Developmental Midterm 1

Question 1

what is developmental psych

Answer 1

Field of psych that’s concerned w/ how an individual changes from conception to death

Question 2

Is developmental change linear or multifaced/ Explain how? (TSCDVMG)

Answer 2

Transformational
Morphological change- zygote to a child

Sequential
Developmental changes tend to be predictable

Continuous
Gradual/incremental progress
ex-Dexterity or reading

Discontinuous
Distinct states/shifts
ex-9 month revolution-starting to understanding social world

Variable
Things that vary in the rate/timing of milestones
ex-Ppl speaking at different ages

Multi-directional (non-linear)
Growth in trajectories, plateaus and sometimes regressions

General
When you learn-you can apply it to different forms of the same situation
ex-When you learn to point, you can point at anything

Question 3

“what” and “how” questions in
developmental research?

Answer 3

What?
What is developing-what are we looking into as context matters

How?
How does this develop
Looking at a situation from theoretical perspectives

Question 4

Why Study child development?

Answer 4

Curiosity of a phenomena-ppl naturally want to understand how things in the world work

Need to gain info to guide children’s behavior- to optimize the quality of future generations, we use the best methods that will optimize children’s development

Ability to predict behavior-

Need to understand adult behavior-developmental cascade

Question 5

How does History shape developmental research?

Answer 5

John locke- under parent control, until they are capable of independence
V
Kids have natural rights too
V
18-19th cent-children faced poor working conditions
V
19th cent-children working with fathers
V
Child labor laws-protect kids from exploitation
V
Childhood respected as a distinct point in human development

**Minorities are not accounted for in history!!!

Question 6

How does culture shape developmental research?

Answer 6

Ppl grow up in different environments-w/ diff methods of raising kids
Children are viewed differently in diff cultures

China
Children-sign of hope and prosperity

Usa
Child actors-sign of escaping reality
Talents-marker for national integrity, sophistication

Aboriginal
Different societal norms
Kids had greater responsibility

Question 7

How does philosophy shape developmental research?

Answer 7

Defining concepts- Helps interpret, understand, and bring order to ppl lives

Scientists like darwin and piagets contributions to emotions-bring order and coherence

Question 8

How do theories and metatheories shape developmental research?

Answer 8

Theory

-Bind together a multitude of facts into a relevant and coherent framework
-Some theories r clear and logical but some theories arent so logical
-Theories lead to testable hypotheses-that give more insight in the field

Meta
-Within-mini theories that lead to testable hypotheses that give more insight in the field
-Test many theories to deduct where a core assumption is valid or not

Question 9

Aims of developmental psych?

Answer 9

-Describe-just analyzes the structure of an phenomena-what you see in reality
Ex: Walking into a daycare and describing the how kids act

-Explain –causal connections/why and hows of the description

-Regulate-control variables so we better know what causes what

Question 10

How do the authors define the “postmodern child”?

Answer 10

Postmodern child- seen as an individual within many contexts and not just smt to understand adults

-might involve recognizing that children’s identities are not fixed or predetermined but are shaped by various factors, including culture, society, and personal experiences.

-acknowledging and valuing different cultural, historical, and individual views of childhood, moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach.

-questioning traditional, standardized views of child development and emphasizing the importance of cultural, social, and individual differences.

Knowledge is created by people working in groups and isnt simply found-it’s a product of socialiazation

Our culture impacts how we view other cultures-we need to be aware of that inherent bias
ex-Like western ppl think swinging baby is ridiculous

Question 11

Definition of life-span Dev Psych

Answer 11

Description, explanation and optimization of developmental processes from conception-death

Challenges short-span views

Just looking at one stage is bad

Question 12

Broadly, what are some historical events that spurred the establishment of the
life-span perspective in developmental psychology?

Answer 12

Big wave(1920s-30s)-
-Interest in childhood
-Focus on behavioristic-experimental research

Big wave(1960s-70s)
1.Commitment in major universities in US and Europe

2.Longitudinal studies on child development(Pre WWII)
-Reached adulthood in 60and70-shifts in thinking abt later period of life course

3.Gerontology-study of aging-lifelong processes
-Aging is a result of what happened earlier in life

Question 13

What are the major assumptions and propositions of life-span developmental
psychology?

