Developmental Domains
What is lifespan development?
The study of how people grow and change throughout life.
What does it mean that development is continuous?
Development continues throughout life.
What is the main function of the brain?
To control and coordinate body functions, thoughts, and behaviors.
What is heredity?
The passing of genetic information from parents to children.
What are fine motor skills?
Movements using small muscles, such as the fingers.
Growing taller and developing stronger muscles are examples of which developmental domain?
Physical development.
What does it mean that developmental domains are interrelated?
Development in one area can affect development in another.
What is a neuron?
A nerve cell that receives and sends information.
What is DNA?
A molecule that carries genetic instructions.
What are gross motor skills?
Movements using large muscles, such as the arms and legs.
Which domain involves thinking, memory, and problem-solving?
Cognitive development.
Give an example of development from head to toe.
A baby gains control of the head before learning to stand.
How do early experiences and interactions affect brain development?
They help build and strengthen neural connections.
Explain how genes, DNA, and chromosomes are related.
Genes are sections of DNA. Chromosomes contain DNA and many genes.
Classify buttoning a shirt and running as fine or gross motor skills.
Buttoning: fine motor. Running: gross motor.
Identify the domains: a toddler plays cooperatively with a friend and learns to manage frustration.
Social development (cooperative play) and emotional development (managing feelings).
Why are milestones useful, even though children develop at different rates?
They describe typical patterns of growth and development; children may reach them at different ages.
Name three caregiver actions that support an infant’s brain development.
Talking, reading, and responding to the infant.
Which is more directly influenced by heredity: natural eye color or a favorite television show? Explain.
Natural eye color is strongly influenced by inherited genes. A favorite show is a learned preference.
Explain how a skill such as language demonstrates continuous development.
Language grows over time, from early sounds to words, sentences, and increasingly complex communication.
A preschooler draws pictures and writes letters. Explain how this involves at least two developmental domains.
Physical: fine motor control of the pencil. Cognitive: remembering shapes or letters and planning the drawing. Language: using letters to communicate. Accept two accurately explained domains.
Two same-age children differ in bicycle-riding ability. Does this automatically mean one is developing incorrectly? Explain.
No. Children develop at different rates, and experience and practice also differ. One skill alone does not establish a developmental problem.
A parent reads the same picture book to a toddler every night. Explain how repetition and interaction support brain development.
Repeated experiences strengthen neural connections. Talking about pictures and responding to the toddler support language and learning.
A child has brown eyes like a parent but a different hobby. Explain how genes and environment can both influence development.
Eye color is influenced by inherited genetic information. Hobbies develop through interests and experiences. Both genes and environmental experiences influence development.
A child learns to ride a bicycle with a friend. Explain how physical, cognitive, and social development can work together.
Physical: balance and coordination. Cognitive: learning and remembering how to steer and stop. Social: communicating and cooperating with the friend.