Chapter 6 - Physical Development

Question 1

On average, how has birth weight changed by 6 months? By a year?

Answer 1

6 months = double

1 year = triple

Question 2

How do body proportions change?

Answer 2

babies head:body ratio is much higher than an adult

Question 3

What are the 2 common directions of development?

Answer 3

cephalocaudal = growth from the head down

proximodistal = growth from centre outwrds

Question 4

When is the brain growth spurt? What is taking place?

Answer 4

last 3 prenatal months
+ first 2 years of life

brain weight increases dramatically due to production of so many neurons/synapses

Question 5

What motor milestone occurs at 3 months?

Answer 5

neck holding

Question 6

What motor milestone occurs at 5 months?

Answer 6

rolling over

Question 7

What motor milestone occurs at 6 months?

Answer 7

sit in tripod fashion

Question 8

What motor milestone occurs at 8 months?

Answer 8

sit unsupported

Question 9

What motor milestone occurs at 9 months?

Answer 9

stand with support

Question 10

What motor milestones occurs at 12 months? (3)

Answer 10

crawls well

walks but falls

stands without support

Question 11

What motor milestones occurs at 15 months? (2)

Answer 11

walks alone

crawls upstairs

Question 12

What motor milestone occurs at 18 months?

Answer 12

running

Question 13

What motor milestones occurs at 2 years? (2)

Answer 13

walk up and down stairs

jump

Question 14

Does all motor development happen at the exact same time/age for every child?

Answer 14

no

large timeframe in which it is normal for the child to develop skills

Question 15

What are the 3 viewpoints on the sequence of motor development?

Answer 15

maturational

experiential

dynamic systems theory

Question 16

What is the maturational viewpoint of motor development? Is it relevant?

Answer 16

unfolding of a genetically programmed series of events

no matter what you do, the same biological development pattern will occur

“necessary but not sufficient”
- there is a biological contribution but it is not enough on its own for the child to fully develop

Question 17

What is the experiential viewpoint of motor development?

Answer 17

opportunities to practice are important

environmental relevance

evidence from early orphanage experience

Question 18

What is the dynamic systems theory of motor development?

Answer 18

combines maturational and experiential

maturation provides foundation
- new skills will build on old

environment provides motivation
- goal driven

Question 19

What are the basic units of the brain?

Answer 19

neurons

Question 20

What is the role of glia?

Answer 20

produce myelin for myelination; producing myelin sheaths so neurons can fire faster or more smoothly

Question 21

What is methylation?

Answer 21

genes turned on or off to change development patterns

Question 22

What is synaptogenesis?

Answer 22

formation of synapses (connections) between neurons

Question 23

What is the “use it or lose it” principle?

Answer 23

if synapses between neurons are not used, they will degrade to make room to strengthen others

aka synaptic pruning

Question 24

When does the frontal cortex become fully myelinated?

Answer 24

not until early adulthood

Question 25

What is brain plasticity?

Answer 25

brain is shaped by experience

done by synaptic pruning (removing parts you don’t use and strengthening those you do)

Question 26

What is cerebral lateralization?

Answer 26

each hemisphere gets specialized

everything uses both sides though

Question 27

What is the general pattern of growth leading up to adulthood?

Answer 27

rapid for the first 2 years

slows down across middle childhood, increases again at puberty

Question 28

What are some causes/correlates of physical development?

Answer 28

overall: complex interplay between biology and environment

heavily influenced by hormones

adequate nutrition and exercise important

diseases can stunt growth