Ch. 5 Flashcards
Executive function
The cognitive ability to organize and prioritize the many thoughts that arise from the various parts of the brain
Corpus callosum
Band of nerve fibers that connects the left and right hemispheres of the brain
Lateralization
Sidedness referring to the specialization in certain functions by each side of the brain
Myelination
Axons become coated with myelin
Impulse control
The ability to postpone or deny an immediate response to an idea or behavior
Perseveration
The tendency to persevere in one thought or action for a long time
Amygdala
A tiny brain structure that registers emotions, esp fear and anxiety
Hippocampus
A brain structure that is a central processor of memory
Hypothalamus
A brain area that responds to the amygdala and the hippocampus as well as various experiences to produce hormones that activate the pituitary and other parts of the brain and body
Preoperational intelligence
Piaget, language and imagination not yet logical
Symbolic thought
Understanding that words can refer to things not seen and that an item can symbolize something else
Animism
The belief that natural objects and phenomena are alive in the way that humans are
Centration
A young child focuses on one idea and excludes all others
Egocentrism
Children’s tendency to think about other people and their own experiences as if everything revolves around them
Focus on appearance
A young child assumes that the visible appearance of someone or something is also their essence
Static reasoning
A young child thinks that nothing changes
Irreversibility
The idea that change is permanent
Conservation
The principle that the amount of a substance remains the same even when its appearance changes
Mentor
Someone who teaches or guides someone else
Zone of proximal development
A metaphorical area surrounding a learner that includes all the skills knowledge and concepts that the person is close to acquiring but cannot yet master without help
Scaffolding
Temporary support that is tailored to a learner’s needs and aimed at helping the learner take the next step in learning something
Overimitation
When a person imitates an action unnecessarily
Theory-theory
The idea that children attempt to explain everything they see and hear
Theory of mind
A person’s theory of what other people might be thinking
Fast-mapping
The speedy and sometimes imprecise way that children learn new words by quickly categorizing them
Overregularization
Applying rules of grammar even when exceptions occur
Pragmatics
The practical use of language
Montessori schools
Schools that emphasizes careful work and individualized accomplishment
Reggio Emilia
A program of early-childhood education that encourages each child’s creativity in a carefully designed setting
Head Start
A federally funded early-childhood intervention program for low-income children in the US
