Exam 1 Flashcards
Developmental Science
-An interdisciplinary field of study that focuses on the changes (growth) that children undergo from conception onward (to death).
What are the two goals for developmental science?
- To understand the basic biological and cultural processes that account for the complexities of development
- To facilitate children’s health and well being
What are the four domains of development?
- Physical (height, weight)
- Cognitive (math problems)
- Social (making friends)
- Emotional (expressing joy)
The Source of Development
Nature (genetics) vs. nurture (environment)
Plasticity
The degree to which, and the conditions under which development is open to change and intervention
Sensitive Period
A time in an organism’s life development where when a particular experience has an especially profound effect EX: language development
Critical Period
A period during which specific biological or environmental events are required for normal development to occur EX: imprinting
Continuity / Discontinuity
To what extent does development consist of gradual accumulation of small changes and abrupt transformations
C: quantitative change; small gradual
D: qualitative change; abrupt radical
Individual Differences
Genetic and environmental factors
What are the three components of personality?
Id: pleasure principle
Ego: balance between id & superego
Superego: moral principle
What is the main idea of psychodynamic theory? (Sigmund Freud)
-Human development is driven solely by SEXUAL DRIVE
-Our adulthood behavior is directly related to our childhood experiences (TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES)
What is the main idea of behaviorism? (John Watson)
-Human development is impacted by our environmental factors
-Can change future by providing DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS
-REWARDS & PUNISHMENT influence behavior
What is the main idea of Piaget’s 4 stage theory?
- Sensorimotor: birth to 2 (5 senses)
- Pre-operational: 2 to 6/7 (symbols & gestures)
- Concrete Operational: 6/7 to 11/12 (combine & separate)
- Formal Operational: 11/12 to adulthood (thinking systematically)
“Children are little scientists”
Assimilation
To understand new information using existing schema
EX: understanding dogs
Accommodation
To change/create a new schema to understand new information
EX: calls a cow a dog -> learns that it’s a cow (new schema) -> now calls the cow a cow
What is the main idea of Vygotsky’s theory?
Sociocultural perspective theory: parents, caregivers, other children help the child construct meaning in their world; social interaction is crucial
Scaffolding
Help/assistance with children
ZPD (Zone of Proximal Development)
The range that children cannot accomplish something on their own, but they can with the help of an adult
What are the similarities & differences between Piaget’s & Vygotsky’s theories?
Similarities: both are constructive and propose that children actively construct knowledge
Differences: Piaget believes children construct knowledge on their own, Vygotsky believes children construct knowledge through social interaction
Material & Symbolic tools
Material: concrete, manufactured stuff we can observe
Symbolic: abstract, ideology, special expectations
Social Enhancement
Learning to use cultural resources, in which resources are used simply because others’ activities made them available in the immediate environment
Imitation
Observing % copying the behaviors of others
Explicit Instruction
Purposefully taught to use the resources of their culture
What is special about human imitation?
Only humans can over-imitate (copy redundant information)
Symbolic Communication
Using symbols to communicate - LANGUAGE
Bobo Doll Experiment (Albert Bandura)
When children are exposed to aggressive behavior, they typically become more aggressive VERY FAST
Meltzoff & Colleagues
By 14 months of age, children become very good at imitating actions
TV Violence & Child Development
-Makes children MORE fearful
-Makes them LESS sensitive to pain & violence
-Makes them behave MORE aggressively/violently
Genotype
Genetic material an individual inherits
CANNOT CHANGE
Phenotype
Observable, including body characteristics & behavior
Identical Twins: Monozygotic Twins
-A single fertilized egg divided and developing into two separate individuals
-Identical genetic material
-Potentially the same physical and psychological makeup
Kinship Study
Family Study: to evaluate the similarities & differences between family members
Adoption Study: examining the similarities & differences between adopted children, their biological parents, & adopted parents
Twin Study: examining twins - identical twins growing up in 2 different families
Mutation
An error in the process of gene replication that results in a change in the molecular structure of the DNA
Down Syndrome
A chromosomal abnormality, related to genes
-A genetic error
-Chance of children having downs INCREASES with mother’s age
-Their cognitive development is DEPENDENT upon their severity of symptoms & environment
Autism
-Impairs social % emotional development
-Children with autism have difficulty with communication, social interaction, & repetitive behavior
-Reason -> UNKNOWN
3 Periods of Prenatal Development
- Germinal Period (conception-2 weeks)
- Embryonic Period (2-8 weeks)
- Fetal Period (9 weeks to birth)
The Apgar Test
To examine a newborn infant
-Appearance (color)
-Pulse (heart rate)
-Grimace (reflex responsively)
-Activity (muscle tone)
-Respiration effort
The Fetus Sensory Ability
-The first sense to develop is TOUCH
-Most effective way to form social relationships
Age of Viability
Ability to breathe independently (7 months/15 weeks)
Fetuses presented with light
When provided with a torch, INCREASES baby’s heart rate & will have emotion responding to the torch
24-32 weeks
Inactive period (development of higher-level (cognitive) neural pathways)
DeCasper & Spence’s Study (1986)
-Listened to mothers reading Cat in the Hat
-Tested behavior with a pacifier -> sucking rate of baby
-When listening to the passage, some increased, some decreased
Buss, Davis, Muftuler, Head, & Sandman (2010)
-Mothers anxiety level during pregnancy can predict children’s brain development 6-9 years later
-ESPECIALLY THE PREFRONTAL CORTEX
