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Questions and Answers
What is the approximate duration of the human gestation period?
What is the approximate duration of the human gestation period?
At what age does myelination and synaptogenesis continue until?
At what age does myelination and synaptogenesis continue until?
What effect do teratogens have on fetal development?
What effect do teratogens have on fetal development?
What happens to synapses that are not regularly used after the age of 2?
What happens to synapses that are not regularly used after the age of 2?
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Which of the following contributes to cognitive impairments in individuals with FASD during infancy?
Which of the following contributes to cognitive impairments in individuals with FASD during infancy?
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What is the outcome of exposure to air pollution during pregnancy according to Perera et al (2002)?
What is the outcome of exposure to air pollution during pregnancy according to Perera et al (2002)?
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How does neural plasticity change with age?
How does neural plasticity change with age?
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By six months of age, what percentage of an adult brain's size has an infant reached?
By six months of age, what percentage of an adult brain's size has an infant reached?
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What is implied by the unexpected content task when children look longer at non-matching box trials?
What is implied by the unexpected content task when children look longer at non-matching box trials?
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At what age do children typically pass the explicit false belief task according to standard assessments?
At what age do children typically pass the explicit false belief task according to standard assessments?
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Which of the following is NOT one of the three components of executive functions?
Which of the following is NOT one of the three components of executive functions?
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What does the marshmallow test primarily measure?
What does the marshmallow test primarily measure?
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What issue do infants display during the A not B error?
What issue do infants display during the A not B error?
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How does implicit theory of mind differ from explicit theory of mind?
How does implicit theory of mind differ from explicit theory of mind?
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Which scenario best illustrates inhibition in executive function?
Which scenario best illustrates inhibition in executive function?
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According to research, what is the primary reason infants struggle with understanding object permanence?
According to research, what is the primary reason infants struggle with understanding object permanence?
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At what age do children typically start to understand the action capabilities of different agents?
At what age do children typically start to understand the action capabilities of different agents?
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Which of the following best describes executive functions?
Which of the following best describes executive functions?
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What does theory of mind enable children to understand about other people's beliefs?
What does theory of mind enable children to understand about other people's beliefs?
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Which task is commonly used to assess children's understanding of false beliefs?
Which task is commonly used to assess children's understanding of false beliefs?
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At what age do children begin to show some understanding of theory of mind using looking time measures?
At what age do children begin to show some understanding of theory of mind using looking time measures?
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What is the primary focus of social cognition?
What is the primary focus of social cognition?
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How do children's executive functions change as they age?
How do children's executive functions change as they age?
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What limitation is noted with the classic false belief task?
What limitation is noted with the classic false belief task?
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What does the violation of expectation task measure in young children?
What does the violation of expectation task measure in young children?
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Which foundational ability allows children to understand that others have distinct beliefs and desires?
Which foundational ability allows children to understand that others have distinct beliefs and desires?
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What is the zone of proximal development (ZPD)?
What is the zone of proximal development (ZPD)?
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Which of the following factors was noted to affect children's success on the block building task?
Which of the following factors was noted to affect children's success on the block building task?
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What does social referencing involve in child development?
What does social referencing involve in child development?
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Which statement best summarizes Vygotsky's view on cognitive development?
Which statement best summarizes Vygotsky's view on cognitive development?
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Infants exhibit what kind of learning capacity at birth?
Infants exhibit what kind of learning capacity at birth?
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What concept explains that inanimate objects interact only when they are in contact?
What concept explains that inanimate objects interact only when they are in contact?
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At what age do children start to demonstrate improved casual reasoning and social referencing according to the summary?
At what age do children start to demonstrate improved casual reasoning and social referencing according to the summary?
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What are the three main components of executive functions?
What are the three main components of executive functions?
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What does the false belief task illustrate about children's understanding?
What does the false belief task illustrate about children's understanding?
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Which of the following did Piaget inaccurately assess regarding children's cognitive abilities?
Which of the following did Piaget inaccurately assess regarding children's cognitive abilities?
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What does the 'a not b' error illustrate about executive function in infants?
What does the 'a not b' error illustrate about executive function in infants?
