Birth
What are the three prenatal stages of development?
Germinal, Embryonic, Fetal
What is synaptic pruning?
Elimination of unused neural connections to increase efficiency of the brain
What stage of Piaget’s theory occurs in early childhood?
Preoperational stage: 2-7 years, child thinks symbolically but needs to develop more logic reasoning.
What is myelination, and why is it important?
Fatty coating on neurons that speeds transmission; improves attention and memory
What is the function of the placenta?
ransfers nutrients and oxygen to the fetus, removes waste
What is SIDS, and how can it be prevented?
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome; infants should sleep on their backs to help prevent SIDS
What is egocentrism according to Piaget?
Inability to see another person’s perspective (mountain task)
What cognitive stage are children in according to Piaget?
Concrete operational stage: 7 to 11 years old. More logical thinking but needs development in abstract thinking.
What are teratogens? Give one example.
Environmental agents that harm development (e.g., alcohol)
What is object permanence?
Understanding that objects still exist when out of sight
Name and describe one parenting style.
Authoritative: high warmth and control; promotes self-regulation
What are two memory strategies that improve in this stage?
Rehearsal and organization/chunking
What is the impact of maternal stress on the fetus?
Elevated cortisol can affect growth, lead to preterm birth or low birth weight
Describe a difference between gross and fine motor skills. Give an example of each.
Gross is large movements (walking); Fine is small movements (pincer grasp)
Describe Vygotsky’s concept of scaffolding.
Temporary support provided by adults to help children learn within the zone of proximal development (learn new skills)
Explain Kohlberg’s conventional level of moral development.
Moral reasoning based on social approval and maintaining rules
Compare hospital births and home births
Home births can be safe for low-risk pregnancies with trained midwives; hospitals offer medical support for complications and emergency care
How does temperament affect parenting strategies?
Parents adapt interactions based on child temperament for a better fit (goodness-of-fit model)
How does play contribute to cognitive and social development?
Builds problem-solving, cooperation, role-taking, and creativity skills
Describe differences among popular-prosocial, rejected-aggressive, and neglected children. What are long term outcomes?
Popular-prosocial: leadership skills and cooperative skills; Rejected-aggressive: tend to be more hostile; Neglected: can lead to depression