developmental (JG) Flashcards
What is Development (Ontogeny) in the context of developmental psychology?
Development refers to how an organism changes from birth, becoming “bigger” (physical changes) and “wiser” (psychological changes).
What is Evolution (Phylogeny) and how does it relate to development?
Evolution is the change of organisms over time, leading to the diversity of species. It relates to development because the evolutionary process shapes how developmental stages unfold across species.
What is the Scala Naturae fallacy in understanding evolution?
-The Scala Naturae fallacy is the incorrect belief that humans are the “pinnacle” of evolution, with other species evolving to become more like humans.
- In reality, humans and other primates share common ancestors but evolved separately.
How are evolution and development (Evo/Devo) intertwined?
Evolution and development are interconnected because natural selection acts on all stages of an organism’s development, from embryo to adulthood.
- For example, infancy and childhood stages are extended in humans due to adaptive advantages.
What does the Evo/Devo perspective suggest about AI and neural networks?
Neural networks in AI must “develop” or learn through interaction with their environment (Devo),
and different architectures are “selected” or optimized (Evo) to improve learning and problem-solving capabilities.
What is Morphogenesis in developmental psychology?
Morphogenesis refers to the emergence of new forms, both physically in biological development and cognitively or behaviourally in the development of new skills, thoughts, and behaviours.
What are the three mechanisms of evolution proposed by Darwin?
1) Competition - Organisms compete for resources.
2) Variation - There are individual differences among organisms.
3) Heritability - Adaptive traits are passed from parents to offspring.
What role does variation play in evolution?
Variation allows for individual differences within populations.
- These differences can be genetic or phenotypical, which help populations adapt to changing environments and avoid extinction.
Give an example of morphological evolution.
Darwin’s finches on the Galapagos Islands evolved different beak shapes to adapt to available food sources.
-Larger beaks were more successful in environments with harder seeds, leading to a change in population characteristics.
What is the relationship between tool use in birds and humans from an evolutionary perspective?
Birds, apes, and humans all show tool-using behavior, but they might differ in understanding causal properties of tools.
This suggests different levels of cognitive development and evolutionary adaptations.
How does growth differ from morphogenesis in human development?
Growth refers to the progressive increase in size of existing forms, while morphogenesis refers to the emergence of new behaviors and cognitive processes, especially noticeable during childhood.
What are two main tasks in developmental psychology?
Describing - Charting developmental changes (What develops).
Explaining - Understanding how and why developmental changes occur.
What is an example of individual differences in developmental trajectories?
In learning to walk, most infants go through a crawling stage, but some may “shuffle” instead,
Highlighting individual differences in developmental paths.
How does constructivism explain cognitive development?
Constructivism posits that cognitive skills are built through dynamic interactions between
innate abilities and environmental factors, rather than being purely innate or learned through experience alone.
What is the difference between domain generality and domain specificity in cognitive development?
Domain generality suggests that a single type of intelligence handles all aspects of the world.
Domain specificity argues that different cognitive mechanisms (or modules) handle different types of knowledge.
what are figures supported nativism/rationalism … in the nature vs nurture debate
plato & descartes
what figures supported empiricism/ associationism/ behaviourism
- aristotle
- locke & hume
- B.F. skinner
what figures supported constructivism
- Kant
- Piaget
What is the age range for the Sensorimotor Stage in Piaget’s theory? and what sort of intelligence develops?
0-2 years
Practical intelligence, where infants learn through sensory experiences and manipulating objects.
What is the age range for the Preoperational Stage? and what sort of intelligence develops
3-6 years.
Symbolic intelligence, where children begin to use language, symbols, and images to represent objects and experiences, but struggle with logical operations.
: What is the age range for the Concrete Operations Stage? what sort of reasons develops in this stage
7-11 years
Internalized logical operations and reasoning about concrete things, where children can think logically about objects and events that are tangible.
What is the age range for the Formal Operations Stage? and what type of reasoning develops here?
12+ years
Hypothetical-deductive reasoning and abstract reasoning, allowing adolescents to think logically about abstract concepts and hypothetical situations.
What is Piaget’s theory of development based on?
Piaget’s theory is constructivist (development is a result of interaction between the individual and the environment)
and domain general (each stage of intelligence affects all areas of knowledge).
what are the piagets stages of cognitive development
Piaget’s stages are cognitive phases in child development that occur progressively, not suddenly, with new forms of intelligence emerging through interaction between a child’s existing abilities and their environment.
What does “operation” refer to in Piaget’s theory?
“Operation” refers to mental activities organised according to a logical structure, central to Piaget’s understanding of cognitive development.
What is the concept of “conservation” in Piaget’s theory?
