Developmental Psychology Study Guide Module 1 Flashcards
Charles Darwin
origin of the species (1859), theory of evolution. how does it connect to developmental psychology?
E. Haeckel (1866)
embryology, “ontogeny recapitulates Phylogeny”, biogenetic law. ontonogey= human development from fertilization to adult maturation
phylogeny= evolutionary stages/changes across organisms
“an idea from the1800s that an organism’s development mirrors the evolutionary stage that the animal goes through” (largely considered to be a myth)
K. von Baer (1828)
differentiation beginning during embryology
higher order embryos never resemble lower order embryos
more general appear earlier than more specific
G. Stanley Hall
established the APA (1892)
launched the child study movement
goals of developmental psychology
describe, explain, predict, control
changes across time occur…
intra-individual- a change in a person’s behavior or performance over time
inter-individual- differences that are observed between people
pattern of change…
normative- the typical pattern of development that most people experience within a population
idiographic- the unique and individual patterns of development and change that occur within a single person over time
why should psychologists study prenatal development?
it effects post-natal development
preformationism
structures develop from miniature “preformed” versions
Sperm contains preformed organisms and meets passive egg, and then they have kids
Preformationism was a theory that held that an organism’s development was the result of a preformed embryo growing in size
epigenesis
the emergence of new structures and functions in the course of development
zygote
0-2 weeks
embryo
2-8 weeks
fetus
8 weeks to birth
four developmental processes transform a zygote into an embryo into a fetus
Mitosis- cells divide resulting in two identical daughter cells
Cell migration- newly formed cells move away from the point of origin
Cell differentiation- cells start to specialize in structure and function
Apoptosis- genetically programmed cell death
zygote period
Structure and function
Stem cells
Totipotent cells- the very first cells created after fertilization (high developmebntal potential)
Pluripotent cell- either will be the person this will become or the supporters (placenta or umbilical cord)
Process: Mitosis
Blastocyst (100 cells) this is also when it embeds in the walls of the uterus and the totipotent cells differentiate into different cells
embryo period
Stem cells become Multipotent
MULTIPOTENT CELLS SPECIALIZE THE BUG SYSTEMS (I.E, NERVOUS OR CIRCULATORY)
Ectodermal
Mesodermal
Endodermal
Processes
Mitosis
Migration
Apoptosis
Gastrula- three cell layers
embryo (gastrula)
Structure & Function: Stem Cells
Oligopotent Cells
Unipotent Cells
Process
Mitosis
Migration
Differentiation
Apoptosis
fetus
Structure and function: cells
Emergence of Bone Cells
First Organized Behavior
Processes
Mitosis
Migration
Differentiation
Apoptosis
Organization
viability
the organism can exist within the womb on its own/in a very protected environment
vulnerability
risk facts under age two such as poverty, family discord, divorce, biological issues (prenatal stress)
protective factors
role models, temperament, (female) responsibility (taking care of siblings), (male) firstborn
prenatal developmental processes
brain development, neurogenesis, cell proliferation, cell migration, cell myelination
principals of developmental processes
differentiation (simple to complex), hierarchical organization (systems and subsystems), orderly sequence (emergence is orderly (some things happen before others), pattern of growth (physical growth), timing and sequence (Heterochrony, Heterogeneity)
pattern of physical growth
Start from head to toe and in to out
Cephalocaudal- means “head to toe” and describes the pattern of growth and development from the head to the tail
Proximodistal- development that proceeds from the center of the body outward
heterochrony
a change in developmental timing, is an important mechanism of evolutionary change. Historically the concept of heterochrony has focused alternatively on changes in size and shape or changes in developmental sequence, but most have focused on the pattern of change
heterohrony
the recognition that there is variability in how children develop. This variability can be due to genetic and environmental factors.
sensitive periods of development
Critical Period (something must happen or it will not happen) -> Sensitive (best time for something to happen but it might happen at another time if the context is right)
vulnerabilities of early development
teratogen, thalidomide, ect.
teratogen
environmental agent that take development off its normal course, damage, or death
Physical (radiation, hot tubs?)
