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cognitive development Flashcards

1
Q

steps to think like a developmental psychologist

A
  1. physics metaphor –> Once you stop taking gravity for granted, you open up a whole new idea of questions
    If you observe something, you can learn so many new things
  2. building a mind from scratch –> the mind is very complex, and even the most simple tasks take immense effort to perform
  3. think critically (ask the why questions)
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2
Q

epigenetics

A

Gene expression can be modulated (influenced) by experience

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3
Q

domain-specific theory

A

Are our minds supported by many specialized systems that evolved for specific domains (objects, people, language, etc.)
* pre-installed “apps”

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4
Q

domain-general theory

A

Or do we have a few general systems that can be used across many different domains?
* Learning algorithms that work for lots of domains

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5
Q

quantitative change

A

Numerically different

children: Are they getting smarter because they’re able to remember more due to the increased size of brain?

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6
Q

qualitative change

A

New structure, ability, or process

Are they getting smarter due to new structures being built in the brain, in order for them to obtain information readily

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7
Q

2 reasons why people study developmental psychology

A
  1. Allows you To Get Comfortable with Complexity

2. To Understand Others (and Yourself) Better

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8
Q

mechanistic view of the mind

A

The mind is like a machine
The each part serves a particular function
The parts don’t change function

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9
Q

complexity view of the mind

A

The mind is like an ecosystem
Components contribute to system in many ways
Changes at one level can reverberate through other levels (feedback loops)

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10
Q

importance of developmental psych in society

A

Developmental is about understanding the factors that influence how different people think, feel, believe, and act.
Creates a bridge/dialogue between cultures and people

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11
Q

basic question of piagetian theory

A

How do we go from reflexes to reason?
reason/think about complex/abstract matters
* genetic epistemology

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12
Q

genetic epistemology

A

the study of the origins of knowledge

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13
Q

describe Piagetian theory: constructivist

A

Child is not a blank slate, but does not come “preloaded” with innate knowledge either
Child actively “constructs” more and more complex knowledge and abilities out of simpler components (e.g., reflexes)

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14
Q

Piagetian theory: domain-general

A

Piaget thought that the properties exhibited in each stage were domain-general, meaning that all areas (social reasoning, language interpretation, and so on) differed in different stages.

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15
Q

layout of Piagetian theory of developmental psychology

A
  • stage based
    Children travel through a series of stages as they develop new knowledge and abilities
    Each stage forms the foundation for the next stage
    Development is about “leveling-up”
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16
Q

schemas

A

Child’s knowledge and ways of interacting with the world

ex: looking, mouthing, throwing, shaking

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17
Q

adaptation

A

Linking the child’s schemas and experiences in the world

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18
Q

2 types of adaptation

A

assimilation

accommodation

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19
Q

assimilation

A

interpreting new experience in terms of existing schemas

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20
Q

accommodation

A

altering existing schemas or creating new schemas in response to new experiences

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21
Q

Equilibration

A

assimilation and accommodation working together to enrich the child’s worldview
Trying to reach better cognitive fit with environment
Optimal adaptive fit with the environment

22
Q

what happens when schemas are too simplistic?

A

Difficulty understanding what separates experiences/objects

too reliant on assimilation

23
Q

what happens when schemas are too specific?

A

Difficulty understanding what unifies experiences/objects

too reliant on accommodation

24
Q

stage 1 of Piagetian theory

A

0-2 year olds

reflexes and self vs. objects

25
reflexes (stage 1)
Reflexes used (accidentally at first) to learn about self and objects
26
stage 1: object permanence - out of sight
Out of sight = Out of mind | - no sense of object permanence
27
stage 1: object permanence - weak object understanding
Child can search for toys that are out of view but fails the A-not-B task and the Invisible Displacement Task
28
stage 1: object permanence (final)
has to understand object permanence in order to "pass" stage 1
29
stage 2: symbolic thought (overview) (2-7 year olds)
Child can use symbols to mentally represent objects and events (e.g., language, pretend play, and imaginary companions)
30
how are children still limited during stage 2 (symbolic thought)
- they're egocentric thinkers (can't be empathetic towards others) - easily fooled by appearances - fail conversion tasks
31
why do children fail stage 2 conversion tasks?
children struggle with centration | fail to use logical tools (mental operates)
32
centration
focus on one dimension of the problem | e.g., focus on height instead of both height and width
33
mental operators
are logical, rule-based ways of comparing mental representations.
34
the 3 types of mental operators
1. Compensation 2. Reversibility 3. Identity
35
when do children move on to stage 3 from stage 2?
when they can use centration and mental operators well
36
stage 3: concrete reasoning overview (7-11 years)
Logical reasoning for concrete problems but difficulties with abstract or hypothetical reasoning - have trouble using formal logic
37
formal logic
identifying whether a conclusion is valid based upon an argument’s form rather than its content
38
stage 4: abstract reasoning (11+ years)
Logical reasoning for abstract/hypothetical/formal problems Scientific reasoning using the hypothetico-deductive method (generating and testing falsifiable hypotheses)
39
critiques of Piaget's 4 stages
Many view stage-based theories are as too rigid Underestimated children’s abilities and knowledge Emphasis on logic, overlooked social context of development
40
difference between Piaget's theory and Vygotsky's theory
Piaget: focus on how physical environment affects a child's development Vygotsky: focus on how social environment affects a child's development
41
memory experiments with infants
1. DeCasper and Spence (Can newborns remember experiences from before they were born?) 2. Rovee-Collier (How long can infants retain information for at different ages? --> Mobile task) 3. Simcock & Hayne (Why do we struggle to remember events from the first few years of life? (Infantile Amnesia))
42
attachment
Attachment refers to an emotional bond that leads a person to want to be with someone else and to miss him or her when separated
43
strange situation test
evaluate the nature of an infant’s attachment
44
theory of mind
refers to an individual’s ability to think about other people’s beliefs and desires and how those beliefs and desires predict and explain behaviour
45
Lawrence Kohlberg
Presented children and adults with moral dilemmas, assessed their moral reasoning
46
Kohlber's staged-based theory of morality
Preconventional Conventional Postconventional
47
preconventional
- 2-10 years - focus on punishment and gains ex: Stealing the drug is wrong because Heinz will be punished harshly
48
conventional
- 9+ years being virtuous means doing what we are told, conforming to group norms ex: Stealing the drug is wrong because only bad people steal things, and one shouldn’t break the law
49
postconventional
(12+ yrs): being virtuous means adhering to a “higher” principle of justice or fairness ex: Stealing the drug is wrong because it violates the druggists rights
50
evaluation of kohlberg's morality theory
Unclear stages Children’s responses to different scenarios can span all three major stages Cross-cultural variations WEIRD science: Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic Possible gender bias Mostly studied middle-class boys Carol Gilligan criticized Kohlberg’s focus on justice over care

psychology 101 (7 decks)

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