PSYC228_Chap3 Flashcards
(142 cards)
weight + height gains occur most rapidly in
first 6 months of life, then slow
cephalocaudal growth
pattern of growth procedding from the head downward
proximodistal grwoth
pattern of growth proceeding from the inside of hte body outward through limbs
2 parts of nervous system
CNS (central nervous system) (control centre for body)
PNS (peripheral nervous system) (connects CNS to intrnal orgals, bones, muslces - carries messages from CNS)
cerebral cortex
uppermost protion of brain _ centre largely responsible for complex brain functions
(though, perception, language production, _ motor function)
most of brain growth occurs during
infancy
neuron
brain or nerve cell that serves as basic building block of nervous system
axon
nerve fibre that typically sends electrical impulses away from neuron’s cell body
dendrite
branching structure arising from cell body that typically receives electrical impulses from axons of neighbouring neurons
primary brain job during early infancy is
making + strengthening connections between neurons
connection is made between neurons when
axon of one neuron sends message/electrical impulse that is received by dendrite of anotehr neuron
synapse
space between neurons (space betw the axon and dendrite) across which messages are sent + received
myelination
process thru which axon of a neuron is coated with fatty tissue which serves as insulation + enhances speed of firing
synaptic pruing
process by which brain removes unused synapses thru redirection nutrition, cell injury, + cell death
humans are made highly felxible because
the brain overproduces + prunes synapses
brain is plastic
different cultural contexts + experiences result in
different kinds of connections being made and kept
plasticity
changes in the brain resulting from out interactions with the environemnt;
influenced by age-related change
brain plasticity decreases with
increasing age
2 types of processes related to early experience + brain development
experience-expectant processes
experience-dependent processes
experience-expectant processes
brain development that occurs based on environmental experiences that all members of the species typically encounter
experience-dependent processes
brain development that occurs based on unique environmental stimuli shared only by individuals in particular environmental circumstances
neaurons need to be
stimulated in order to develop new connectiosn
during teh first 3 months after birth, newborns sleep betw
10-19hrs/day
2 primary categories of sleep
rapid-eye-movement REM
non-rapid-eye-movement NREM