Chapter 2 Flashcards
Neurons
Nerve cells that transmit information with electrochemical signals
Axons
Branchlike ends of neurons that send electrochemical signals between cells
Dendrites
Branchlike ends of neurons that receive and conduct the electrochemical signals between the cells
Synapse
A small gap between neurons
Myelin
Sheaths of insulation around axons that facilitates communication between neurons
Artificial Intelligence
Human intelligence simulated by machines; a specific field of computer science
Creeping
Movement whereby the infant’s abdomen touches the floor and the weight of the head and shoulders rests on the elbows
Crawling
Movement on hands and knees; the trunk does not touch the ground
Failure to Thrive (FTT)
Medical term for infants whose weight gain and physical growth fall far below average during the first years of life
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
Unexpected death of an apparently healthy infant, usually between 2 and 4 months of age
REM (Rapid Eye Movement) Sleep
A period of deep sleep marked by eye movements; when vivid dreams occur
Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS)
Problem common with premature babies; caused by lack of a substance that keeps air sacs in the lungs open
Perception
The process of obtaining and interpreting information from stimuli
Habituation
A decrease in an infant’s attention
Egocentrism
Piaget’s term for the child’s focus on self in early phases of cognitive development
Sensorimotor Period
The first 2 years of life
Circular Reactions
Piaget’s term for infants’ motor activity that is repeated in developing stages
Primary Circular Reactions
Infants’ actions that are focused on their own bodies and reflexes
Secondary Circular Reactions
Piaget’s term for infants’ activities that are directed toward objects and events outside themselves
Coordination of Secondary Schemes
Piaget’s term for when infants continue secondary schemes to obtain a goal
Tertiary Circular Reaction
Piaget’s term for repetition with variation; the infant is exploring the world’s possibilities
Internalization of Schemes
Children’s use of symbols to think about real events without actually experiencing them
Object Permanence
Refers to children gradually realizing that there are permanent objects around them, even when these objects are out of sight
Fast Mapping
Children’s use of surrounding context to understand words’ meaning
Preintellectual Speech
Vygotsky’s category for cooing, crying, babbling, and bodily movements that develop into more sophisticated forms of speech
Naive Psychology
Vygotsky’s stage in which children explore objects and label objects as they acquire the grammar of their speech
Egocentric Speech
The form of speech in which children carry on lively conversations with themmselves or others
Inner Speech
Internal speech that often accompanies physical movements, guiding behavior
Cooing
Early language sounds that resemble vowels
Babbling
Infants’ production of sounds approximating speech between 5 and 7 months
Phonology
Sounds of a language
Semantics
Meaning of words and sentences
Syntax
The way in which words are put together to construct sentences
Pragmatics
Ability to communicate with others
Word Spurt
Rapid increase of vocabulary from 18 months to 3 years
Holophrases
One word that can communicate many meanings and ideas
Telegraphic Speech
Initial multiple-word utterances, usually two or three words
Reciprocal Interactions
Interactions that shape relationships with others
Attachment
Behavior intended to keep a child (or adult) in close proximity to a significant other
Ethology
Scientific field that stresses behavior is strongly influenced by biology and is linked to evolution
Strange Situation
Measure designed to assess the quality of attachment
Temperament
Individual differences; unique and stable styles of behaving
Goodness of Fit
Concept coined by Chess and Thomas (1977) that describes the match between a child’s temperament and his/her environment
New York Longitudinal Study
Long-term study by Chess and Thomas of the personality characteristics of children
Sensitive Responsiveness
The ability to recognize the meaning of a child’s behavior
Infantile Amnesia
The inability to remember events from early in life
