The Brain & Cognitive Development Flashcards

1
Q

Strategy Construction

A

Refers to the discovery of a novel way of processing information

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2
Q

The Social Constructivist Approach

A

The social contents of learning and the construction of knowledge through social interaction.

Students need many opportunities to learn with the teacher and more skilled peers.

Teachers serve as facilitators and guides, rather than as directors and holders of learning.

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3
Q

Capacity and Speed of Processing

A

Which have an important influence on memory and ability to problem solve. In terms of biology, myelination increases the speed of neural processing and this process continues through childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood to improve with age.

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4
Q

Intelligence

A

Problem-solving skills and the ability to learn from and adapt to life’s everyday experiences.

However there is no consensus as to what intelligence actually is.

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5
Q

Divided attention

A

Involves concentrating in more than one activity at the same time.

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6
Q

Selective Attention

A

Is focusing on a specific aspect of experience that is relevant while ignoring others that are irrelevant.

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7
Q

Evaluating Piaget’s Theory

A
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8
Q

Psychometric / Intelligence View

A

Accounts for individual differences (the state and consistent ways in which people differ from others) in intelligence, unlike the information processing and cognitive development views.

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9
Q

Cognitive Control

A

Involves effective control and flexible thinking in a number of areas, including controlling attention, reducing interfering thoughts, and being cognitively flexible. Inhibitory control. Reciting the temptation to do what is desired, though rather what is most effective. Control attention and reduce interfering thoughts:

Distractions come from the external environment.

Distractions come from the intrusive distractions such as competing thoughts in the persons mind. Especially self-orientated throughs such as self doubt.

Be Cognitively Flexible:

Being aware that options and alternatives are available, and adapting to the situation.

Having confidence in ones ability.

Self efficacy.

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10
Q

Automatically

A

Refers to the ability to process information with very little or no effort.

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11
Q

Triarchic Theory of Intelligence

A

Which states that intelligence comes in free forms: (1) Analytical Intelligence, which refers to the ability to analyse, judge, evaluate, compare and contrast; (2) Creative Intelligence, which consists of the ability to create, organise, design, invent, originate, and imagine; and (3) Practical Intelligence, which involves the ability to use, apply, implement, and put ideas into practice.

Students with different triarchic patterns perform differently in school.

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12
Q

Equilibrium

A

Another process Piaget Identified, is a shift in thought from one state to another. At times adolescents experience cognitive conflict or a sense of disequilibrium in their attempt to understand the world. People move back and forth between these two states.

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13
Q

Neurons

A

Or nerve cells, are the nervous systems basic units. A neutron has three basic parts; the cell body, dendrites, and axon. The dendrite is the receiving part of the neutron, and axon carries information away from the cell body to other cells through a process call myelinations.

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14
Q

The Sensorimotor Stage

A

Lasts from birth to around 2 years of age, is the first Piagetian stage. In this stage, infants construct and understanding of the world by coordinating sensory experiences with physical, motoric actions.

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15
Q

Frames of Mind

A

Eight types of intelligence or “frames of mind”, each person possess each of these types, just in varying degrees. People learn to apply their best intelligence to problems:Verbal

The ability to think in words and use language to express meaning.

Mathematical

The ability to carry out mathematical operations.

Spatial

The ability to think in 3D.

Bodily-Kinaesthetic

The ability to manipulate objects and be physically adept.

Musical

Having a sensitivity to pitch, melody, rhythm, and tone.

Interpersonal

The ability to understand and interact with others.

Intrapersonal

The ability to understand oneself.

Naturalist

The ability to observe and understand nature and human-made systems.

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16
Q

Encoding

A

Which his the process by which information gets into memory.

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17
Q

Deliberate practice

A

Appropriate level for the learner, allows for corrective feedback, allows opportunities for repetition) has been linked to becoming an expert. Talent alone does not make someone an expert.

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18
Q

Postformal Thought

A

Reflective, relativistic, contextual.

Provisional.

Realistic.

Recognised as being influenced by emotion.

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19
Q

The Binet Test

A

Devised in 1904 by Alfred Binet fro the French Education Ministry to identify those children who were unable to learn in school.

Mental Age (MA) - An individuals level of mental development relative to others.

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20
Q

Cell Body

A

Which is responsible for the creation of transmitter molecules.

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21
Q

Generalisation

A

Refers to the ability to apply newly discovered ways of processing information to other problems.

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22
Q

Attention

A

Is the concentration and focusing of mental effort. Attention can be allocated in different ways.

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23
Q

Hypothetical-deductive reasoning

A

That is, the ability to develop hypothesis, or best guesses, about how to solve problems, such as algebraic equations. Formal operational thinkers are more likely to systematically deduce the best path, children on the other hand are more likely to solve problems by trial and error.

