Developmental Psychology Lecture 2-Physical and Cognitive Development in Infancy Flashcards
Apart from prenatal development, the greatest degree of physical change occurs when?
During the first 2 years of life
Synaptogenesis:
Formation of connections (synapse) among neurons
Proceeds rapidly during the brain growth spurt
Synaptic Pruning:
Refinement and elimination of neurons
Begins near the time of birth and completed near end of sexual maturation
Plasticity:
Capacity for changes; a developmental state that has the potential to be shaped by experience
Myelination:
Is the process by which neurons are enclosed in waxy myelin sheaths that will facilitate the transmission of neural impulses (creates efficiency!!!)
What parts of the brain develop first?
The lower subcortical brain regions (primitive areas and regions)
What parts of brain develop last?
Higher order functions, things that control executive functioning (pre frontal cortex) develop last
By 6 months what happens to infants brain?
primary motor areas of the cerebral cortex directs most of the infant’s movements
Inborn responses disappear by now (palmar grasp)
What are newborn reflexes?
Involuntary, automatic responses to stimuli
What are survival Reflexes:
Help newborns survive
Some survival reflexes disappear in infancy or childhood but others persist throughout life (swallowing)
What are primitive reflexes?
Are controlled by primitive parts of the brain
Disappear by about 6 months of age - not being used as much
Babinski, palmer
Cries
Basic Cry
Angry Cry
Pain Cry
Does picking up your baby when they cry reduce amount of crying later on?
YES
Colic:
An infant behavior pattern of unknown cause, involving intense daily bouts of crying, totalling 3 or more hours a day for several months
What is prenatal bone structure like?
soft cartilage that gradually hardens into bony material (ossification)
What is bone structure like at birth?
most of infant’s bones are soft, pliable and difficult to break
When is a child’s skull formed?
by age 2 will pliable points (sutures)
Locomotor skills (gross motor)-
crawling