Development key terms Flashcards
Brain
The organ in your head made up of nerves that processes information and controls behavior. When the foetus is about 3-4 weeks, the brain is divided into forebrain, midbrain and hindbrain. At 5 weeks the forebrain is split into the posterior and anterior and the hindbrain splits through the middle.
Anterior
Directed towards/ nearer to the front
Forebrain
The anterior part of the brain including the hemispheres and the central brain structure
Posterior
Directed towards/ nearer to the back
Midbrain
The middle section of the brain forming part of the central nervous system
Hindbrain
The lower part of the brain that includes the cerebellum, pons and medulla oblongata
Cerebellum
An area of the brain near to the brainstream that controls motor movements (Muscle Activity). Can be seen in a foetus at 6 weeks old and a year after birth it is 3 times the size.
Medulla Oblongata
Connects the upper brain to the spinal cord and controls automatic responses. Its in the hindbrain,in front of the cerebellum.
Neural connections
Links formed by messages passing from one nerve cell (neuron) to another. From birth to about 3 years old, 700-1000 new neural connections form everyday
Sensorimotor
The sensimotor stage is the first stage of Piagets theory. This is a stage of rapid learning, growth and change. At around 6 months, they develop object permanence.
Pre-Operational
The pre-operational stage is the second stage of Piagets theory of cognitive development. This stage starts at around age 2, lasts until approximately age 7 and during this stage children start to engage in symbolic play and are egocentric. Animism is also seen.
Concrete Operational
The concrete operational stage is the third stage of Piagets theory of cognitive development. This stage happens from approximately 7 to 12 years and they develop decentration but have difficulties with abstract ideas like morality.
Formal Operational
The formal operational stage is the fourth and last stage of Piagets theory of cognitive development. This stage happens after 12 years old and they gain the ability to think in an abstract manner without any dependence
Object permanence
Knowing something exists even if its out of sight
Symbolic play
When children play using objects and ideas to represent other objects and ideas
Egocentrism
When you are unable to see the world from any other perspective except your own.
Animism
Believing that objects that are not alive can behave as if they are alive
Centration
Focusing on one feature of a situation and ignoring other relevant features
Irreversibility
Not understanding that an action can be reversed to return to the original state
Morality
General principles about what is right and wrong, including good and bad behaviour,
Schema/Schemata (development)
Mental representations of the world based on one’s own experiences. Schemata is plural of schema
Fixed mindset
Believing that your abilities are fixed and unchangeable
Growth mindset
Believing that practice and effort can improve your abilities
Ability
Refers to what someone can do. Dweck suggests that ability can be seen as fixed or as able to be improved.
Effort
When you try to do better using determination
Factual knowledge precedes skill
An issue with learning and developing skills is that previous knowledge is often needed.Knowledge can also free up space in our working memory to allow us to use mental skills such as problem solving. Willingham and his learning theory suggest that what someone already knows leaves them more processing power to solve a problem and aids their understanding
The importance of practice and effort
Willingham emphasises that practice and effort enable us to master knowledge and skills so we can do things automatically. What is learned goes from the short term memory to the long term memory.
Strategies to support cognitive development
Willingham suggested teachers should:
Use problems within a students ability but requires effort
Remember that a students ability is a variable that can change day to day
Consider factors other than developmental level for example they might not understand the task
Strategies to support physical development
Focus on what movements will be suitable and what order they need to be carried out
Practice the movements in that order enough times to make the muscle commands automatic
Use conscious effort
Strategies to support social development
Willingham suggested:
Build a child’s ability to take the view of someone else. Willingham disagrees with Piagets theory that states a child is egocentric till 7. He believes it can happen nearer to 18 months
Demonstrate appropriate behaviour
Help a child stop impulsive behaviour which is behaving without thinking about consequences
Morals
Standards of right and wrong behaviour that can differ between cultures and can depend on the situation
Pre-conventional morality
Children up to aged 9 believes rules cannot be changed. It is the consequence of the action that makes it a good or bad action. Stage 1 focuses on obeying in order to avoid punishment whereas stage 2 is about self- interest and what they can gain from from moral actions
Conventional morality
Most young people and adults see themselves as a good member of society and that is their starting point for their moral behaviour. Stage 3 is about wanting to be seen as good and conforming to social rules whereas stage 4 is about maintaining social order by obeying authority.
Post-conventional morality
Only about 10% of people reach the level where the individual has their own ideas about what is good and bad. Stage 5 is about laws being social contracts which individuals enter into, so there can be differences in morality between individuals according to which laws they have agreed to. Stage 6 is the understanding that moral reasoning is abstract and there are universal ethical principles that must be followed. This stage emphasises right and wrong actions beyond individual laws.
