Week 5 + Chapter 11

Question 1

Critical and Sensitive Periods

Answer 1

Refer to specific windows of time in an individual’s development when certain experiences or stimuli have a profound impact on growth, learning, and behavior. These periods are significant because they shape how the brain and other aspects of development respond to environmental inputs.

Question 2

Continuity vs. Discontinuity

Answer 2

It focuses on whether development is a smooth, gradual process or a series of distinct stages or steps.

Question 3

Heredity vs. Heritability

Answer 3

Heredity refers to the passing down of genetic traits from parents to offspring through their genes.
Heritability, on the other hand, refers to the extent to which genetic variation in a population contributes to the variation in a particular trait.

Question 4

Schemas

Answer 4

is a cognitive framework or concept that helps individuals organize and interpret information.

Question 5

Accomodation

Answer 5

the incorporation of new learning into an existing schema that requires revision of the schema.

The schema must be adapted to fit the new information

Question 6

Assimilation

Answer 6

the incorporation of new learning into an existing schema without the need to revise the schema.

Question 7

Equilibration

Answer 7

the process by which a child engages in assimilation and accommodation in order to make sense of the world.

Question 8

Jean Piaget

Answer 8

Piaget became more interested in the errors made by the children than in their correct responses. He believed that these errors were representative of growth in the child’s ability to reason. Rather than simply viewing children as “dumb adults,” as many did at the time, Piaget believed that cognitive development occurred in distinct stages.

Question 9

Sensorimotor stage

Answer 9

Piaget’s initial period of development, when the infant’s mental activity is only sensory perception and motor skills

Question 10

Object permanence

Answer 10

coincides with achieving sufficient growth in the prefrontal cortex

refers to the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen, heard, or otherwise sensed

Question 11

Circular reactions

Answer 11

repetitive actions observed in children during the sensorimotor stage of cognition development.

Question 12

Primary Circular reactions

Answer 12

(1 to 4 months of age) are actions that involve the infants’ own body

Question 13

Secondary Circular reaction

Answer 13

(4 to 8 months of age) involve objects other than one’s own body

Question 14

Tertiary circular reaction

Answer 14

which begin around the infant’s first birthday, involve trial-and-error experimentation

Object permanence; the ability to form mental representations of objects that are no longer present.

Question 15

Preoperational Stage

Answer 15

Piaget’s second stage of cognitive development, characterized by use of symbols and illogical thought

Question 16

Longitudinal Studies

Answer 16

Data from
the same group of participants is
collected at intervals across a long
period of time (e.g., decades!)

Question 17

Egocentrism

Answer 17

preoperational children have limited abilities to understand points of view other than their own.

Preoperational thinking is also limited by beliefs that appearances are real.

Question 18

Conservation

Answer 18

Conservation is the understanding that quantity remains the same even when its appearance changes, as long as nothing is added or taken away.
(Piaget)

A child sees two equal glasses of juice. One is poured into a taller, thinner glass.
➡ Before age 7: “The tall glass has more juice.”
➡ After age 7: “They’re the same — just different shapes.”

Question 19

Concrete Operational Stage

Answer 19

Age 7 – 11 - Piaget’s third stage of cognitive development, characterized by logical thought

Question 20

Formal Operation

Answer 20

Age 11 – Adulthood - period of cognitive development characterized by the ability to engage in abstract thought, according to Piaget

Question 21

Concrete Operational stage

Answer 21

Jean Piaget’s stage of development beginning at the age of 6 and ending at the age of 12 years and characterized by logical but not abstract thinking.

Question 22

formal operational stage

Answer 22

Jean Piaget’s stage of development beginning at age 12 and extending through adulthood and characterized by mature reasoning capabilities.

The ability to handle abstract concepts.

Question 23

theory of mind (ToM)

Answer 23

Note this is an elaboration of Piaget’s egocentrism - The understanding that others have thoughts that are different from one’s own.

The classic procedure for demonstrating TOM is the false belief task, often called the “Sally–Anne” task.