Conservation refers to the understanding that certain properties (e.g., quantity, number, volume) remain the same despite changes in form or appearance. Children develop this concept gradually.
What do preoperational children typically struggle with in conservation tasks?
Preoperational children (under 6-7 years old) often incorrectly believe that the quantity of liquid changes if the container’s shape changes (e.g., taller vs. wider).
What is the “Clinical Method” in Piaget’s research?
the Clinical Method involves a dialogue with children, focusing not just on correct answers but on understanding how children think and explain their reasoning behind answers.
What is the significance of the “Seriation Task” in Piaget’s theory?
The Seriation Task assesses a child’s ability to order objects (e.g., rods of different lengths) from shortest to longest, reflecting their understanding of the concept of order and sequence.
What are some cognitive abilities that develop during the concrete operational stage?
Abilities include conservation, classification, seriation, number, measuring, perspective coordination, causality, space, time, and moral reasoning.
What is the process of “Assimilation” and “Accommodation” in Piaget’s theory?
Assimilation: is incorporating new information into existing cognitive structures
accommodation: involves changing cognitive structures to fit new information.
How did Piaget’s view on formal operations evolve?
initially, Piaget believed formal intelligence was abstract and independent of task familiarity, but later acknowledged that individual differences and education, such as scientific training, influence cognitive performance.
What does “qualitative changes in intelligence” refer to in Piaget’s theory?
This refers to the changes in the type of intelligence that occur as children grow, which is driven by a combination of brain maturation, teaching by adults, and individual experiences, all interacting.
How did Piaget and Arnold Gesell differ in their views of infant development?
Gesell :believed development was driven by maturation (nature)
Piaget: proposed development emerged from the interaction between infants and their environment, emphasizing constructivist mechanisms.
What was Gesell’s main explanation for developmental progressions in infants?
- Gesell explained development as a result of maturational mechanisms,
- where behaviour naturally grows in infants without influence from external factors like the environment.
What methodology did Piaget use to study infant development?
Piaget conducted longitudinal studies of his own children from birth to age 2, observing and experimenting to develop a theory of how intelligence evolves in infancy
What is sensorimotor intelligence, according to Piaget?
Sensorimotor intelligence refers to the development of practical intelligence in infants, which is based on their actions and interactions with the environment, forming the foundation for later symbolic and logical thought.
What are the first three sub-stages of Piaget’s sensorimotor stage?
Associative blind trial and error
A) Reflexes – Newborns start with independent reflex reactions.
B) Acquisition of habits (1-4 months) – Infants build a repertoire of habits in separate domains.
C) Coordination of reactions – Infants begin to coordinate these habits into more complex behaviours and schemes.
What are secondary circular reactions?
Simple intelligence (4-8 months)
Secondary circular reactions (Stage 3 of the sensorimotor stage) involve infants repeating actions that have interesting effects, thereby building up a repertoire of schemes through interaction with objects.
What characterises Stage 4 of Piaget’s sensorimotor stage?
Stage 4 (8-12 months)
is marked by means-ends/goal-directed behaviour, where infants begin using known actions as means to achieve goals, such as moving an obstacle to reach a toy.
What developments occur during Stage 5 and Stage 6 of sensorimotor intelligence?
Stage 5: Infants create new actions through trial and error to solve problems. (12-18 months)
Stage 6: Infants develop insight, using mental representation to solve problems and use tools in an intelligent way. (18-24 months
What are tertiary circular reactions?
Tertiary circular reactions (Stages 5 and 6) involve infants systematically experimenting with new actions and observing the effects on different objects, reflecting early problem-solving abilities.
How did Piaget resolve the debate between behaviourism and Gestalt psychology?
Piaget integrated both views by proposing that blind trial and error and insight emerge at different stages of cognitive development, representing different learning mechanisms in infants.
What is Piaget’s view on the role of action in cognitive development?
Piaget believed that action drives the development of intelligence, linking changes in infant behaviour to changes in cognitive structures and concepts.
What are the fundamental categories of knowledge that are constructed during the sensorimotor stage, according to Piaget?
object
casuality
space
time
How did Piaget differ from Kant regarding the fundamental categories of knowledge?
- Kant believed these categories were innate
- while Piaget proposed they are progressively constructed during the sensorimotor stage.
What is “Object Permanence”?
The understanding that objects exist independently of oneself and persist even when not seen or touched.
How does Piaget describe the infant’s initial perception of the world?
Initially, the infant’s world is a collection of separate, inconsistent “scenes” that appear and disappear without permanence.
At what stage do infants begin to visually track objects, and what does this indicate about object permanence?
Stage 2 (around 4 months), indicating a primitive form of object permanence.