Topic A- Unit 1 Flashcards
What is growth
The variable across different parts of the body and is an increase in some measured quantity such as height or weight
What is development
complex changes that follow an orderly sequence, including an increase in skills, abilities and capabilities such as walking
Define gross motor skills
large movements that involve using the larger muscles in the body, for example rolling over
Define fine motor skills
smaller movements which requires precise direction and involves smaller muscles, for example picking up a pencil between the finger and thumb
What are the four key physical milestones in infancy.
Sitting up (6 months)
Standing (8–10 months)
Cruising(8-10 months)
Walking (12-13 months)
Define the palmar grasp
Occurs 5-6 months. when an object is placed in the infants hand and strokes their palm, the fingers will close and they will grasp it with a palmar grasp. for example when grasping a toy or eating food
Define pincer grasp
Occurs at 9-12 months. Using the index and thumb or index and middle fingers opposing the thumb to pick up small objects.
Define tripod grasp
Occurs 3-4 years. Using the thumb, index and middle finger. It is the most functional grasp for gaining food pencil skills.
What is puberty?
A period of rapid growth during which young people reach sexual maturity and become biologically able to reproduce and sexual characteristics develop.
What are hormones?
Chemical substances produced in the body and transported into the blood stream that control or regulate body cells or body organs. For example sex hormones.
What is the difference between primary and secondary sexual characteristics
Primary - changes and development of reproductive organs. present at birth and develop during puberty
Secondary- outward/external signs of development. develop during puberty
What are physical symptoms of perimenopause
Hot flushes
Night sweats
Loss of libido
Vaginal dryness
What are effects of the menopause
Irregular menstrual cycle
Reduction of fertile eggs in ovaries
Shrinkage of sexual organs
What are the life stages
Infancy (0-2 years)
Early Childhood (3-8 years)
Adolescence (9-18 years)
Early adulthood (19-45 years)
Middle adulthood (45-65 years)
Later adulthood (65 years +)
What is object permanence
The idea that an object still exists, even if the child can’t see it.
What is abstract logical thinking
the ability to solve problems using imagination without having to be involved practically.
What is egocentric thinking
Not being able to see a situation from another person’s point of view. Infants use egocentric thinking- 2-7 years.
What is concrete logical thinking
The ability to solve problems providing the individual can see or physically handle the issues involved.
What is self- concept
A combination of self esteem and self image
What is self image
Mental picture or personal view an individual has of themselves
What are the 3 stages of play in infancy and childhood
Solo Play
Parallel Play
Cooperative Play
What is solo play
limited social, cognitive and physical skills. infants play alone but are able to explore the environment at their own pace.
What is parallel play
playing alongside other children. little interaction as each infant is engrossed in their own independent activity.
What is cooperative play
begin to play with another child due to language development. social network group and relationship is widened - e.g. friendships
What is a self-esteem
How you value and perceive yourself
What are the main functions of primary and secondary sexual characteristics
They act as a desirable traits that a male look for in a female.
Signal reproduction
What are examples of primary sexual characteristics
Female- uterus enlarges and the vagina lengthens
menstrual cycle begins
Male- enlargement of penis and testes
testicles begin to produce sperm
What are the four stages of Piaget’s cognitive development
Sensorimotor (0-2 years)
Preoperational (2-7 years)
Concrete Operational (7-11 years)
Formal Operational (11-18 years)
What does the theory of conservation suggest
Something’s appearance might change but the quantity will stay the same.
Children in the concrete operational stage are able to conserve
What is egocentrism
A child’s inability to see a situation from another person’s point of view. Children assume that other adults and children see feel and hear the same as they do. Occurs in the preoperational stage
What is a schema
A category of knowledge as well as a process of acquiring knowledge that children go through
What does Piaget suggest about the development of schemas
Children go through a series of stages of intellectual development, he called the stages schemas.
What is the process of Piaget’s development of schemas
A child develops concepts about the world around them (a state of equilibrium). As they experience situations where new information is presented, the schemas are upset and they reach a state of disequilibrium. As new information is accomodated, the original schemas are modified or changed so the child reaches a state of equilibrium again.
What are strengths of Piaget’s model of cognitive development
It has influenced early education e.g the existence of discovery play.
Considers nature and nurture- takes all explanations of learning into consideration.
It has stimulated much further research which has increased knowledge of chldren’s cognitive development and influenced teaching methods.
What are weaknesses of Piaget’s model of cognitive development
It is based on observations on a small number of children- difficult to say all children will go through these stages.
May be more fluid- underestimate or overestimate children’s cognitive abilities
Bruner disagrees- believes with adult support, children can be helped to progress to higher level thinking skills. It may depend on the amount of encouragement they have received to think logically.
Some research suggests that children take longer than 11 years to become skilled at abstract logical thinking.
Cognitive development might not be a part of the maturation process- it can depend on a child’s environment and quality of formal and informal education.
What does Chomsky’s Model of Language Acquistion suggest
The ability to develop language is genetically programmed into individuals.
All individuals have the ability to understand and use laguage regardless of other abilities.
Become fluent in their first language by the age of 5 or 6.
What is the Language Acquistion Device (LAD)
All individuals are born with a LAD that enables children to recognise and develop the language they experience. Their ability to understand and develop language has evolved naturally.
What are strenths of Chomsky’s model of Language Acquistion
Children learning to speak never make grammatical errors such as getting their subjects, verbs and objects in the wrong order.
If an dult deliberately said a grammatically incorrect sentence, the child would notice.
Children often say things that are ungrammatical, which they cannot have learned from others.
Children go through the same stages of language acquistion at similar times regardless of language spoken.
Chomsky belives that children cannot learn language through immitation alone.
What are weaknesses of Chomsky’s model of Language Acquistion
There is a lack of scientific evidence to support his theory.
Bruner argues that social interaction is critical in the early stages of development and has far more influence on children.
Chomsky did not take into consideration children who experienced delayed language development for a variety of reasons such as a child who may have Down’s syndrome.
What are the four key theories of attachment
Bowlby’s theory of attachment
Rutter’s theory of attachment
Schaffer and Emerson’s stages of attachment
Ainworth’s types of attachment
What does the pituarity glands do
Releases sex hormoes in males and females.
It controls the onset and rate of change during puberty.
How do hormone levels affect an adolescent emotionally
As hormone levels go up and down, they can cause mood swings
What are the females hormones and what do they do
Oestrogen and Progesterone.
The ovaries produce these hormones and they are responsible for changes including ovulation and menstruation.
Oestrogen causes eggs to mature in the ovaries
What is the male hormone and what does it do
Testosterone.
It is produced by the testes and stimulates sperm production. It is also responsible for the development of secondary sexual characteristics.
What are sex hormones responsible for
Stimulating secondary sexual characteristics (puberty)
