PSYC228_Chap5 Flashcards
(120 cards)
early childhood
2-6yrs
betw 2-6 yrs children
gains about 2.7kg + 5-8cm/yr
slimmer, stretch out
during preschool yrs, growth rate + rate of brain maturation…
slows
synaptic pruning
elimination of synaptic connections in order to inc efficiency
slows during 2-6 yrs, continues to some degree thrughout life
during 2-6 yrs brain gains
20-25% of adult weight
300g
but brain volumes in children can vary by 50% bec grow at diff rates
preschool children gains in brain weight +t size due to
inc number of connections from myelination
myelination
coating of neurons with myelin,
synapses
connections among neurons
myelination is vital for
inc coordination + fine muscle movements in preschool children
balance + coordination
toxin
harmful substance that causes adverse effects
lead poisoning
environmental factor that interacts with genes to produce cognitive dificits in children
deviations in brain maturation are teh product of ongoing complex interaction between
genetic + environmental factors
myelination of corpus callosum…
allows 2 hemispheres of brain to communicate + work together better
helpful for lateralization
lateralization
process by which the right + left hemispheres of the brain take on specific functions
become inc diff from each other
begins in prenatal
right hemisphere of brain controls
left side of body
left hemisphere of brain controls
right side of body
most people preceive emotion mainly in
right hemisphere
most people control language with
left hemisphere
outcome of lateralization
emerging dominance of one side over other
handedness
handedness
preference for using one hand over the other for basic activities like eating, throwing, writing
% of left-handed people is
8% across cultures
most scientitst believe
handedness not genetically predetermined, but complex interaction of genetic + environmental/cultural influences
ossification
process thru which cartilage becomes bone
most obvious preschool changes in skeletal system
length, width, + hardness of bone