Chemical (cocaine)
Diseases (zika, measles, rubella)
Maternal condition (preeclampsia, diabetes)
thalidomide
prescribed to women who had miscarriages or morning sickness. Tranquilizer. Taken during sensitive periods, it stopped development wherever it was
Still used in Brazil and other places to treat leprosy
principles of teratogenic influence
Timing and exposure affect the type and severity of the change or damage
Susceptibility depends on the genetics of the mother and organism and the prenatal environment
Different teratogens can produce similar conditions
A single teratogen can produce many conditions
Dose-dependent relation- the more exposure, the worse the effects
The longer exposure to or the higher the does means that the effects will be worse
developmental plasticity
Genotype A+ Enviroment X= Phenotype B
Genotype A+ Enviroment Y= Phenotype C
neural plasticity
Nervous system changes in response to experience
Structure
Function
Developmental Brain Plasticity
experience- expectant
experience- dependent
experience-expectant
we are expected to have a specific kind of human experience (ex. Vision. Babies expect certain light patterns when born and if they do not get this, their eyesight develops differently)
developmental risk and resilience
What variables create developmental risk?
Multiple risk models
Resilience
Successful development in spite of multiple developmental risks
experience-dependent
dependent on experiences you have (e. If I learn a particular skill, my brain and system will develop with that. Violin, reading, writing. Put a volleyball player on a court, they know what to do while someone who doesn’t play volleyball doesn’t. One person’s nervous system developed around that skill and not the other person’s)
multiple risk model
Effect of cumulative and multiple risks affect normal functioning in child
resilience
Successful development in spite of multiple developmental risks
genotype
inherited genetic material
phenotype
observed expression of genetic material
Winchester (1972)
Himalayan Rabbit
Shaved a plot of fur and put an ice pack there until the fur grew back
What color will it grow back as
Fur changes color
Norm of reaction- all possible phenotypes that can result from genotypes in different environments- compatible with life e.g., cool or heat the rabbit
There is a limitless distribution of phenotypes that can be expressed by a genotype
norm of reaction vs reaction range
Range: idea that genotype is setting a restriction for its environment
Norm: different phenotypes thrive in different reactions
fundamental relations of every child
Parents’ genetics contribute to children’s genotype
Children’s genotypes contribute to their phenotypes
Children’s environments contribute to their phenotypes
Children’s phenotypes influence their enviroment
Children’s environments influence their genotypes
passive
Parents’ genotype-child’s genotype
simple
Child’s genotypes-child’s phenotype
Endophenotypes- mediate between genes and behavior
simple environment
Child’s environment-child’s phenotypes
Impact of the environment on a child’s phenotype
Norm of reaction
Phenylketonuria (PKU): recessive gene on chromosome 12 that prevents the metabolism of amino acid phenylalanine
Child’s phenotype-child’s environment
child’s phenotype
Evocative: they evoke certain kinds of responses from others
Active: Children select surroundings and experiences that match their interests, talents, and personality characteristics
Child’s environment-child’s genotype
child’s environment
Epigenetic mechanisms can alter the functioning of genes
Methylation: methyl molecules bond to DNA to change gene expression
Phenylketonuria (PKU)
Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a rare, inherited metabolic disorder that affects the body’s ability to break down the amino acid phenylalanine.
Causes:
PKU is caused by a mutation in the PAH gene, which provides instructions for making the enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH). PAH is responsible for breaking down phenylalanine.
Without treatment, PKU can lead to high levels of phenylalanine in the blood and brain, causing:
Intellectual disability
Seizures
Behavioral problems
Microcephaly (small head size)
Light skin and hair
Musty odor
Diagnosis:
PKU is typically diagnosed through a newborn screening blood test.
