Chapter 7&8 Flashcards
What is the prefrontal cortex for, and what developments during middle childhood does it support
prefrontal cortex: significant development during middle to late childhood
- provides an advantage to neural network and connections
- best for problem-solving
- highest level of the brain
regulate thoughts, emotions, and actions
Screen time is a well-discussed issue for children during this stage. How is it
relevant to exercise, health and illness, learning disabilities?
exercise: increases risk of reduced activity
health + illness: increases risk of being overweight
What is the gender ratio of children classified as having a learning disability? Why
do you think this is?
three times as many boys as girls is classified to have a learning disability
this is because the behavior of boys is more likely to be reported / referred by teachers for
treatment
- referral bias
- Describe how to recognize ADHD,
where children consistently show one or more of a variety of these characteristics:
1. inattention: cannot focus on any one thing they may get bored with
2. hyperactivity: high levels of physical activity, always in motion
3. impulsivity: cannot curb reactions + do not think before they act
Possible risk factors for ADHD development
possible contributions can be genetics, brain damage during prenatal or postnatal
development, cigarette + alcohol exposure during prenatal development, high maternal
stress during prenatal development, low birthweight and / or premature birth, low
socioeconomic status
Consequences of ADHD
have an increased risk of: lower academic achievement, problematic peer relations, school
dropout, disordered eating, adolescent pregnancy, substance use problems, antisocial
behavior
What is asperger syndrom?
asperger syndrome: relatively mild autism spectrum disorder in which the child has
relatively good verbal language, milder nonverbal language problems, and a
restricted range of interests and relationships
- obsessive repetitive routines + preoccupations with particular subjects
(hyperfixations)
autistic disorder:
autistic disorder: severe developmental autism spectrum disorder that has onset in
the first three years of life + includes deficiencies in social relationships,
abnormalities in communication , and restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped
patterns of behavior
autism = brain dysfunction with abnormalities in brain structure + neurotransmitters
Does family socialization cause autism?
- no evidence that family socialization causes autism
Ideal classroom for autistic kids
generally benefit from well-structured classroom, individualized teaching + small-group
instruction
- Discuss our current approach to including children with disabilities in the U.S.
public education system.
individualized education plan (IEP): written statement specifically tailored for the disabled
student
Discuss our current approach to including children with disabilities in the U.S.
public education system.
individualized education plan (IEP): written statement specifically tailored for the disabled
student
least restrictive environment (LRE): setting as similar as possible to the one in which
nondisabled children are educated
inclusion: education a child with special education needs full-time in the regular classroom
Describe a child’s achievements and limitations in Piaget’s concrete operational
stage.
encompasses the ages of 7 to 11
where children can perform concrete operations and reason logically, and are able to
classify things into different sets
- operation: mental actions that are reversible
- concrete operations: mental actions that are applied to real, concrete objects
seriation: the concrete operation that involves ordering stimuli along a quantitative
dimension (e.g length)
- ex. if someone asked you to order sticks by length, concrete operational thinkers
would understand that each stick needs to be longer than the one before it and
shorter than the one after it
transitivity: the ability to logically combine relations to understand certain conclusions
- ex. A = longest, B = middle, C = shortest. concrete operational thinkers understand
that if A is longer than B, then A is also longer than C
- Explain some of the strategies children may learn to use to improve their memory
during the concrete operational stage.
mental imagery: works better for older children than for younger children + remember pictures
to remember material by understanding it rather than memorizing
repeat with variation on the instructional information → link early + often
embed memory-relevant language when instructing children, include keywords
elaboration: engage in more extensive processing of information
Summarize “fuzzy trace theory.” How does it explain the improvements in
children’s memory compared to earlier childhood?
fuzzy trace theory: memory is best understood through two types of memory
representations.
1. verbatim memory trace: precise details of information
2. gist: central idea of information
a. fuzzy traces is built up → uses gist more + this contributes to improved
memory + reasoning of older children
b. younger children use more specific verbatim traces
What is critical thinking, and what are the specific skills involved
critical thinking: thinking reflectively and productively, as well as evaluating evidence
- mindfulness: to be alert, mentally present, and cognitively flexible with what is
going on in everyday life = important !
creative thinking:
ability to think in novel + unusual ways as well as to come up with
unique solutions to problems
- convergent thinking: produces one correct answer and characterizes the kind of
thinking that is required on conventional tests of intelligence
- divergent thinking: produces many different answers to the same question and
characterizes creativity
How to calculate IQ
- IQ = (MA/CA) x 100
the idea of mental age was developed by Alfred Binet
IQ was actually created by William Stern in 1912
Sternmerg’s models of multiple intelligences and their models
Sternberg: triarchic theory of intelligence
- analytical intelligence: ability to analyze, judge, evaluate, compare, and contrast
- creative intelligence: consists of the ability to create, design, invent, originate, and
imagine - practical intelligence: ability to use, apply, implement, and put ideas into practice
Gardener’s theory of multiple intelligences
Gardner: eight frames of mind
- verbal: ability to think in words + use language to express meaning
a. authors, journalists, speakers - mathematical: the ability to carry out mathematical operations
a. scientists, engineers, accountants - spatial: ability to think three-dimensionally
a. architects, artists, sailors - bodily-kinesthetic: ability to manipulate objects and be physically adept
a. surgeons, craftspeople, dancers, athletes - musical: sensitivity to pitch, melody, rhythm, and tone
a. composers, musicians, and sensitive listeners - interpersonal: ability to understand and interact effectively with others
a. successful teachers, mental health professionals - intrapersonal: ability to understand oneself
a. theologians, psychologists - naturalist: ability to observe patterns in nature and understand natural and
human-made systems
a. farmers, botanists, ecologists, landscapers