Chapter 5 Flashcards
Sensation
Involves the processing of basic information from the external world. Utilizes aeceptors in the sense organs and the brain.
Perception
Involves the organization and interpretation of sensory information. Focuses on objects, events, and spatial layout in the surrounding world.
Preferential-Looking Technique
Two images presented simultaneously to infants, measures preference by observing which image is looked at for longer duration. Method for studying visual attention in infants.
Visual Acuity
Sharpness and clarity of vision. Ability to perceive simple and complex patterns.
Perceptual Constancy
Perceiving objects as maintaining constant size, shape, and color despite variations in the retinal image.
Object Segregation
Identification of separate objects in a visual array.
Optical Expansion
A depth cue in which an object appears larger as it moves closer to the observer, while objects that are farther away appear smaller.
Binocular Disparity
The slight difference in the images seen by each eye due to their different positions on the head. The brain uses this disparity to perceive depth and distance.
Stereopsis
The process by which the brain combines the different images from each eye to create a single 3D perception of the world.
Monocular Depth (Pictorial Cues)
Depth cues that can be perceived with just one eye, such as relative size, interposition (overlapping), linear perspective, texture gradients, and shading.
Auditory Localization
Perception of the location in space of a sound source; improves as the infant grows.
Music Perception
Ability of children to recognize, process, and respond to musical sounds.
Reflexes
Innate fixed, tightly organized, patterns of action that occur in response to particular stimulation.
Intermodal Perception
The ability to integrate and coordinate information from multiple sensory modalities (such as sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste) into a unified perception.
Intermodal Tasks
Experiments or activities designed to assess how well individuals (particularly infants) can integrate information from different senses.
Infant Abilities in Intermodal Connections
Infants demonstrate early intermodal perception abilities, such as recognizing the connection between a mother’s voice and her face.
Motor Milestones
Infants progress quickly in acquiring basic movement patterns.
Pre-Reaching Movements
Clumsy swiping movements by young infants toward the general vicinity of objects they see.
Self-Locomotion
Ability to move oneself around in the environment (walking, crawling).
Scale Errors
Attempts by young children to perform an action on a miniature object that is impossible due to the large discrepancy in the relative sizes of the child and the object.
Habituation
Simple, highly adaptive form of learning that involves a decrease in response to a repeated or continued stimulation.
Statistical Learning
Picking up information from the environment and detecting statistically predictable patterns.
Statistical Learning Abilities
Measured across numerous domains, including music, action, and speech.
Goldilocks Effects
Occurs when regularity and predictability of objects, events, and other stimuli are violated, infants take notice.
Classical Conditioning
Learning consists of associating initial stimulus with stimulus that always evokes particular reflexive response.
Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)
A stimulus that naturally and automatically triggers a reflexive response without prior learning (The smell of food causing salvation).
Unconditioned Response (UCR)
The natural, automatic reaction to an unconditioned stimulus (Salivating in response to the smell of food).
Conditioned Stimulus (CS)
A previously neutral stimulus that, after being paired with the unconditioned stimulus, starts triggering a learned response (The sound of a bell that has been repeatedly associated with food).
Conditioned Response (CR)
The learned response to a conditioned stimulus, which occurs after conditioning (Salivating when hearing the bell, even without food being present).
Instrumental (Operant) Conditioning
Learning the relation between one’s own behavior and the consequences that result from it.
Positive Reinforcement
Reward that reliably follows a behavior and increases the likelihood that the behavior will be repeated.
Imitation
Form of observational learning.
Observational Learning
Learning through observation of other people’s behavior.
Active Learning
Learning by acting on the world, rather than passively observing objects and events; facilitates learning.
Change-Detection Task Research
Ability to detect change improves rapidly during first year; individuation.
Reaching Tasks
Ability to retain contents in containers in infant’s working memory.
Manual Exploration
Involves using hands and fingers to touch, grasp, and manipulate objects to explore their environment. (4-6 months).
Oral Exploration
Involves using the mouth, tongue, and lips to explore objects (0-6 months).
Strabismus
A disorder in which the two eyes do not line up in the same direction, and if not corrected, they cannot develop normal binocular vision.
Dishabituation
The renewed response to a stimulus after habituation has occurred and a change in the stimulus is introduced.
Social Reference
Refers to another person’s emotional response to an uncertain situation.
Media Error
Refers to inaccuracies, misinterpretations, or misleading portrayals in media (such as television, social media, books, or advertisements) that can negatively influence a child’s understanding of the world, themselves, or others.
Differentiation
The process of extracting the elements that remain stable from the constantly changing environment.
Affordances
The opportunities for action that an environment, object, or situation provides to a child based on their abilities and developmental stage.
Rooting Reflex
Reflex when the baby’s cheek or corner of the mouth is gently touched or stroked, they turn their head toward the stimulus and open their mouth.
Stepping Reflex
Reflex when a baby is held upright with their feet touching a flat surface, they will make stepping motions as if trying to walk (Disappears at around 2 months as nervous system matures).
Rational Learning
Process by which children use logic, evidence, and prior knowledge to make sense of new experiences and acquire understanding.
Grasping Reflex
Involuntary response seen in newborns, where they automatically close their fingers around an object that touches their palm.
Tonic Neck Reflex
Reflex when the infant turns their head to one side, causing their arm and leg on the same side to extend, while the opposite arm and leg bend.
