Chapter 4- Infancy

Question 1

cephalocaudal principle

Answer 1

growth in infancy beginning at the head and moving down

Question 2

proximodistal principle

Answer 2

growth proceeding from the middle of the body outward

Question 3

synapses

Answer 3

tiny gaps between neurons across which communication takes place

Question 4

neurotransmitters

Answer 4

the chemicals that release and receive communication across synapses

Question 5

axon

Answer 5

what releases neurotransmitters

Question 6

dendrites

Answer 6

what receives neurotransmitters

Question 7

overproduction/ Synaptic Exuberance

Answer 7

large spurt in new connections between dendrites and axons during the first year

Question 8

myelination

Answer 8

the wrapping of axons in a white fatty substance “myelin sheath” around week 14; substance speeds up neural communication

Question 9

synaptic pruning

Answer 9

when used synaptic connections get stronger and faster while others wither away

Question 10

hypothalamus

Answer 10

a small structure in limbic system that monitors and regulates basic animal functions; hunger thirst, body temperature, sexual desire, hormone levels

Question 11

thalamus

Answer 11

structure in the limbic system that receives and transfers sensory info from body to the brain

Question 12

hippocampus

Answer 12

the structure in the limbic system that is responsible for memory; especially long term

Question 13

cerebral cortex

Answer 13

the outermost part of the forebrain that has two hemispheres and 4 lobes

Question 14

corpus callosum

Answer 14

the fibers that act as the glue between the left and right hemispheres of the cerebral cortex

Question 15

lateralization

Answer 15

the speciialization of the left and right hemispheres

Question 16

occipital lobes

Answer 16

the rear of each hemisphere that processes visual info

Question 17

temporal lobes

Answer 17

the lower sides of the hemispheres that process auditory info including understanding spoken language

Question 18

parietal lobes

Answer 18

processes info from bodily sensations

Question 19

frontal lobes

Answer 19

the center of most advanced human brain processes; speaking and making decisions

Question 20

prefrontal cortex

Answer 20

the front lobes that plan and organize info to direct behavior

Question 21

plasticity

Answer 21

the idea that the brain is highly responsive to environmental circumstances

Question 22

custom complex

Answer 22

a distinctive cultural pattern of behavior that is based on underlying cultural beliefs

Question 23

marasmus

Answer 23

a disease where the body wastes away bc of malnutrition

Question 24

oral rehydration therapy

Answer 24

having infants with diarrhea drink salt and glucose in water

Question 25

gross motor development

Answer 25

balance, posture, whole-body movements

Question 26

fine motor development

Answer 26

finely tunded movements of the hands

Question 27

prereaching

Answer 27

when neonates extend their arms towards something

Question 28

depth perception

Answer 28

the ability to discern the relative distance of objects in a n environment

Question 29

binocular vision

Answer 29

the ability to combine the images of each eye into one image

Question 30

intermodal perception

Answer 30

the integration and coordination of sensory information

Question 31

mental structures

Answer 31

the cognitive systems that oranize thinking into coherent patterns so that all thinking takes place on the same level of cognitive functioning

Question 32

cognitive developmental approach

Answer 32

the focus on how cognition changes with age; piaget

Question 33

maturation

Answer 33

biologically driven program of developmental change

Question 34

schemes

Answer 34

cognitive structures for processing, organizing, and interpreting information

Question 35

assimilation

Answer 35

when new info is altered to fit into an existing scheme

Question 36

accommodation

Answer 36

changing the scheme to adapt to the new info

Question 37

sensorimotor stage

Answer 37

developmental stage involving learning how to coordinate activities of senses with motor activities

Question 38

object permanence

Answer 38

the awareness that objects exist even when we aren't in direct sensory or motor contact with them

Question 39

a-not-b-error

Answer 39

when infants make the mistake of selecting the familiar hiding place (a) instead of the new hiding place (b)

Question 40

info processing approach

Answer 40

understanding cognitive functioning that focuses on cognitive processes that exist at all ages instead of viewing cognitive development in terms of discontinuous stages

Question 41

habituation

Answer 41

gradual decrease in attention to a stimulus after shown repeatedly

Question 42

dishabituation

Answer 42

the return of attention when new stimulus presented after habituation

Question 43

short-term memory

Answer 43

the capacity to retain info for a brief time

Question 44

long-term memory

Answer 44

the knowledge accumulated over time

Question 45

developmental quotient

Answer 45

the result of the Bayley scales that measures the baby's developmental progress

Question 46

temperament

Answer 46

biologically based raw material personality

Question 47

goodness-of-fit

Answer 47

when kids develop best if there is a good fit between their temperament and their environment

Question 48

primary emotions

Answer 48

the basic emotions that we share with animals; evident in year 1

Question 49

secondary emotions

Answer 49

emotions that require social and cultural learning

Question 50

social smile

Answer 50

expression of happiness in response to interacting with others

Question 51

emotional contagion

Answer 51

he recognition of an emotion that leads to crying as a signal of distress

Question 52

attachment theory

Answer 52

bowlby's theory that focuses on the importance of infants' relationship with their primary caregiver

Question 53

trust vs. mistrust

Answer 53

the 1st stage of development in Erikson's psychosocial theory when the central crisis is the need to establish a stable attachment to a loving and nurturing caregiver