Child Development: Themes, theories, and methods
What is the WEIRD population?
white
educated
industrialized
rich
democratic
genotype + environment = ??
genotype + environment = Phenotype: The observable characteristics of an individual
What is object permanence?
understanding an object still exists, even when out of sight
What was the strange situation? (Mary Ainsworth)
--> test used to measure children's attachment to parent (avoidant, secure, anxious, disorganize)
What type of studies can infer causation?
experimental research method - Introducing a change in a group’s experience and measuring the effects of the change
What is a terotogen? What is an example
Anything that can harm development in utero ; alcohol
What is symbolic representation?
having a mental image of ppl, actions, items, and events, or schemas -> can use mental image in pretend and symbolic play
What did Harlow's monkeys study show?
(what theory did it prove wrong?)
Terry cloth mom acted as a secure base, where wire food mom did not
--> nourishment isn't enough ?
----> proved Freud's drive-reduction theory wrong
What is the difference between continuous development and discontinuous? provide examples
continuous: gradual, consistent growth (ex: gradual increase in height and weight)
discontinuous: sudden leaps from one stage to the next (ex. crawling to walking)
What is the difference between meiosis and mitosis?
meiosis (germ cell replication) -> splitting of germ cells - results in cells w/ half the # of chomosomes
mitosis -> process of body cell (somatic cell) duplication & division that generates all of someone's cells except sperm & ova
What is the role of exuberant synaptogenesis?
loooots of synapses ready for any experience that comes their way -> grasping onto learning after birth
What are 2 approaches to studying emotional development?
Etic approach: Emphasizes universal aspects of human
behavior and development
---> preexisting theories and framework used to analyze emotional development
Emic approach: Explores how behavior and development take
place within specific cultural contexts
---> how does culture explain behaviors and beliefs and development
What are the main characteristics of cross-sectional research design?
-collects info about groups of diff ages at once
-less time consuming & expensive
Why is timing of exposure to teratogens important to the outcomes?
timing of exposure can affect what part of the baby that is being developed (following stage)
Methods of studying infant understanding
preferential looking time
visual expectancy -> eg head turn studies
tracking high amplitude sucking
habituation and dishabituation
What is the nativist view of language development?
we as humans are biologically programmed for language development which progresses as the child matures. no teaching is required
What are the four central questions when studying developmental psychology?
Is growth continuous or discontinuous? (is it gradual, continuous changes and/or sudden, discontinuous changes?)
What is the source of development? (genes or enviro?)
To what degree can the course of development be changed with
intervention? - Plasticity
What combination of nature and nurture makes individuals different from one another? How do differences arise? - Individual Difference
Individual difference
How do monozygotic twins help us learn about how the environment works?
monozygotic twins share the same GENOTYPE, so we can see how the environment affects it to produce differences in phenotype
What is the difference between experience-expectant and experience-dependent brain development?
Experience- expectant: Brain expects universal experiences for development in a species (common in everybody)
---> brain is wired to be waiting for an experience, such as being prewired to process & learn language (we listen to those around us speak, we are eager to babble & make noises & repeat what our parents / family /etc are saying)
---> brain is EXPECTING experience in order to develop
Experience- dependent: Brain responds to specific, unique experiences, no critical period
---> unique experiences SHAPE and modify brain structure/ development
---> development of things like skills, resilience, motor skills, etc is DEPENDENT on experience
What does pragmatic use of language allow?
-use and interpret communication
-understand and employ social and cultural conventions of language use
--> use appropriate language in appropriate contexts (eg. using academic language in academic environments)
-turn taking
-develop a story