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Life-span Psych > Chapter 5 > Flashcards

Chapter 5 Flashcards

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1
Q

Growth Patterns

Early Childhood: Body Changes

A 
o Weight and height increases and the relationship between these
measurements changes
o Average body mass index
(BMI) is lower than at any
other time of life
o Children become slimmer as the lower body lengthens.
o Center of gravity moves
from the breastbone down
to the belly button
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2
Q

Nutrition

Early Childhood: Body Changes

A

• Obesity is a more frequent problem than malnutrition
• In low-income family cultures, parents tend to guard against undernutrition and rely on fast foods, so their children are especially
vulnerable to obesity
• Overfeeding is causing an epidemic of illnesses associated with obesity,
such as heart disease and diabetes

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3
Q 
Nutritional deficiencies
(Early Childhood: Body Changes)
A

• Children who eat more vegetables and fewer fried foods usually gain bone
mass but not fat
• Young children are compulsive about daily routine
– Toddlers need to be fed a variety of healthy foods before the child refuses anything new

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4
Q

Food allergies

Early Childhood: Body Changes

A

• About 8 percent of all young children have a food allergy, usually to a healthy, common food
• Cow’s milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, and shellfish are frequent
culprits

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5
Q

Oral health

Early Childhood: Body Changes

A 
• Teeth are affected by diet and illness.
• Tooth decay correlates with
obesity
– Too much sugar, too little
fiber, sweetened beverages
• Poor oral health in early
childhood is detrimental to
permanent tooth development.
– Jaw malformation, chewing
difficulties, speech problems
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6
Q

Cerebral cortex

Brain Development

A

Outer layers

Ultimate control and information-processing center

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7
Q

Prefrontal cortex

Brain Development

A

Outer layers

Performs brain’s “executive functions,” e.g. planning, selecting, and coordinating thoughts

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8
Q

Thalamus

Brain Development

A

Relays messages between lower brain centers and cerebral cortex

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9
Q

Spinal cord

Brain Development

A

Pathway for neural fibers traveling to and from brain; controls simple reflexes

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10
Q

Brain complexity

Brain Development

A

Neuroscientists have named and studied literally hundreds of parts of the brain, all of which are connected to other parts.

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11
Q

Limbic system

Brain Development

A 
Parts of the brain that are crucial in the expression and
regulation of EMOTIONS
– Amygdala
– Hippocampus
– Hypothalamus
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12
Q

Amygdala

Brain Development

A

Tiny brain structure that registers emotions, particularly FEAR and ANXIETY

Neural centers in the limbic system linked to emotion

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13
Q

Hippocampus

Brain Development

A

Brain structure that is a central processor of MEMORY, especially memory for locations.

A structure in the limbic system linked to memory

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14
Q

Hypothalamus

Brain Development

A

Brain area that responds to the amygdala and the hippocampus to produce HORMONES that activate other parts of the brain and body

Controls maintenance functions such as eating; helps govern endocrine system; linked to emotion and rewards

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15
Q

Corpus callosum

Connected Hemisphere of the Brain

A

Axon fibers connecting two cerebral hemispheres
• Is part of the brain that grows and myelinates rapidly during early childhood.
• Consists of a band of nerve fibers that connects the left and right sides of the brain.
• Facilitates communication between the two brain hemispheres.

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16
Q

Lateralization

Connected Hemisphere of the Brain

A
  • Begins with genes.

* Refers to the specialization in certain functions by each side of the brain, with one side dominant for each activity.

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17
Q

From ages 2 to 6, maturation of the prefrontal cortex has several notable benefits, e.g.
(Brain Development)

A
  • Sleep becomes more regular.
  • Emotions become more nuanced and responsive.
  • Temper tantrums decrease or subside.
  • Uncontrollable laughter and tears are less common.
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18
Q

Size at 2yrs vs 6yrs

A

• By age 2, a child’s brain weighs 75% of what it will in
adulthood.
• The brain reaches 90 percent of adult weight by age 6.

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19
Q

Speed of thought

Brain Development: Speed and Preservation

A

The primary reason for faster thinking is new and extensive myelination.
• By age 6, most children can see and immediately name an object—precursor of reading ability.

