Cognitive: Genetics, Newborns, & Early Childhood Flashcards
Genotype
the sum total of all the genes a person inherit
Phenotype
refers to the features that are actually expressed.
Ex. hair color, eye color, baldness, etc.
Dominant VS Recessive Genes
dominant gene: express themselves in the phenotype, even when paired with a different version of the gene.
–incomplete dominance: when the dominant gene
does not completely suppress the recessive gene
recessive gene: express themselves only when paired with a similar version gene
Carriers
those who inherit only one recessive gene of a disorder and thus do not inherit the disorder; to inherit a disorder, a person must receive the recessive gene from both parents
Polygenic
refers to the fact that most characteristics are the result of several genes.
Meiosis VS Mitosis
meiosis: the process whereby the gamete’s chromosomes duplicate and then divide twice, resulting in four cells containing only half the genetic material of the original gamete
mitosis: the process in which the cell’s nucleus makes an exact copy of all the chromosomes and splits into two new cells
Sex-linked Chromosomal Abnormality
when the abnormality is on the 23rd pair (sex chromosomes). Two of the more common sex-linked chromosomal disorders are Turner syndrome and Klinefelter syndrome.
Chromosomal Abnormality
occurs when a child inherits too many or too few chromosomes. The most common cause of chromosomal abnormalities is the age of the mother.
One of the most common chromosomal abnormalities is on pair 21. Trisomy 21, or Down syndrome, occurs when there are three rather than two 21st chromosomes.
Neurogenesis
the formation of neurons
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD)
an umbrella term for the range of effects that can occur due to alcohol consumption during pregnancy. The most severe form of FASD is fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS).
Children with FAS share certain physical features such as flattened noses, small eye holes, and small heads. Cognitively, these children may have poor judgment, poor impulse control, higher rates of ADHD, learning issues, and lower IQ scores.
Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
a condition in which a baby becomes addicted to a drug before birth, typically as a result of the mother using the addictive substance during pregnancy, and subsequently goes through drug withdrawal after birth.
Prenatal Risk Factors (Teratogen Damage)
- *Timing of the exposure: Structures in the body are vulnerable to damage when they are forming.
- *Amount of exposure: Some substances are not harmful unless the amounts reach a certain level.
- *Number of teratogens: Fetuses exposed to multiple teratogens typically have more problems.
- *Genetics: Genetic make-up plays a role on the teratogen’s impact
- *Being male or female: Males are more likely to experience damage due to teratogens than are females. It is believed that the Y chromosome, which contains fewer genes than the X, may have an impact.
Synaptogenesis
the formation of connections between neurons
Synaptic Pruning
period where neural connections are reduced, making those used much stronger
Neuroplasticity
the brain’s ability to change, both physically and chemically, to enhance its adaptability to environmental change and compensate for injury
Lateralization
process in which different functions become localized primarily on one side of the brain
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
when the death of a healthy infant occurs suddenly and unexpectedly, and medical and forensic investigation findings are inconclusive. SIDS is the leading cause of death in infants 1 to 12 months old.
Palmar Grasp
the use of the fingers and palm, but no thumbs
Pincer Grasp
ability to grasp an object using the forefinger and thumb at about 9 months of age. This ability greatly enhances the ability to control and manipulate an object
Schemas
framework for organizing information!
- -assimilation: fitting the new information into an existing schema
- -accommodation: expanding the framework of knowledge to accommodate the new situation
Object Permanence
the understanding that even if something is out of sight, it still exists. Around the same time children develop object permanence, they also begin to exhibit stranger anxiety, which is a fear of unfamiliar people.
Infantile Amnesia
the inability to recall memories from the first few years of life. The biological perspective suggests that infantile amnesia is due to the immaturity of the infant brain, especially those areas that are crucial to the formation of autobiographical memory, such as the hippocampus
Phoneme
the smallest unit of sound that makes a meaningful difference in a language. For example, the word “bit” has three phonemes.
A morpheme is a string of one or more phonemes that makes up the smallest units of meaning in a language.
Syntax
the set of rules of a language by which sentences are constructed
Cooing
syllable combination of a consonant and a vowel sound (“coo” or “ba”). Cooing serves as practice for vocalization.
Holophrasic Speech
use of a single word to form a whole sentence. Ex. “ju” for the word “juice” and use this sound when referring to a bottle
Conservation
the ability to recognize that moving or rearranging matter does not change the quantity
Animism
attributing lifelike qualities to objects. Young children do seem to think that objects that move may be alive, but after age three, they seldom refer to objects as being alive.
Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)
occurs when children can almost perform a task but not quite on their own without assistance
–scaffolding: the temporary support that parents or teachers give a child to do a task