Children who have developed a TOM understand that their personal knowledge of where the ball is located is different from the knowledge of Sally

TOM emerges in children around the age of 3 to 4 years…

The ability of young children to distinguish between living and nonliving objects is another important step in the development of TOM

Question 24

False Belief test

Answer 24

Sally-Ann Test

Question 25

Attachment

Answer 25

Strong, emotional connection that persists over time and across circumstances (Bowlby, 1969) – Adaptive → encourages proximity between child and mother/caregiver – Oxytocin

Question 26

Secure Attachment

Answer 26

a pattern of infant-caregiver bonding in which children explore confidently and return to the parent or caregiver for reassurance.

Question 27

Insecure attachment

Answer 27

refers to a type of attachment style in which an infant or child has difficulty forming a stable, trusting bond with their primary caregiver. This can occur when the caregiver is inconsistent, unresponsive, or neglectful, making the child feel unsure or anxious about whether they can rely on their caregiver for comfort and security. A pattern of infant-caregiver bonding that can take several forms but is generally characterized as less desirable for the child's outcomes than secure attachment.

Question 28

Parenting Styles

Answer 28

can be divided into four categories that vary along two dimensions: parental support; involves supervision of the child's perspective behavioral regulation; involves supervision of the child' behavior accompanied by consistent discipline and clear expectations

Question 29

Authoritative

Answer 29

cross between high behavioral regulation and parental support Authoritative parents are consistent and firm but also warm and reasonable. They communicate their standards and invite feedback, but there is no question as to who is running the show.

Question 30

Authoritarian

Answer 30

The high behavioral regulation prepares children for the limits they inevitably meet in the community from other authority figures, but this is considered a less-than-ideal approach because of lower levels of warmth and support Authoritarian parents have a greater tendency than authoritative parents to use harsh punishments, including physical punishment.

Question 31

Indulgent

Answer 31

Children of indulgent parents are monitored less than children of authoritative and authoritarian parents and show higher levels of antisocial behavior than children of authoritative and authoritarian parents These parents are warm and loving, but they simply do not want to be the ones who tell their children the dreadful word “no.”

Question 32

Uninvolved

Answer 32

Uninvolved Parenting Style; known as neglectful parenting Causes higher drinking and smoking rates in children

Question 33

Erikson's psychology

Answer 33

best known for his life span model of psychosocial development, which outlines stages of social development beginning in infancy Identity; a consistent, unified sense of self For Erikson, social development proceeds in stages, with each stage characterized by a particular developmental challenge or tension, which is either resolved successfully (leading to a positive outcome) or not.

Question 34

Piaget's psychology

Answer 34

He is best known for his theory of cognitive development, which describes how children progress through different stages of intellectual growth, from infancy through adolescence.

Question 35

Zone of proximal development

Answer 35

Vygotsky stressed the role of culture and cultural differences in the development of the child cultures teach children not only what to think but also how to think It refers to the range of tasks that a learner can perform with the help of guidance, collaboration, or encouragement from a more knowledgeable person

Question 36

Scaffolding

Answer 36

Vygotsky, he also promoted the practice of scaffolding, which involves the parent or teacher being responsive to the needs of the child and providing guidance that matches the learner’s needs.

Question 37

Preferential looking technique

Answer 37

is a research method commonly used in developmental psychology to study infants' perceptions, preferences, and cognitive abilities. It is particularly useful for examining how infants respond to different visual stimuli.

Question 38

Orienting Reflex

Answer 38

is an automatic, involuntary response to a novel or unexpected stimulus in the environment. It is an instinctive reaction where an individual shifts their attention toward the source of the stimulus, typically accompanied by changes in physiological responses (like heart rate or pupil dilation).

Question 39

Synaptic Pruning

Answer 39

is a natural process in the brain that involves the elimination of extra or unused synaptic connections between neurons (brain cells). This process is crucial for the brain's development, efficiency, and functioning.