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20
Q

Myelin

Brain Development: Speed and Preservation

A

a fatty coating on the axons that speeds signals between neurons.

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21
Q

Maturation of the prefrontal cortex

Brain Development: Speed and Preservation

A
  • Gradually enables children to focus attention and curb impulsiveness.
  • Before such maturation, many young children jump from task to task; they cannot stay quiet.
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22
Q

Perseveration

Brain Development: Speed and Preservation

A

In a phenomenon called perseveration, some children persevere in, or stick to, one thought or action, unable to quit.

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23
Q

Left vs right brain

The Whole Brain

A
  • Left-right distinction exaggerated
  • No one exclusively left- or right-brained
  • Both sides of brain usually involved in every skill
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24
Q

Plasticity and trauma

The Whole Brain

A
  • In early years, the plasticity of the brain allows a lost function in one hemisphere to be replaced in the other half.
  • Brain trauma and disease
25
Q

Left-handedness

The Left-Handed Child

A
  • Shown in some newborns
  • Discouraged in many cultures – Difference-equals-deficit error
  • Not accommodated in many contexts
  • Now more accepted than a century ago
26
Q

ADHD

Children with ADHD

A

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
• Imbalance between the left and right sides of the
prefrontal cortex and abnormal growth of the
corpus callosum seem to underlie ADHD.
• Children with ADHD are too impulsive for their age.

27
Q

Piaget: Preoperational Thought (stage 2)

Thinking During Early Childhood

A

• Piaget’s theory of cognitive development
– Occurs from 4-7
– The child begins to go beyond recognizing and is able to use words and images to refer to objects.
• The child’s verbal ability permits symbolic thinking.
• Language frees the child from the limits of sensorimotor experience.

28
Q

Centration

Thinking During Early Childhood: Obstacles to logic

A

Characteristic of preoperational thought, whereby a young child focuses (centers) on one idea, excluding all others

29
Q

Egocentrism

Thinking During Early Childhood: Obstacles to logic

A

Young children’s tendency to think about the world

entirely from their own personal perspective

30
Q

Focus on appearance

Thinking During Early Childhood: Obstacles to logic

A

Characteristic of preoperational thought, whereby a young child ignores all attributes that are not apparent

31
Q

Static reasoning

Thinking During Early Childhood: Obstacles to logic

A

Characteristic of preoperational thought, whereby a young child thinks that nothing changes; whatever is now has always been and always will be.

32
Q

Irreversibility

Thinking During Early Childhood: Obstacles to logic

A

Characteristic of preoperational thought, whereby a young child thinks that nothing can be undone; a thing cannot be restored to the way it was before a change occurred.

33
Q

Conservation

Thinking During Early Childhood

A

Principle stating that the amount of a substance remains the same (i.e., is conserved) when its appearance changes

34
Q

Overimitation

Thinking During Early Childhood

A

When a person imitates an action unnecessarily that are irrelevant and inefficient.
• Common among 2- to 6-year-olds who will imitate adult actions that are irrelevant and inefficient
• Tendency of children to copy an action that is not a relevant part of the behavior to be learned

35
Q

Zone of proximal development (ZPD)

Vygotsky – Thinking During Early Childhood

A

Vygotsky’s term for the skills that a person can exercise only with assistance, not yet independently

36
Q

Scaffolding

Vygotsky – Thinking During Early Childhood

A

Temporary support that is tailored to a learner’s needs and abilities and aimed at helping the learner master the next task in a given learning process

37
Q

Lev Vygotsky: Social learning

Vygotsky – Thinking During Early Childhood

A

Every aspect of children’s cognitive development is embedded in the social context.

38
Q

Mentors

Vygotsky – Thinking During Early Childhood

A
  • Present challenges
  • Provide guidance as knowledgeable sources.
  • Offer assistance (without taking over).
  • Add crucial information.
  • Encourage motivation.
39
Q

Theory-theory

Thinking During Early Childhood

A

a scientific theory relating to the human development of understanding about the outside world.
– Children attempt to explain everything they see and
hear.
– Children develop theories about intentions before
they employ their impressive ability to imitate.

