Lifespan & The Brain (3)

Question 1

One of the founders of cognitive development

Answer 1

Piaget

Question 2

2 theories of cognitive development

Answer 2

Domain general
Domain specific

Question 3

Domain general theory of cognitive development*

Answer 3

• everything is linked to each other
• one line of development determines all other changes
• if something goes wrong in one area, it will impact on other areas of cognition too

Question 4

Domain specific theory of cognition*

Answer 4

• different lines of cognitive development operate independently
• cognition is a MODULAR, HETEROGENOUS system
• if one module fails to fully develop, others can still operate successfully

Question 5

Constructivism (Piaget)*

Answer 5

Form mental representations of the world based on experiences

Question 6

Schemas (according to Piaget)

Answer 6

Building blocks of knowledge. A mental representation of the environment

Question 7

2 main processes schemas develop from (Piaget)*

Answer 7

Assimilation
Accomodation

Question 8

Assimilation (Piaget)

Answer 8

The process of translating and incorporating information using current schemas (info is similar - equilibrium)

Question 9

Accommodation (Piaget)

Answer 9

The process of adapting current/ old knowledge structures in response to new experiences (info is challenging/ disequilibrium)

Question 10

Stage theory

Answer 10

You cannot develop to a late stage without having developed through all the preceding stages first

Question 11

4 stages in Piaget’s stage theory**

Answer 11

1. Sensorimotor (0-2 years)
2. Pre-operational ((2-7 years)
3. Concrete operations (7-11/12 years)
4. Formal operations (11/12 years+)

Question 12

Key milestone for sensorimotor stage

Answer 12

Object permanence

Question 13

How can the sensorimotor stage be researched? (Babies 0-2 may not be able to talk e.t.c.)

Answer 13

• habituation/looking time
• eye tracking
• search

Question 14

Children in the pre-operational stage are…

Answer 14

Egocentric

Question 15

Key milestone for concrete operational stage

Answer 15

Conservation

Question 16

Maturation

Answer 16

Changes driven by genetic processes according to specific timetables (the nature side)

Question 17

Critical periods

Answer 17

Time limited windows when specific experiences must occur to drive maximal development. Learning is ineffective outside these time windows

Question 18

Sensitive periods

Answer 18

Time limited windows when specific experiences have their largest effects. Learning can still be effective outside these windows

Question 19

Experienced-expectant*

Answer 19

Processes that utilise environmental information that is highly reliable for all members of the species (e.g. hearing a language)

Question 20

Experience-dependent*

Answer 20

Processes that utilise environmental information that can vary across individuals (e.g. the language that was heard)

Question 21

Plasticity

Answer 21

The capacity for modification

Question 22

When does the brain reach approximately 90% adult volume

Answer 22

6 years

Question 23

Myelination*

Answer 23

Coating the axon of each neuron with fatty coating to protect it and help it conduct signals more efficiently
Speeds up neural transmission
Increases in white matter
Inhibits critical periods by inhibiting axon growth

Question 24

Gogtay et al

Answer 24

Maturation of low level sensory & motor cortices occurring prior to prefrontal and temporal cortices - which are involved in higher level cognition + regulation of behaviour

Question 25

Brain development is..

Answer 25

• protracted (goes on for a long time)
• non linear
• sensitive to positive & negative env influences

Question 26

How does myelination inhibit critical periods

Answer 26

By inhibiting axon growth

Question 27

Ways of understanding brain maturation

Answer 27

Animal studies
EEG
Near infrared spectrography
MRI/fMRI

Question 28

What helps develop inferential interference (identifying commonality) between childhood and adolescence

Answer 28

Maturation of the hippocampus

The better - the bigger the head of the hippocampus

Question 29

Greater activation in which areas from 6 to adulthood

Answer 29

Hippocampus
Entorhinal cortex
Retrosplenial
Parahippocampal
Fusiform gyrus