Answer 13

1.Development can happen at any stage
-No fixed point of maturity-abstract concept
-Behavior has shape- human development changes that shape
-No stage is the primary one set of development
-Makes it harder to focus on the links between stages too

2.Development is mulidetermined
-age-graded, history-graded and non-normative\

3.Development lacks a predetermined direction
-Developmental Cascade- events happen at different stages in life can influences eachother

4.LFDP is Intergal cuz its combinatorial
a.Descriptive-
-combines knowledge from different age-perspectives like methodology
-has to make different insights merge into one concept-

b.Theoretical-Certain topics are only relevant if u look at things from LFDP
-Different links

Life-span tasks and contexts
-look at the different factors of a situation at that specific time
-The demands of your environment changes-development changes too
-Memorizing while in school is in important when your student, but not when your adults
-Even though your skills regress doesn’t

Question 14

how does the author define and explain the three sets of influences that act
and interact to produce life-span development? (OEN-N)

Answer 14

1.Ontogenetic changes-age-graded
-Things that most ppl go thru within a culture
-Different levels of education throughout life
-Different skills you can learn at certain ages

2.Evolutionary-history
-Events effect members of similar age cohorts in the same way
-Some events may differ for diff age-cohorts living at the same time

3.Non-normative-personal changes
-Impact depends on specific conditions of timing, patterning, and duration
-Career changes, Emmigration, Bullying

Question 15

Difference between gestational age and conceptional age?

Answer 15

Gestational age-from first day after last period

Conceptional age- from conception

Question 16

neurogenesis (GA, features, Atypical, plasticity)

Answer 16

between 8-20w (GA)
-Majority of neurons are formed at 12-18w (GA)
-Billions of neurons produced determined by genetic factors
-Develops in brain, spinal cord and neural tube wall
-What happens in neurogenesis- affects adulthood-cascade
-Easier to learn thing at a young age because there more neurons

Atypical
-Maternal stress-> increased risk-> schizophrenia and encephalocele
-Suggests that expression of genes (early foetal life) influenced by external factors

Epigenetic and environmental influences and plasticity
-If brain is sufficiently used and trained->new neurons generate throughout life
-Increases efficiency of learning

Question 17

Neural Migration (GA, features, Atypical, plasticity)

Answer 17

12-20w (GA)
-Overlaps w/neurogenesis
-Neuron move to a place and form 6 layers
-Related to cognitive-language, thinking, cognitive process

Atypical
-Atypical migration->Result of environmental factors
-Insufficient movement/migration-> flat brain, epilepsy, and mental retardation
-Maternal stress-> reduced attention span, cognitive problems and depressive symptoms
-Not enough evidence that shows neuron migration leads to dyslexia

Epigenetic and environmental influences and plasticity
-Unlikely that the location and connections of neurons is solely due to gene

Question 18

Neural Wiring axons,dendrites, and synaspes (GA, features, Atypical, plasticity)

Answer 18

Starts at 20w GA
-Subplate neuron excrete neurotransmitters that attract axons and dendrites to create connections

Migrating cells- no function in axons and dendrites
-Migrated cells-axons and dendrites grow out of them

Axon-long nerve fibres connecting to muscles and glands

Synapse-branches on axons
Formed by proteins-acts as a molecular switch

Dendrites-branches on synapse

Axons and dendrites find target cells by growing cuz of molecules on cells

Target cells secrete … inhibit growth of connecting nerve fibre to these cells

Atypical
-Decreased sensory input and maternal stress-> less axons, dendrites, and synapses
-Prenatal stress-> impair cognitive and executive function into old age
-Maternal stress-> ->Stress alters subplate neurons-> developmental delays, lower IQ, schizophrenia

Epigenetic and environmental influences and plasticity
-Alterations in synaptic connections –learning and memory
-Synapses-enable kid to acquire a lot of behavioral, social, environmental, linguistic and cultural info
-Formation of new and changes in specificity/stability of synapses-lifelong learning, memory, and cognition
-Increase in synaptic contacts and stability-life long experience dependent plasticity

Question 19

Pruning (GA, features, Atypical, plasticity)

Answer 19

20-36w
-Connections that arent used go away/corrects over production
-Active cells w/ connections to target cells get more life-savers than less active
-Allows optimal locations and interconnections of neurons
-Adapts environmental factors

Elimination is due to
1. Genetic programming-apoptosis
2. Limited resources-dependant on nutrients
3. Activity-hear, moving in the womb

Atypical
-Deprivation from sensory input and severe stress-sensory, behavioral, and cognitive impairment
-Maternal stress-hippocampus is sensitive to cell death

Question 20

Myelination (GA, features, Atypical, plasticity)

Answer 20

28w-28m (GA)
-Insulates axons by myelin
-Prevents leakage of ions-increases speed of neural communication
-Involved in cognitive functions and learning

Atyipical
Severe maternal and postnatal stress-> inhibit myelination-> psychiatric disorders (schiz, an depression) and cognitive impairment

Question 21

diff between experience independent vs. dependent vs. expectant- provide examples

Answer 21

Ind
Experience have little dev
Excessive neurogenesis and formation of axons and dendrites

Exp
-common to all species
-Happens during critical period
-You need certain stimuli to grow
-Abnormal development-when you don’t get enough/right stimuli
-early visual experience->Life-long vision

Dep
-Things that develop during non-critical period
-Opera singing- changes larynx
-Flexibility
-Development of circuits and synapses

Question 22

Def of motor development

Answer 22

acquisition, refinement and decay of motor skills

Question 23

Relationship and difference between Mind and Behavior, according to Adolph

Answer 23

Mind-internal dimension of experience that processes info
Output-behavior

Instead of separating the two- Adolph combines psychology –mind and behavior

Context of body and environment affect motor behavior-
Body is subject to laws of physics
Thus the env demands certain movements

