Child Development Prereading Flashcards
Why are longitudinal studies more useful then cross sectional studies to developmental psychologists?
Longitudinal studies are more helpful to analyze the impact of trauma/abnormal development then cross sectional studies as they don’t rely on biased recall of traumatic events and the person before the event.
What is the difference between a sensitive period and a critical period?
A sensitive period is a period in which it is best for development for an event to happen, but development can continue without it. A critical period however, is a period in which the event must occur for development to continue normally.
Which four main questions/issues characterize development?
- Nature vs Nurture
- Continuity vs Discontinuity
- Stability vs change
- Sensitive and critical periods
- Normative vs non-normative events
Describe a sequential study design?
A sequential design combines the longitudinal and cross-sectional study. Tests across the desired parameter at one moment, then tests again over a time frame.
What are the 5 levels of Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory of Development?
- Macrosystem
- Exosystem
- Mesosystem
- Microsystem
- The individual
Give a brief outline of prenatal development
Germinal Stage (1-2 weeks) - Sperm fertilizes ovum, creating zygote Embryonic Stage (2-8) - Umbilical cord and Placenta form Foetal Stage (9 to birth) - Foetus attains age of viability at 27 weeks.
What is a Teratogen?
An external agent that can cause abnormal prenatal development.
Describe Foetal Alcohol Syndrome
A cluster of severe developmental abnormalities including facial abnormalities, small, malformed brains.
Nicotine is an example of a ____
Teratogen.
Foetal Alcohol Syndrome is an example of a ______
Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
Describe the preferential looking technique
The preferential looking technique entails showing infants two stimuli at the same time and filming their eyes to see which one they prefer to look at.
What is the general consensus on the capabilities of new born infants?
“Infants are born with several mechanisms that not only meet their biological needs but also help them respond to caretakers and learn important information.”
What is the psychological definition of maturation?
Maturation is the genetically programmed biological process that governs our growth.
What is the Cephalocaudal Principle?
The Cephalocaudal Principle states the tendency for development to proceed in a head-to-foot direction.
What is the Proximodistal Princple?
The Proximodistal Principle states that development begins along the innermost parts of the body and continues towards the outermost parts.
At 5 years old, the infant’s brain has reached almost ____ % of it’s adult size.
90
What does Passer and Smith describe as “crucial if infants are to develop to their full potential”?
Providing infants with a rich environment.
What does epigenetics suggest about brain development?
That environmental effects can have a powerful effect on brain development.