40
Q

Theory of mind

Brain and Context

A

A person’s theory of what other people might be
thinking. Children gradually realize that other people
do not always know and think what they themselves
do.
– Emergent ability, slow to develop but typically beginning in most children at about age 4
– Can be seen when young children try to escape
punishment by lying

41
Q 
Executive function
(Brain and Context)
A

The cognitive ability to organize and prioritize the many thoughts that arise from the various parts of the brain, allowing the person to anticipate, strategize, and plan behavior
• Executive functions lead to better understanding of false
belief
• Child’s ability to develop theories correlates with the
maturity of the prefrontal cortex and with advances in
executive processing.
• Context, experience, and culture are relevant

42
Q 
Executive function
(Brain and Context)
A

SMTHNNGN

43
Q

Vocabulary

Language

A

• Brain maturation, myelination, scaffolding, and social interaction make
early childhood ideal for learning language.
• Early childhood is a sensitive period (or best time) to master vocabulary,
grammar, and pronunciation.
• The average child knows about 500 words at age 2 and more than 10,000
at age 6.

44
Q

Vocabulary explosion

Language

A

Becomes more general

• Verbs, adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions, and many nouns mastered

45
Q

Fast-mapping

Language

A

Speedy and sometimes imprecise way in which children learn new words by tentatively placing them in mental categories according to their perceived meaning

46
Q

Grammar of a language

Language: Grammar

A

Structures, techniques, and rules that communicate meaning

47
Q

Overregularization

Language: Grammar

A

Applying rules of grammar even when exceptions occur, making the language seem more “regular” than it actually is.
– E.G., comed instead of came

48
Q

Pragmatic

Language: Grammar

A

– Practical use of language, adjusting communication to audience and context
– Difficult aspect of language

49
Q

Learning two languages

Language

A

Language-minority children
– Often have lower school achievement, diminished
self-esteem, and inadequate employment

50
Q

Two positions

Learning Two Languages

A

– Children who are taught two languages risk becoming
semilingual, with delayed, incomplete, and possibly
impaired development
– There is little evidence that learning two languages
confuses children.
• In the U.S., 15 percent of young children who enter school speak language other than English.
• Achievement related to being bilingual before age 6.

51
Q

Language shifts

Language: Losses and Gains

A

Becoming more fluent in the school language than in their home language

52
Q

Balanced bilingual

Language: Losses and Gains

A

Being fluent in two languages, not favoring one over the other
– Occurs if adults talk frequently, listen carefully, and value both languages

53
Q

Homes and schools

Early Childhood Education

A

• Quality matters.
• If the home educational environment is poor, a good
preschool program aids health, cognition, and social
skills.
• If a family provides extensive learning opportunities and encouragement, the quality of the preschool is less crucial.

54
Q

Child-centered or developmental programs

Early Childhood Education

A
  • Emphasize children’s natural inclination to learn through play rather than by following adult directions.
  • Encourage self-paced exploration and artistic expression.
  • Show the influence of Vygotsky, who thought that children learn through play with other children with adult guidance.
55
Q

Examples of child-centered programs: Montessori schools

Early Childhood Education

A

Emphasize individual pride and accomplishment, presenting literacy-related tasks.

56
Q

Examples of child-centered programs: Reggio Emilia approach

Early Childhood Education

A

A famous Italian early childhood education program that encourages each child’s creativity in a carefully designed setting.

57
Q

Teacher-directed programs

Early Childhood Education

A
  • Stress academic subjects taught by a teacher to an entire class.
  • Help children learn letters, numbers, shapes, and colors, as well as how to listen to the teacher and sit quietly.
  • Make a clear distinction between work and play.
  • Are much less expensive, since the child/adult ratio can be higher.
58
Q

Preparing for life: Project Head Start

Early Childhood Education

A

• Most widespread early-childhood education
program in the United States
• Begun in 1965 and funded by the federal government
• Initially, the program was thought to be highly successful at raising children’s intelligence; ten years later, early gains were found to fade.

Life-span Psych (10 decks)

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