Treatment:
The primary treatment for PKU is a lifelong, specialized diet that severely restricts phenylalanine intake. This includes avoiding foods such as:
Meat, Fish, Eggs, Dairy, Nuts, and Artificial sweeteners containing aspartame.
In addition to diet, some individuals with PKU may also require medication to help metabolize phenylalanine
sensation v perception
sensation” refers to the basic process of sensory organs detecting stimuli from the environment, like light hitting the retina, while “perception” is the brain’s interpretation and organization of that sensory information, creating a meaningful experience of the world, which can be influenced by past experiences and expectations; essentially, sensation is the raw input, and perception is the constructed understanding of that input.
perceptual narrowing
reduces their sensitivity to classes of stimuli which the infants do not encounter in their environment
what is cognition
Piaget’s Theory
Core-Knowledge Theories
Sociocultural Theories
Information-Processing Theories
Dynamic-System Theories
piaget’s childish thoughts
Piaget: You have already seen the clouds moving along? What makes them move?
Children respond with answer based on what stage their in
Piaget’s Constructivism
Experimental study of the origins and development of knowledge
What are normative ontogenetic patterns of new (emergent) forms of thinking?
How do we all develop in the same way?
What are the normative forms of knowledge construction?
How do we all have the same kind of knowledge?
Piagetian Constructivism
Theoretical assumptions
Humans are curious and active
Cognitive activity is goal-driven
Knowledge is constructed
Knowledge constructions are interpretations of experiences
different types of thinking under Piaget
Behavioral schemes -> action
Symbolic schemes -> internal image
Operational schemes -> mental manipulation of internal images
behavioral schemes
Thought in action
Infants think by using their senses and motor skills
First few months- reflexes
8 months- object permanence
18 to 24 months- deferred imitation
symbolic schemes
Symbolic representation
Language, time
Early symbolic scheme use is characterized by:
Centration- hanging on to a single element of a perceptual experience at the expense of other things
Egocentrism
Measurement
- Three mountain problem
- Do other people have different perspectives?
- Correct Solution means that they are declining in egocentrism
Operational Schemes
Reason logically about concrete features of the world
Decenter
Class inclusion
Measurement
- Conservation
- Does quantity stay the same despite changes in appearance?
behavioral schemes overview
Based off action: thinking based on action
symbolic schemes (around 2) overview
Think in terms of symbols: symbolic representation
Egocentric
Syntration- focus on single things in a perceptual world instead of focusing on multiple
operational schemes overview
Measurements:
Conservation: Does quantity stay the same despite changes in appearance?
- Correlation Solution: Decentration
The Balance Scale
What is the relationship between weight and distance?
- Correlation: Logical-Mathematical Reasoning
The Pendulum Problem
What is the relation between the length of the string, the weight of the bob, and the speed of the swing?
- Hypothetical Deductive Reasoning
decentration
the cognitive ability to move away from a one-dimensional focus and consider multiple aspects of a situation or problem
syntration
focus on single things in a perceptual world instead of focusing on multiple
collection of schemes=cognitive structure
Behavioral=Sensiomotor
Symbolic=Preoperational
Opertional=Concrete Operational
Operational=Formal Operational
functional invariants
Organization
Adaptation
- Assimilation
- Accommodation
what is happening in a stage
in a stage, your thinkin g is dictated by the framework of the scheme using that scheme, you’re always organizing and adapting. invariant means constant amongst every stage
assimilation
brining in things from your culture and old way of thinking
accomidation
changing yourself to behave like the new information you receive; “oh wait a minute it look slike she did something i didnt expect so now I have to think of her having mind beyond”
structure 1
Self-Enviroment Exploration -> New Information
Process
Organization
Adaptation
Assimilation
Accommodation
structure 2
Process= Equilibrium
Cognitive Equilibrium
Cognitive Contents
Contents= Knowledge
All knowledge is a construction
socio-cultural theories of cognitive development
Lev Vygotsky (1896- 1934)
laguage and thought are non-seperable
zone of proximal development
children as social learners
three phases of internalized speech
goal-> to integrate into community
sociocultural theories/social interactions
Guided participation
Zone of proximal development
Social Scaffolding
Cultural Tools
what does children as social learners mean
things that change are what you know and learn through intersubjectivity and joint attention
Children are connected to others who help them gain skills and understanding
language and thought are non-seperable
You don’t think until you have language
Private speech- talking to yourself and what other people say to you, you say to yourself
zone of proximal development
What they can do on their own vs. what a child can do with an advanced learner?