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24
Q

Neo-Piagetians

A

Conclude that Piaget’s theory doe not adequately focus on attention, memory, and cognitive strategies that adolescents use to process information, and that Piaget’s explanations of cognitive changes are too general.

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25
Q

Limbic System

A

Which is the seat of emotions and where rewards are experienced, matures earlier that the prefrontal cortex and is almost completely developed by early adolescence.

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26
Q

Convergent Thinking

A

Refers to thinking that produces one answer.

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27
Q

Sustained Attention

A

Is the ability to maintain attention to a selected stimulus for a prolonged period of time.

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28
Q

Executive Function

A

These cognitive processes are linked to the development of the brains prefrontal cortex and involve managing ones thoughts to engage in goal directed behaviour and exercise self control. Monitoring and managing cognitive resources.

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29
Q

The Amygdala

A

Attaches emotional significance to events. The learning and recognising of fear.

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30
Q

Social Cognition

A

That way individuals conceptualise and reason about their social worlds.

31
Q

Myelin Sheath

A

Is a tight group of cells that insulates that nerve cell which aids in the speeding up of neural impulses.

32
Q

Assimilation

A

Is the incorporation of new information into existing knowledge. The schema does not change.

33
Q

Reasoning

A

Refers to thinking logically using dedication or induction to reach conclusions.

34
Q

Inductive Reasoning

A

Involves reasoning from the specific to the general or drawing conclusions about members of a category based on observing only a few members.

35
Q

Accomodation

A

The adjustment of the schema in response to new information. The schema changes.

36
Q

The Corpus Callosum

A

Is a large bundle of axon fibres that connects the brains left and right hemispheres, thickens in adolescents, and this thickening improves adolescents ability to process information.

37
Q

Brain Anatomy

A
38
Q

Neuroconstructivist View

A

(a) biological processes (genes for example) and environmental experiences (enriched or impoverished) influence the brains development. (b) The brain has plasticity and is context dependent; (c) development of the brain is linked closely with cognitive development.

39
Q

Evaluating Intelligence Views

A
40
Q

Divergent Thinking

A

Refers to thinking that produces multiple answers to a problem. More characteristic of creativity.

41
Q

Axon

A

Is the long extension from the cell body and it is through the axon that electrical impulses pass.

42
Q

Cognitive Development: Vygotsky

A
43
Q

Emotional Intelligence

A

Combines both interpersonal, intrapersonal, and practical aspects of intelligence. The ability to perceive and express emotion accurately and adaptively, to understand emotion and emotional knowledge, to use feelings to facilitate thought, and to manage emotions in oneself and in others.

Critics argue that emotional intelligence broadens the study of intelligence to far and has not been properly researched etc.

44
Q

Creative Thinking

A

Is the ability to think in original or novel ways and to come up with unique solutions to a problem.

Creative thinking has been seen to decline since the rise in time spend on video technology Facebook and video games etc. Also less focus in schools on creativity.

45
Q

Prefrontal Cortex

A

The highest level of the frontal lobes that is involved in reasoning, decision making and self-control - continue through the emerging adult years, approximately 18 to 25 years of age.

46
Q

Metacognition

A

Is thinking about thinking, or knowing about knowing.

Thinking an knowing when and where to use particular strategies for learning or for problem solving.

Executive function is engaged.

Planning.

Evaluation.

Self-regulation.

The development and knowledge of strategies.

47
Q

Terminal Buttons

A

Located at the opposite end of the cell body, are involved in the releasing of neurotransmitters.

48
Q

Schema

A

Is a mental concept or framework that is useful in organising and interpreting information.

49
Q

Memory

A

Is the retention of information over a long period of time. Central to mental life and information processing.

50
Q

Critical Thinking

A

Refers to thinking in a reflexive and productive manner while evaluating evidence. If an adolescent has not developed an adequate level of fundamental skills such as literacy and mathematical skill during their early years, they are unlikely to fully develop critical thinking skills in adolescent years.

Asking What? Why? and how it Happened?

Examining pressured facts.

The process of speculation and inquisitive attitude to what is supposed.

51
Q

Experts

A

Are better than novices in the following ways:

Detecting features and meaningful patterns of information.

Accumulating more content knowledge and organising it in a manner that shows an understanding of the topic.

Retrieving important aspects of knowledge with little effort.

The memory is better in the area of interest and expertise.

Far more elaborate networks of information surrounding the topic. More nodes, more interconnections, and better hierarchical organisation.

52
Q

Long-Term Memory

A

A relatively permanent memory system that holds huge amounts of information for long period of time.

Long term memory depends on the learning activities engaged in when an individual is acquiring and remembering information.

