L1 Flashcards
2 kinds of development
continuous (quantitative) and discontinuous (qualitative)
Discontinuous development
- change can be rapid with qualitatively different stages across the lifespan
- changes in kind (e.g. new features emerging and old ones disappearing)
- supported by “stage theorists”
What do stage theorists propose?
a baby is a fundamentally different creature from a kid, thus they think/act in fundamentally different ways
Continuous development
- change is uniform and gradual with quantitative differences
- changes in amount (e.g. gaining weight, growing taller)
- supported by “continuity theorists”
What do continuity theorists propose?
everyone has a universal way of thinking/acting and kids just think/act less or less well (i.e. they’re immature adults)
Plato’s argument on development
a nativist
body traps a fully-formed soul with concepts or ideas about the world from birth as a result of these souls having encountered these ideas in heaven before they are born
Aristotle’s argument on development
an empiricist
all knowledge is gained through experience and child-rearing must fit to the situation/needs of the child
John Locke’s argument on development
an empiricist
nothing is innate and the human mind starts as a “tabula rasa” or blank slate with knowledge being gained through experience
Locke’s approach to parenting
an empiricist
good parenting is necessary to cultivate character in children then parents can become more lenient when children get older
Rousseau’s approach to parenting
a nativist
children should be given freedom to learn on their own and be given education once they have discernment at the age of reason (12)
otherwise, risk of corrupting inherent “noble savage”
Descartes’ argument on development
a nativist
some ideas come from experience but some are inborn and unlearned (e.g. god, infinity, substance)
Nativist approach
- nature accounts for both how we are the same (same genes) and how we are different (different genes)
- change occurs via maturation
Maturation (Gesell)
- traits that distinguish people are present from birth and the development of differences is a result of internal factors (i.e. differences in genes)
- must reach certain maturational stages before learning can influence behavior
Empiricist approach
from a blank slate, nurture accounts for both how we are the same (common experiences) and how we are different (different experiences)
Epigenetics
how the environment influences the expression of our genes (i.e. the proteins that turn gene activity on and off)
can result in enduring changes in emotion, cognition, and behavior that may be passed down generations
2 perspectives of the structure of the mind
domain-general and domain-specific
Domain-general mind
an all-purpose mind that constitutes mechanisms that interact with one another and support learning broadly
e.g. associative learning, memory, executive functioning
Domain-specific mind
a modular mind made of separate mechanisms that support learning within individual domains
e.g. face-detection systems, numerical reasoning systems, emotion system
Are children active or passive participants in their own development?
they are active participants in their own development from birth as they engage with their surroundings and express internal motivation to learn
e.g. having visual and auditory preferences, crib speech
Inoculation theory
set babies on the right path during early childhood to protect them from potential issues and stability will follow
What do change theorists argue about development?
humans are plastic throughout life and we change through experience or when our environment changes
Outcomes of toddlers who succeed vs fail the Marshmallow Test
- those who wait show better coping, job security, SAT scores
- those who don’t show spousal anger and aggression
What is the role of context in informing wait times during The Marshmallow Test?
kids in reliable environments waited a longer time on average than kids in unreliable environments
in reliable environments, experimenters did what they said they would do
What does Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory explain?
how different aspects of one’s social and cultural context influence development
4 ecological systems Bronfenbrenner’s theory
- Microsystem (child)
- Mesosystem (family, peers, school, church)
- Exosystem (media, neighbors, social services, local politics)
- Macrosystem (culture, social class, law)
Critical period
- windows of time when development must or should occur if it’s going to occur at all
- or when brain development is most susceptible to variations in experience or conditions
Examples:
* mother-newborn bonding in the first few minutes
* building trust in the first few years
* language learning is easier earlier in life
Dynamic systems theory
behaviors emerge as a result of multiple, independent systems
e.g. walking emerges from the development of abilities like balancing on one leg and planning for changes in terrainv
Developmental cascade
achievements that occur at one point in development have effects at a later point, even in a different area of development
e.g. walking and talking