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Which of the following is NOT a typical symptom of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)?
Which of the following is NOT a typical symptom of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)?
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In Vygotsky's theory, what is considered essential for guiding children's learning?
In Vygotsky's theory, what is considered essential for guiding children's learning?
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What was Piaget's primary focus in his theory of child development?
What was Piaget's primary focus in his theory of child development?
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How do children with ASD perform on false belief tasks compared to typically developing children?
How do children with ASD perform on false belief tasks compared to typically developing children?
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What is 'motionese' in the context of caregiver-infant interaction?
What is 'motionese' in the context of caregiver-infant interaction?
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What role do mirror neurons play in understanding others' actions and imitation?
What role do mirror neurons play in understanding others' actions and imitation?
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In the context of gaze direction, what difficulty do children with ASD face?
In the context of gaze direction, what difficulty do children with ASD face?
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What has research shown about infants' understanding of object permanence?
What has research shown about infants' understanding of object permanence?
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What is a common feature of executive function deficits in children with ASD?
What is a common feature of executive function deficits in children with ASD?
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What is a significant feature of direct eye gaze for children with ASD?
What is a significant feature of direct eye gaze for children with ASD?
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What characterizes typical development in regard to imitation in early childhood?
What characterizes typical development in regard to imitation in early childhood?
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What is one proposed underlying factor for the impairments found in children with ASD?
What is one proposed underlying factor for the impairments found in children with ASD?
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What is the key cognitive ability that infants do not grasp during the sensorimotor stage?
What is the key cognitive ability that infants do not grasp during the sensorimotor stage?
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In which stage of Piaget's theory do children begin to think systematically and solve hypothetical problems?
In which stage of Piaget's theory do children begin to think systematically and solve hypothetical problems?
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What does the conservation task measure in children at the pre-operational stage?
What does the conservation task measure in children at the pre-operational stage?
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What mistake do infants usually commit during the A-not-B error task?
What mistake do infants usually commit during the A-not-B error task?
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Which of the following describes egocentrism in children?
Which of the following describes egocentrism in children?
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What is the focus of research during the cognitive development stage according to Piaget?
What is the focus of research during the cognitive development stage according to Piaget?
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What role does constructivism play in Piaget's theory?
What role does constructivism play in Piaget's theory?
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In which stage do children typically begin to use mental imagery and understand symbols?
In which stage do children typically begin to use mental imagery and understand symbols?
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What is the primary characteristic of the concrete operational stage?
What is the primary characteristic of the concrete operational stage?
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What did Piaget believe was necessary to pass the conservation task?
What did Piaget believe was necessary to pass the conservation task?
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What characterizes a child in the sensorimotor stage?
What characterizes a child in the sensorimotor stage?
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Which theorist proposed theories focused on psychosocial development in relation to childhood?
Which theorist proposed theories focused on psychosocial development in relation to childhood?
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What is the primary function of the Three Mountain Task?
What is the primary function of the Three Mountain Task?
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How did Piaget derive his theories of child development?
How did Piaget derive his theories of child development?
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Study Notes
Developmental Psychology
- Focuses on how biological, physical, cognitive, emotional, and social abilities develop throughout childhood.
- Key debates include stability vs. change, continuity vs. discontinuity, nature vs. nurture, and critical vs. sensitive periods.
- Studying development helps understand adult minds, clinical conditions, and childhood abilities.
Infant Development
- Human development commences in utero.
- Gestation period is roughly 38-40 weeks.
- Infant brains are structurally similar to adult brains but smaller at birth, reaching 50% of adult size by 6 months.
Infant Development - Before/After Birth
- At birth, neurons are not fully myelinated or connected.
- Myelination and synaptogenesis (synapse formation) continue until around age two.
- Unused synapses are trimmed throughout development after age 2.
- Neural plasticity decreases with age (Huttenlocher, 2002).
- Damage can occur before birth.
Teratogens
- Substances causing atypical development if exposed in utero.
- Harmful effects on development during pregnancy.
- Examples include:
- Perera et al (2002): Air pollution links to genetic mutations.
- Latini et al (2003): PVC exposure shortens pregnancy, leading to early delivery.
- Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) presents physical, mental, and behavioral impairments from in utero alcohol exposure.
- FASD impairments:
- Infancy: Slower reaction times.
- Preschoolers: Difficulty paying attention, hyperactivity.
- Childhood: Learning problems, memory deficits.
- Adulthood: Impaired problem-solving, substance dependence.
Summary 1
- Developmental psychology illustrates the emergence, development, and maturation of adult abilities across the lifespan.
- Brains at birth resemble adult brains but are smaller, undergoing development through myelination and synapses.
- Exposure to teratogens can cause significant clinical problems in development.
History of Studying Development
- Industrial Revolution spurred need for an educated workforce, focusing research on cognitive development.
- Emotional and social development, as well as adult development, later became focused areas.
- Key figures include John B. Watson, Charles Darwin, Wilhelm Preyer, with substantial empirical research emerging by the 1880s.
- 20th-century figures like Piaget, Vygotsky, and Bowlby significantly shaped the field.
Jean Piaget (1896-1980)
- Swiss child psychologist creating a cognitive development stage theory through observing own children.
- Other stage theories include Freud's psychodynamic theory and Erikson's psychosocial theory.
- Piaget proposed stages from 0-2 (sensorimotor), 2-7 (preoperational), 7-12 (concrete operational), and 12+ (formal operational) years.
Sensorimotor Stage (0-2 years)
- Infants can sense and move, but initial cognition is limited.
- Object permanence (understanding object existence despite lack of perception) is a crucial concept emerging later.
- A-not-B error demonstrates persistence on incorrect search location due to limited object permanence. Preservation is a similar effect.
- Mental imagery and symbol understanding emerge by the end of this stage.
Preoperational Stage (2-7 years)
- Egocentrism, inability to see from another's perspective, characterizes this stage.
- Three Mountain task illustrates this egocentrism by showing children's difficulty understanding differing perspectives.
- Lack of "operations" (logical mental rules) makes children biased by appearances and incapable of conservation.
- Conservation involves understanding that appearance change doesn't change quantity, volume, mass, or perspective
Concrete Operational Stage (7-12 years)
- Children can perform operations but only on concrete (tangible) problems.
- Systematic reasoning and scientific thought are not developed.
Formal Operational Stage (12+ years)
- Abstract thought, hypothetical scenarios, and systematic reasoning emerge.
- Formal operational thinkers can imagine scientific experiments.
Piaget's Constructivism
- Children actively construct their understanding of the world, not passively absorbing information.
Lev Vygotsky (1896-1934)
- Social constructivist emphasizing the role of social interaction in knowledge construction.
- Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD): difference between independent and assisted capabilities.
- Social referencing—using others' emotional responses to guide actions is vital to learning.
Theory of Mind
- Ability to understand mental states of self and others.
- Development of ToM is demonstrated through false-belief tasks.
False-Belief Tasks
- 2-3-year-olds typically fail to understand that others might possess false beliefs—differing from their own.
- 4-year-olds typically succeed.
Executive Functions
- Cognitive abilities for voluntary behavior control.
- Three main components:
- Inhibition: Self-control, resisting distraction, stopping responses.
- Working Memory: Holding information in mind, mental arithmetic.
- Shifting: Mental flexibility, adapting to new situations.
- Executive functions are crucial for planning, completing tasks/goals effectively.
ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder)
- Characterized by social skill impairments, communication issues, and repetitive behaviors.
- Show impairments in theory of mind, executive functions, and imitation skills.
- Mirror neurons (brain cells active during action observation and execution) are theorized to be involved.
- Eye tracking studies show some similar expectations in ASD, but difficulties using gaze for intention inference.
Key Developmental Concepts
- Teratogens, Piaget's stages, object permanence, perseveration (preservation), egocentrism, conservation, constructivism, zone of proximal development (ZPD), social referencing, Theory of Mind, executive functions, mirror neurons.
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Description
This quiz covers key concepts in developmental psychology, focusing on how various abilities develop throughout childhood. Key debates such as nature vs. nurture and the impact of teratogens on infant development are explored. Understanding these elements provides insight into adult mental processes and developmental disorders.