Question 24

What is spontaneous motility

Answer 24

due to lack of body and brain and spinal cord –random movement happen cuz signals are sent to the muscles directly

Question 25

What does Adolph think milestones

Answer 25

Adolph is critical of milestones- its multidirectional

Some days they can crawl and others cant-cant focus on age milestones

She emphasizes the importance of practice
Practice-dynamic process and effort instead milestones

Question 26

how is motor development embodied-discuss secondary circular reactions, contingencies as well as shape and function of behavior+give example

Answer 26

Developmental changes in the physical body-> +possibility for action

Secondary Circular reactions- non-voluntary repetitive movements-directed at objects- seem irrelevant

Later-detect contingencies- child starts to connect circular movement in reality w/ contingencies

No sense of self- correlation that movement impact world-cant interpret it tho- not intentional

Shape-of behavior-what it looks like
Function-although two behavior looks identical diff intention

Motor development adapts to the state of the body and isnt necessarily dependent on the age as the body isnt hardwired

crib or pointing->grasp

Question 27

Explain the significance of the 4 month and 9 month mark in motor development

Answer 27

4-month- improved head control, reaching for objects, and rolling over.

9 months, crawling, pulling to stand, and increased fine motor skills like picking up small object- crucial for laying the foundation for further mobility and exploration.

Question 28

explain how some behavior are temporary solutions

Answer 28

Banging-recurring movement->spatial awareness-> no need for banging cuz they know other way to express emotions such as excitement, frustration, or curiosity

Children accumulate the most practice by 9 months-changes into other behavior

Question 29

Explain Vygotsky’s view on the transition between grasping and pointing

Answer 29

Grasps things that in the immediate field-simply cuz theyre close

Since they don’t know how far it is they point

Environment-adults get them things for them

Child notice that pointing leads them to getting other ppl to get object

Question 30

How is motor development embedded. also explain affordances+give example

Answer 30

Actions need to be selected, timed and shaped to adapt to changing environment

Visually guided grasping(4m)-coordination between transport and grip until 12

Closed in fist at object-reach open hand and then change grip-fingers close in anticipation of grasping-use visual info to adjust grip and hand orientation

Affordance-fit between capability and features of environment->make action possible
-Diff species have different bodies, skills life tasks-context differs
-Additionally each individual each species capabilities develop throughout life

Question 31

How is motor development encultured and explain issues w/ studying solely WEIRD children-
Western
Educated
Industrialized
Rich
Democratic

Answer 31

Africa, india, carribean-customary exercise, stretching and massages, rubbed vigorously, shaken, and tossed

Encourages- holding head up, supporting body weight, sitting, standing and other motor skills

Appears rough and abusive from WEIRD pov

Non weird mothers are appalled by western mothers lack of vigorous motor handling and exercise

Kids who get these treatments sit and walk earlier than those who dont

Issues
-Cant fully assess cultural and social environments- similar childhoods
-Norms of what certain ages can and cant do-cant be established-different norms for diff cultures
-Non weird ppl may be accelerated or delayed-doesn’t represent true norms
-Misattribute diff between races being due to biological diff instead of it being a cultural difference-Diff cultures have diff childrearing environment

Question 32

What are developmental cascades, and how do they relate to motor development?
Provide at least one example that illustrates this relationship

Answer 32

Motor experience can facilitate developmental change in diff domains

Practice Physical Exploration at a young age-develops context with environment ppl and object-leads to enhancement later on

Postural skill and manual exploration(5 months) is a catalyst for academic achievement (14 yrs)

Question 33

What is the intended meaning behind authors stating that “motor behavior is the only way to translate mental activity into actual activity”

Answer 33

Motor actions are inherently psychological

Motor behavior demands more than the physical body moving

Requires perception, planning, learning, discovery of new strategies

Question 34

what are the assumptions about the statement: How does the external world become permanent in the internal mind

and does piaget see development as more linear or multi directional

Answer 34

T\

Question 35

How does Piaget define an object and object permanence

Answer 35

Object permanence-knowledge of the distinct nature of the self and external objects
-Kids recognition of own body as independent

Object are things conceived as permanent, substantial, external to the self, and persisting in existence when not directly affecting the person
-An object is a psychological construct-external exists away from objects

Question 36

whats the difference between Assimilation and Accommodation (Piaget)

Answer 36

Assimilation- the new idea or concept is adapted and fits into existing ideas or concepts.
You see many cats and label them as cats

Accommodation-changing schema-to interact w/ smt to adapt to a changing environment

Question 37

What is core knowledge? How do nativist theories differ from Piagetian theory?

Answer 37

Infants are born w/ innate structures that give them info abt fundamental aspects of the world

Children are born w/ innate knowledge abt an object as supposed to sensorimotor learning or experience