53
Q

Myelination

A

The axon portion of a neuron becomes covered and insulated with a layer of fat cells, called the myelin sheath. This process increases the speed and efficiency of information processing in the nervous system. Myeleanation progresses through adolescents and emerging adulthood.

54
Q

Brain Plasticity

A

Gives the cortex a high capacity for learning but it also means that if part of the cortex is damaged, other parts can take over the tasks it would have handled.

55
Q

Pruning

A

Nearly twice as many synaptic connections are made as will ever be used. The connections that are used strengthen, those that are not are replaced or disappear. At the end of adolescents, people have fewer, more selective neuronal connections than they did as children. The activities that adolescent engage in or not engage in determines which connections will be pruned and which will not.

Both heredity and experience are thought to influence the timing and course of blooming or pruning. The amount of quality cognitive stimulation as provided by the richness of the environment could determine the speed up or delay of the process.

56
Q

Concrete Operational Stage

A

Lasts from 7 to 11 years of age is the third Piagetian stage. Logical reasoning replaces intuitive thought as long as the reasoning can be applied to specific or concrete examples. Operations and mental actions that allow the young person to do mentally what previously they could only do physically. That the mass or weight of an object for example does not change with the physical appearance of the object, this is known as conservationism. Pre operational thinkers do not have this ability. This stage also allows for classification, the ability to classify objects into hierarchy’s, classes, or sub classes. Abstract statements or connections that do not have any link to the material world cannot be understood however - such as a algebraic equation.

57
Q

Executive Attention

A

Involves planning actions, allocating attention to goals, detecting and compensating to errors, monitoring progress on tasks, and dealing with novel or difficult circumstances.

58
Q

Wisdom

A

Expert knowledge about the practical aspects of life that permits excellent judgement about important matters.

59
Q

Grey Matter

A

Refers to the dendrites and the cell body. The function is to connect sensory or motor neurons with interneurons.

60
Q

Fuzzy-trace theory dual-process model

A

Which states that decision making is influenced by two cognitive systems - “verbatim” analytical thinking (literal and precise) and gist based intuition (simple, bottom line meaning) - which operate in parallel. According to this theory it is gist based decision making that benefits adolescents most. Especially during high-risk situations. They cannot get bogged down in detail and analytical thinking.

61
Q

Neurotransmitters

A

Are an integral part of the nervous system as they are chemicals that transmit information from one cell to another.

62
Q

Dendrites

A

Are involved in receiving information form other neurons. These branch like structures are attached to other neurons to receive information.

63
Q

Short Term Memory

A

Is a limited-capacity memory system in which information is retained for a long as 30 seconds, unless the information is rehearsed, in which case it can be retained longer.

64
Q

Intelligence Quotient (IQ)

A

Developed in 1912 by William Stern. Mental age divided by chronological age times 100. IQ = MA/CA x 100.

The Stanford-Binet test is a adaptation of the original Binet test and has many revisions.

65
Q

Working Memory

A

A kind of mental workbench where individuals manipulate and assemble information when they make decisions, solve problems, and comprehend written and spoken language.

The term working memory is often preferred to short term memory.

Working memory is a cognitive filter that allows people to retain and consider information - deficits in working memory ca lead to moe risky behaviour.

66
Q

Deductive Reasoning

A

Involves reasoning from the general to the specific.

67
Q

Mindfulness

A

Being alert, mentally present, and cognitively flexible while going through life everyday activities and tasks. Thinking critically - an active awareness of circumstances in ones life. Finding the best solutions to tasks. Taking multiple perspectives and encountering now solutions to problems. Improves a number of cognitive and socioemotional process such as executive function, focused attention, and emotional regulation.

68
Q

The Formal Operational Stage

A

The final stage. Emerges as 11 to 15 years of age. More abstract than concrete operational thought. Abstract propositions or hypothetical situations. Verbal representations. Idealism and possibilities are thought. More logical thinking develops.

69
Q

The Zone of Proximal-Development (ZPD)

A

Refers to the range of tasks that aretooc difficult for an individual to master alone, but can be mastered with the guidance and assistance of adults or more skilled peers.

The lower level is the level of problem solving reached by an adolescent working independently.

The upper limit is the level of thinking the adolescent can accept with the assistance of an able instructor.

70
Q

White Matter

A

Refers to the myelinated axon material. The function is to pass messages to different areas of grey matter.

In adolescents, white matter increases and grey matter decreases.

71
Q

The Preoperational Stage

A

Lasts from 2 to 7 years. Is the second Piagetian stage. In this stage, children begin to represent the world with words, images, and drawings. Symbolic thought goes beyond simple connections of information and action.

72
Q

Synapses

A

Are gaps between the neurons, where connections between the axon and dendrites are made. Synaptogenesis is the dramatic increase between connections.

73
Q

Cognitive Development: Piaget / Stages

A