three phases of internalized speech
Children’s behavior is controlled by other people’s statements
Children’s behavior is controlled by their own private speech in which they have to tell themselves aloud what to do, much as their parents might have done earlier
Behavior is controlled by internalized private speech (thought), in which they already tell themselves what to do
guided participation
a teaching method that involves helping a student perform an adult-like task
social scaffolding
a teaching method based on Vygotsky’s theory of the zone of proximal development (ZPD)
cultural tools
the symbolic and material artifacts provided by a culture that people use to think, solve problems, and interact with their environment, including things like language, writing systems, numbers, maps, tools, and technology, which significantly shape cognitive development by mediating higher-order mental processes like reasoning and problem-solving; essentially, these tools are learned through social interaction and become internalized as part of one’s cognitive abilities.
how does change occur according to Vygotsky vs. Piaget?
Piaget: Assimilation and then you can’t so you move to accommodation through the process of equilibration
Vygotsky: Guided Participation & Social Scaffolding
Intersubjectivity
Joint attention
intersubjectivity
the process of two people sharing an understanding of a task or idea
How it works?
Shared understanding: Two people start a task with different understandings and end up with a shared understanding.
Collaboration: Participants work together towards a shared goal.
Communication: Participants communicate effectively.
Adjusting perspectives: Participants adjust to each other’s perspectives.
Negotiation: Participants negotiate and compromise to reach a shared view.
joint attention
when two or more people share focus on an object or event
Examples:
A caregiver and infant share attention on a toy while learning its name
Two people sing a duet
Hunters share attention to bird sounds
Doctors share attention to radiographs
In infants:
Responding to joint attention: Following another person’s gaze, head posture, or gestures
Initiating joint attention: Using gestures or alternating gaze to create a shared point of reference
children embedded in culture
Process
Similar across cultures
Contents
Differ across cultures
cultural practices and motor development
Correa-Chaves & Rogoff (2009)- diaper study
Differences in Attention and Learning
Brown & Pollitt (1996)
malnutrition paper in Guatemala
- not a true experiment since the supplements were not randomly assigned
- Can be potential confounds: ex., the children in each village can be different
(WRITE MROE)
sleeper effects
Early intervention -> nothing changes, then it shows up much later
core-knowledge theory
offshoot that just gives children more credit, they believe the fact that we build on knowledge and particular core knowledge
a psychological theory that proposes that humans are born with certain fundamental cognitive abilities. These abilities, or core knowledge systems, are innate and help us understand the world around us.
Key ideas of core knowledge theory
Core knowledge systems are domain-specific, task-specific, and encapsulated.
Core knowledge systems are the product of evolution.
Core knowledge systems are the basis for developing new cognitive abilities.
Core knowledge systems include competencies related to objects, quantities, and social interactions.
dyanmic-systems theory
soft-assembly (the organism becomes self-organized)
the dynamic system talks about the skills (in the information processing theories process) allows system
a theoretical framework that views development as a complex, self-organizing process arising from the continuous interaction of multiple factors within a person, their environment, and the task at hand, emphasizing that development is not linear but can involve sudden shifts and non-linear changes due to these dynamic interactions; essentially, it suggests that behavior emerges from the interplay of various systems rather than being driven by a single factor.
