Midterm 1 Flashcards
Epigenic Framework
A perspective that development results from reciprocal interactions between genetics and the environment
Developmental Plasticity
Intrapersonal variability in the potentials and limits of human development
Genetic Mutations
A sudden permanent change in the structure of genes that occurs spontaneously and might be inducted by exposure to environmental toxins
Genetic Counselling
Used to construct a family history of heritable disorders
Carrier Screening
If there is suspicion of a heritable disorder from both or either parent, blood tests can be conducted to detect chromosomal abnormalities
Synapses
Points of contact where information is transmitted between neurons
Synaptic Pruning
The Process by which neural connections that are seldom used disappear
Synaptogensis
The formation of new synapses which peaks in different brain regions at different ages
Myelination
The process by which neurons are coated with myelin which contributes to faster neural communication
Limbic System
A collection of the brain’s structures responsible for emotion
Dual Process Model
The brain consisting of two systems – one rational, one emotional that develop on different timeframes
Gross Motor Development
Development of the ability to control large movements of the body
Ex: sitting, standing
Fine Motor Developement
Ability to control small movements of the fingers
Ex: holding a fork, writing clearly
Dynamic Systems
Motor skills as a result from ongoing interactions among physical, cognitive, and socioemotional influences in which previously mastered skills are combined to interact with the world in a new way
Affordance
The actional properties of objects – their nature, opportunities, and limits
Assimilation
The process by which new experiences are interpreted and integrated into pre-exisiting schemas
Ex: child learns new ways to pick up objects
Accommodation
The process by which schemas are modified to include new experiences
Ex: a child who refers to both cats and dogs as “dogs” because they both have 4 legs, which is then corrected
Cognitive Equilibrium
A balance between assimilation and accommodation
Disequilibrium
Mismatch between children’s schemas and reality
Sensorimotor Stage
Infants learn about the world through their senses and motor skills
Note: Piaget believed infants were incapable of mental representation (untrue)
Core Knowledge Perspective
A framework explaining that all infants are born with several innate knowledge systems
Preoperative Reasoning
Characterized by advances in symbolic thought
Centration
The tendency to focus on one part of a stimulus, situation, or idea
Conservation
The principle that a physical quantity such as a number, mass, or volume remains the same even when its appearance changes
Note: adjacent concept to object identity
Concrete Operation Reasoning
Thought becomes logical and is applied to direct tangible experiences (but not abstract problems)
Transitive Inference
A classification in which a child can infer the relationship between two objects by understanding each object’s relationship to a third object
Formal Operation Reasoning
Characterized by abstract, logical, and systematic thinking
Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)
Defined as the space between what the learner can do with vs without assistance
Private Speech
Children talking to themselves to problem-solve
Scaffolding
A teacher/guardian adjusting how much they help children based on the progress of the child
Proximodistal Development
A type of development where growth proceeds from the centre of the body outwards
Cephalocaudal Development
A type of development where growth proceeds from the head downward
Intermodal Perception
The process of combining information from more than one sensory system
Neuronal Communiciation
What makes it possible for people to sense their world, think, move their bodies, and carry out their lives
What is the age range of sensorimotor development according to Piaget?
Birth to 2 years
What is the age range of preoperational development according to Piaget?
2 to 7 years
What is the age range of concrete operational development according to Piaget?
7 to 12 years
What is the age range of formal operational development according to Piaget?
12+
What is the difference between prenatal screening vs prenatal testing?
Prenatal screening only provides information on the likelihood of a genetic chromosome disorder while prenatal testing confirms the presence or absence of one
What is the difference between continuous and discontinuous development?
Continuous development is gradual and steady change while discontinuous development is abrupt
Incomplete Dominance
Both genes are expressed in the phenotype
Ex: a red and white flower resulting in a pink flower
Co-Dominance
Both alleles of a gene in a heterozygote lack the dominant and recessive relationship (therefore each allele is capable to some degree of phenotypic expression)
Ex: a red and white flower resulting in a red and white strip flower
Polygenic Inheritance
Occurs when a trait is a function of inheritance of many genes, such as with height, intelligence, and temperament
Teratogens
Environmental factors that cause damage to prenatal development
Ex: Alcohol, smoking, deli meat
What is the difference between experience-expectant brain development and experience-dependent brain development?
Experience-expectant brain development is the type of brain growth dependent on basic experiences (such as visual and auditory stimulation) while experience-dependent brain development is the brain growth in response to specific learning experiences (such as speaking a second language at home)
Niche-picking
An active gene-environment correlation in which indiviuas seek out experiences and environments that complement their genetic tendencies
Ex: a tall person becoming a basketball player
