
- Short-term stressors and ‘bad days’
- Long-lasting and serious stressors
What changes occur in preschoolers’ expressions of anger and aggression?
They hit or bite less but may threaten and yell more.
What begins jealousy in preschoolers?
The realization that they must share love, attention, possessions, and time.
What is developmental stress in preschoolers?
Stress related to their developmental stage and personal development.
What factors can exacerbate fears in preschoolers?
- Skewed perspectives
- Lack of distinction between reality and fantasy
- Overgeneralization
What environmental factors contribute to preschoolers’ stress?
- Caregiver stress
- Low-quality preschool programs
- Peer aggression
- Neighborhood stressors
Fill in the blank: The process by which children develop proper attitudes toward others is known as _______.
moral development
True or False: Preschoolers are less defiant than toddlers and prefer comfort from strangers.
True
What is the primary role of parents during the school-age and teen years?
Help children become independent and provide support
Parents are still vital but peer influence increases.
What is a key factor that contributes to stress in school-age children?
Increased interactions with others
What is meant by ‘work ethic’ in the context of school-age children?
A person’s sense of responsibility and diligence toward work tasks
How do chores in the home and at school influence school-age children?
Encourage children to show responsibility
What influences the learning of gender roles in children?
- Family
- Peers
- School
- Media
Define Kohlberg’s substage 3 of conventional morality.
Interpersonal conformity – behaviors are acceptable because they are good for the social group
According to Carol Gilligan, how does women’s moral reasoning differ from men’s?
Women’s reasoning is centered on caring and empathy, while men’s is justice-oriented
What are the two main components of moral emotions discussed?
- Guilt
- Shame
What is Erickson’s fourth stage of development?
Industry vs. inferiority (ages 5-13)
What does ‘Industry’ refer to in Erickson’s theory?
Desire to join others in striving to become a competent member of society
What is the significance of peer groups during school-age years?
Gives children feelings of community and loyalty
How do friendships evolve from early school years to later years?
From seeing friends as helpers to cooperative relationships helping each other achieve goals
What is the role of emotional control during school-age and teen years?
Personality traits and emotional control continue to emerge and stabilize
Fill in the blank: School-age children and teens express love for adults by showing _______.
Kindness and doing activities
What common fears do school-age children and teens experience?
Fears and anxieties about the future, embarrassment, and people and their actions
What is the ‘imaginary audience’ in adolescence?
A psychological state where individuals believe that multitudes of people are watching them
How do older children express anger differently than preschoolers?
They express anger at wrongs to others, not just personal grievances
What are some signs of stress in school-age children and teens?
- Disordered eating
- Sleep difficulties
- Trouble concentrating
- Withdrawal from family and friends
- Increased aggression
True or False: Jealousy tends to decrease during the school-age and adolescent years.
False
What are some internal sources of stress for children?
Home life, school life, peer relations
Fill in the blank: School-age children communicate less with _______.
Adults
What can lead to a narrowed emotional range in children?
Not feeling loved
What behavior might indicate experimentation with substances in school-age children?
Experimentation with alcohol and other drugs