Multicausality:
Development is not caused by a single factor but arises from the interaction of many factors like biological maturation, cognitive abilities, social context, and environmental conditions.
Self-organization:
Systems naturally tend to organize themselves into stable patterns without requiring external control, meaning new behaviors can emerge spontaneously as different elements interact.
Nonlinearity:
Development can involve sudden shifts or qualitative changes rather than gradual progression, with small changes in one system potentially leading to large changes in behavior.
Emergence:
New behaviors can arise from the complex interactions of multiple systems, not being present in any individual component.
information-processing theories
memory, problem solving, overlapping waves theory, planning
what is learning
Taking in new information and changing you’re thoughts and behavior to respond to that information
Learning: Change in behaviot as a result of experience
what kinds of learning are documented in infants
Habituation
Statistical Learning
Classical Conditioning
Observant Conditioning
Observational Learning
Rational Learning
Active Learning
habituation
decreased responding to repeated stimulus
statistical learning
learning predictable patterns from the environment
classical conditioning
associating a neutral stimulus with a pre-existing response
observant conditoning
associating behavior with a consequence
observational learning
learning by observing the action of others
rational learning
using past experiences to predict future events
active learning
active engagement (physical or mental) rather than passive observation
what is memory
Ability to store and retrieve information
What kinds of memory are documented in infants?
Working memory: attending, maintaining, and processing information
Long-term memory: relatively permanent storage of information (knowledge)
information processing theory
Computer Metaphor
Struccture of Cognitive Systems
Finction (process) of Mental Activities
Important Research Approach
Task Analaysis
Computer Simulations
a cognitive theory that explains how the brain processes information. It compares the brain to a computer, with stages for input, processing, and output.
Stages of information processing
Sensory memory: Takes in raw information from the senses, such as sights, sounds, and smells
Short-term memory: Interprets and processes information, also known as working memory
Long-term memory: Stores information permanently, though it can fade over time
Information-Processing and Dynamic System Theories
Change Across Time in Thinking
Goals
Variability in Thinking
Selection Processes
Expertise
information-processing theory vs dynamic systems theory
Information processing theory views cognition as a series of discrete steps where information is actively processed through different mental stages like sensory input, working memory, and long-term storage, similar to a computer, while dynamic system theory sees behavior as emerging from complex interactions between multiple factors within a system over time, emphasizing the fluidity and continuous nature of change, rather than distinct stages; essentially, information processing focuses on “how” information is processed, while dynamic systems focus on “how systems change” in response to various influences.
information processing theories: assumption
Children are active
Children are goal-directed
Children are problem solvers
Children have limited information capacity relative to adults
information processing theories: development of memory
Working memory
Long-term memory
Executive functioning
- Inhibition- the ability to inhibit a dominant or tempting response
- Working memory
- Flexibility
information- processing theories: how does change occur?
Basic processes
-Associating
-Generalizing
-Encoding
-Recognizing
-Recalling
Strategies
-Rehearsal
-Selective Attention
Laski and Siegler (2014)
Learning from Number Board Games: You Learn What You Encode
Microgenetic design- studying same group of people over time with same tests
Hypothesis: Counting strategy during game playing influences encoding of the numerical-spatial relations on the game board and thus contributes to learning
42 kindergarteners Randomly Assigned
found that continuous counting increases number line counting
information-processing theories:overlapping waves theories
Changes across time in thinking
- Goals
- Variability in Thinking- learning strategies could be considered under overlapping waves theories
- Selection Processes
- Expertise- very task specific and they require strategy some generalization
a cognitive development theory that describes how children use multiple strategies to solve problems.
Werner 1989
The Kauai Study, a groundbreaking longitudinal study, spanned over 40 years and focused on the development of 698 children born on the Hawaiian island of Kauai in 1955. This research project aimed to assess the long-term consequences of stressors before, during, and shortly after birth.
