Infancy

Question 1

Describe the 3 stages of infancy.

Answer 1

Birth-1 mo = Newborn
1 mo-1 yr = Infant
1 yr - 2 yrs = Toddler

Question 2

CNS (brain) is functionally immature until ___ months with minimum activity in ______ area.

Answer 2

7; cortex

Question 3

Between birth and ___ months, the brain grows and ________ in weight.

Answer 3

24; triples

Question 4

Give examples of newborn reflex.

Answer 4

Sucking, rooting (head turning), moro reflex (startle response), Babinski reflex (fanning toes when tickled on bottom of foot), Palmer reflex (grasping), blinking reflex, stepping reflex

Question 5

What senses are present at birth?

Answer 5

smell/taste/hearing are almost fully developed at birth, hearing, smell, taste

Question 6

When do infants become sensitive to touch?

Answer 6

(pain) within few hours of birth

Question 7

When do infants develop 20/20 vision? color preference? depth perception?

Answer 7

approx. 6-12 months; preference for color comes at 3-4 months; depth perception comes with crawling stage

Question 8

Describe the infant’s motor development.

Answer 8

5/5.4 mo - roll over
7/7 -sit w/o support
10/12 mo- pull self up to a stand
11/12 mo - walk with help
14/15 mo - walk alone

Question 9

Describe object permanence.

Answer 9

knowledge that objects exist independently; not complete until 18 months according to Piaget; possible primitive knowledge

Question 10

Piaget’s theory underestimates _________ competence in infants/young children and overestimates it in _______.

Answer 10

cognitive; adolescents

Question 11

Piaget’s stage model doesn’t account for ______ in children’s performance.

Answer 11

variability

Question 12

Piaget’s theory is _____ concerning _______ and ________ of change.

Answer 12

vague; processes; mechanisms

Question 13

Piaget’s theory undervalues the influence of the _______ environment on ______ development.

Answer 13

sociocultural; cognitive

Question 14

What does “Naiive Theories” mean?

Answer 14

Piaget’s belief that children are like scientists and formulate theories about how the world works; their theories are called Naiive Theories, but they are valuable because they allow children and adults to understand new experiences and predict future events.

Question 15

What is the core knowledge hypothesis?

Answer 15

infants are born with rudimentary knowledge of the world, which is elaborated based on experiences.

Question 16

What does additional research show infants know about objects?

Answer 16

they know that objects move continuously on a path, not magically from one spot to another; objects are solid and cannot “pass through” each other; objects must contact others to cause movement; also can tell the difference between solid and liquid objects; expect unsupported objects to fall

Question 17

What is the LAD?

Answer 17

(Learning Acquisition Devise) Chomsky’s discovery of actual neurological structure in the brain; Children can learn any language anywhere and only human beings have this ability; Social interaction is very important for LAD.

Question 18

Describe the stages of language acquisition.

Answer 18

Birth: crying primary communication
1-4 mo: cooing, squealing
6 mo: Babbling (like syllables)
12 mo: 1st word spoken 
18 mo: 2 word combos; 3-50 word vocab.
24 mo: short sentences; 50-300 vocab.

Question 19

Describe the developmental stages for this age (Freud, Erikson, Piaget)

Answer 19

Freud - Oral, Erikson’s Trust V Mistrust, Piaget - Sensorimotor

Question 20

Define Bonding.

Answer 20

the emotional bond that parents feel toward the infant.

Question 21

Define Attachment.

Answer 21

emotional bond that child feels toward the parent or caregivers.

Question 22

Mothers who held their child within 2 hours of birth were found to ______?

Answer 22

hold their babies more often, hold them longer, breastfeed longer, talk to them more frequently/longer

Question 23

What is FFT?

Answer 23

Failure to thrive; Maternal deprivation or lack of human contact can result in FFT.

Question 24

Describe the 4 sequential phases of infant attachment according to Bowlby.

Answer 24

Birth-6/8 weeks = Preattachment
6/8 weeks-6/8 months = Attachment in the making,
6/8 months-18 months =True (clear cut) attachment,
18 months = reciprocal attachment

Question 25

Describe the preattachment phase.

Answer 25

Birth-6/8 wks; does not discriminate one person from another but can discriminate the mother’s voice; by end of this stage, attachment is developed.

Question 26

Describe the attachment in the making phase.

Answer 26

6/8 weeks - 6/8 mo; selective social smiling, recognition of familiar faces, smiling less at unfamiliar faces-easily consoled by primary caregiver, gradually identifying the primary caregiver as the person they can depend on when depressed or anxious. .

Question 27

Describe the true attachment phase.

Answer 27

6/8months-18 mo: can extend arm to mom, use motor skills to approach, cling to attachment objects, parent is safe bas from which to explore; Stranger anxiety happens during this stage

Question 28

Describe stranger anxiety.

Answer 28

Takes place during true attachment; peaks at 8 or 9 months; those that do best - many siblings, frequent exposure to strangers, mother leaves naturally vs. lingering, moderate level of separation, transitional objects may help

Question 29

Describe reciprocal (goal-corrected) attachment.

Answer 29

18 months on (notions of self develop by 18 months, refers to self by name, by 24 months recognizes adult standards- the viewpoints of others- they can initiate interaction and negotiate (manipulate); recognition of cause and effect (I do this, mom comes running)

Question 30

What psychologist performed the “Stranger Situation” experiment?

Answer 30

Mary Ainsworth

Question 31

What are the two major types of infant attachment according to Ainsworth?

Answer 31

Securely Attachment (60-65%)
Insecurely (anxiously) attachment

Question 32

What are the 3 types of insecure attachment?

Answer 32

Avoidant (rarely cried when mom left; 20%), Ambivalent (very upset when mom left, angry when she returns, might push her away; 10-15%), Disorganized (confused when mother leaves, lack of understanding on what’s happening; 5-10%)

Question 33

Describe issues around father’s role during this stage.

Answer 33

Father’s interaction with baby is mostly form of playing rather than caregiving; provide physical, playful stimulation and initiate unpredictable games; mothers are preferred to console, father preferred for playtime; fathers spend average of 32 minutes per day in caregiving vs mothers 70 minutes per day.

Question 34

Describe issues around day care.

Answer 34

1 out of 2 North American preschool children are in daycare; infant care is the fastest growing type; high quality infant day care doesn’t seem to disrupt parent-infant bond and has no consistent negative effects.