Proof of resilience through things like positive role models
Plato’s belief
believed in innate knowledge
Aristotle’s Belief
all knowledge comes from experience, tabula rasa
Locke’s Belief
tabula rasa
most important goal of child rearing is the growth of character
discipline before freedom
Rousseau’s Belief
give all children maximum amounts of freedom
children learn through openness
no formal education until 12 because that is the age of reason
Hart (1991)
The rights of children that are assured by a society indicate the progress that society has made toward becoming civilized. For hundreds of years children have been treated primarily as property. Recently, they have begun to be considered to be persons. This represents an important transition in the children’s rights movement. This article provides a historical perspective on the evolution of children’s rights, giving particular attention to the significance of those advances toward person status that have been achieved, those in progress, and those projected
Nelson et al (2023)
Romania’s Abandoned Children: The Effects of Early Profound Psychosocial Deprivation on the Course of Human Development
Sensitive, consistent caregiving that is responsive to a child’s needs is one of the most powerful interventions that is available for children who are orphaned, abandoned, and maltreated, for the simple reason that such care is individualized and has the best interests of the child in mind. Over the course of 20 years, we have consistently demonstrated that even when a child’s physical needs are met, psychosocial neglect is deleterious to brain and behavioral development. Much like exposure to toxins, the higher the dose of toxin, and the more prolonged the exposure, the more problematic the effects. Similarly, the longer a low level of quality care is provided, the more harmful it is to children’s development. The sooner children can be placed in adequate or better caregiving environments, the more likely they are to recover, and the fuller their recovery is likely to be.
Since the project was conceived and implemented, the findings through age 16 have been extensively reported in both the scientific and lay literatures. Rather than summarize the findings to date across multiple domains, we instead focus on three broad questions: First, was the intervention efficacious, and if so, in what domains? Second, in those domains where the intervention was efficacious, were the effects influenced by critical period timing—that is, the age at which children were removed from institutions and placed into foster care? Finally, did disruptions in care (lack of stability in placement) impact outcomes?
Picci & Schref (2016)
From Caregivers to Peers: Puberty Shapes Human Face Perception
To test these hypotheses, we employed a novel experi mental paradigm in which the facial stimuli mirrored the participant groups in age and pubertal status. We teste individuals across the full range of pubertal status: p pubescent children, age-matched adolescents in early
and later stages of pubertal development, and adults.
This design enabled us to evaluate changes in face recog
nition related to the transition from late childhood into
adolescence, as well as the transition from early to later
pubertal development during adolescence, while controlling for age.
Our finding that the caregiver bias dominates chil
dren’s face-recognition behavior expands on a literature
reporting the same bias in infants’ and toddlers’ behavior
(Macchi Cassia, 2011; Quinn et al., 2010). Our findings
reveal that this caregiver bias, particularly for adult female
faces, exists long after children become immersed in their
age-matched peer group at school. We suggest that this
extended caregiver bias reflects the instantiation of a
Our computational goal within the visuoperceptual system
that addresses the social developmental tasks of child
hood. It makes identification of adult faces a priority for
young children who are still largely dependent on their
caregivers
systematicallly decreases with the onset of adolescence
Scott & Monesson (2009)
The Origin of Biases in Face Perception
Experience with certain types of faces during
the first year of development defines which types of faces
are more efficiently recognized later in life. In work
described here, we found that infants who learned to rec-
ognize six monkey faces individually (i.e., each face was
individually labeled) over a 3-month period maintained
the ability to discriminate monkey faces. However, infants
who learned these same six faces categorically (i.e., all
faces were labeled “monkey”) or were simply exposed to
these faces (i.e., faces were not labeled) showed a decline
in the ability to discriminate monkey faces. These results
suggest that experience individuating faces from 6 to 9
months of age, via labeling, critically shapes the percep-
tual representation that is responsible for later recognition
and discrimination of faces.
Our finding that the caregiver bias dominates chil
dren’s face-recognition behavior expands on a literature
reporting the same bias in infants’ and toddlers’ behavior
(Macchi Cassia, 2011; Quinn et al., 2010). Our findings
reveal that this caregiver bias, particularly for adult female
faces, exists long after children become immersed in their
age-matched peer group at school. We suggest that this
extended caregiver bias reflects the instantiation of a
computational goal within the visuoperceptual system
that addresses the social developmental tasks of child
hood. It makes identification of adult faces a priority for
young children who are still largely dependent on their
caregivers
Brown & Pollitt (1996)
Malnutrition, Poverty and Intellectual Development
New theory of malnutrition
not a true experiment: no randomization
Atole & Fresco supplement
Better long term effects in Atole group
(could be explained by better motor skills, physical growth, and social and emotional development )
Prado et al (2017)
Maternal multiple micronutrient supplementation and other biomedical and socioenvironmental influences on children’s cognition at age 9–12 years in Indonesia: follow-up of the SUMMIT randomised trial
We examined three groups of children: a randomly selected representative sample, and samples from undernourished and anaemic mothers. In the representative sample, children in the MMN group scored mean 0·11 SD higher than the IFA group in procedural memory. Children of anaemic mothers in the MMN group scored 0·18 SD higher in general intellectual ability. Although these were the only two significant effects of MMN, overall, 18 of 21 estimates (seven cognitive, motor, and socioemotional scores for three groups of children) were positive, indicating that the MMN group scored consistently higher than the IFA group. These non-significant positive effect sizes, ranging from 0·00 to 0·13 SD, were smaller than the study was powered to detect (0·16 SD in the representative sample and 0·22 SD in the children of undernourished and anaemic mothers). However, the proportion of positive coefficients, indicating higher scores in the MMN group, was significantly greater than chance.
Humphreys, et al. (2022)
Foster care leads to sustained cognitive gains following severe early deprivation
This study examined longitudinal data from the Bucharest Early Intervention Project, a randomized controlled trial of foster care as an alternative to institutional care following exposure to severe psychosocial deprivation. We report data from 135 participants assessed in early adulthood (age 18 y). We find that 16 y after randomization occurred, those who had been randomized to high-quality foster care had significantly higher IQ scores (9 points, 0.6 SD) than those randomized to care as usual. Mediation analyses provide evidence that the causal effect of the intervention on cognitive ability in early adulthood could be explained, in part, by higher-quality caregiving and attachment security. These findings indicate that early investment in family care as an alternative to institutional care leads to sustained gains in cognitive ability. Fostering caregiving relationships is a likely mechanism of the intervention. In addition, exploratory analyses indicate that stable placements throughout childhood are associated with the greatest long-term gains in cognitive ability. Whether early interventions for infants and young children lead to lasting change has significant implications for decisions to invest in programs aimed at improving children’s developmental outcomes.
Campbell, et al., (2001)
(a) Early childhood treatment led to higher cognitive–intellectual test scores over time, (b) early childhood treatment led to higher achievement test scores over time, and (c) the effects of treatment on academic achievement over time were mediated by cognitive development at the end of treatment.
Measures: Intellectual level, academic achievement, and sample attrition
This study indicates that intensive early childhood education can have long-lasting effects on cognitive and academic development. Analysis of cognitive growth curves between the ages of 3 and 21 years showed that patterns of change in cognitive test performance differed during the early childhood treatment phase with treated children having steeper rates of increase. After the early childhood years, however, change in cognitive growth was parallel in the treatment and control groups. Although a decline relative to national norms was seen in both groups after middle childhood, it is important to note that the trajectories did not converge by young adulthood.
This suggests that starting intervention for poor children before the age of 3 years may have made the difference in the persistence of effect on cognitive development. However, although the Abecedarian findings support the assertion by Bornstein and Sigman (1986) that there is “a significant role for infancy in cognitive development” (p. 269), they do not provide conclusive evidence that starting educational intervention in the first year is critical.
