G & D Ch. 5
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Transcript of G & D Ch. 5
CHAPTER 5CHAPTER 5Physical & Cognitive Physical & Cognitive
Development in Early ChildhoodDevelopment in Early Childhood
Physical Physical GrowthGrowth
Individual Individual DifferencesDifferencesAverage differences in height & weight between boys & girls begins to increase
Boys start becoming taller
Differences in economically deprived countries v. developed countries
Better nutrition & health care
Difference in U.S. between advantaged & disadvantaged children
Growth of the Brain
Fastest Growing Part of the BodyBy age 5, the brain is 90% of adult size
Increase in growth due to increase in the number of interconnections
It allows for more complex communications between neurons
Increase in the amount of myelin
Increase in the size of the corpus callosum
Brain Brain LateralizationLateralization
Each Hemisphere Each Hemisphere has Certain has Certain FunctionsFunctionsEach hemisphere processes Each hemisphere processes information slightly differentlyinformation slightly differently
The left processes The left processes sequentiallysequentially
The right processes The right processes holisticallyholistically
Boy Brain /Girl Brain
Male & Female Brains are Predisposed to Function Slightly Differently
Girls & Boys Show Some Hemispheric Differences
Gender & Cultural Relations to Brain Structure
Some Cultures Process Information Related to Vocal Sounds Differently
Increases in Myelin May Be Related to Growing Cognitive Capacities as well as Memory Improvements
Boys & Girls have Differences in Lower Body Reflexes
Boys & Girls Process Auditory Information Differently
Boys show greater Specialization of Left Hemisphere Language
Girls Language Capabilities is More Evenly Distributed Between Hemispheres
Girls Language Development is Faster than Boys
Motor Development
Gross Motor SkillsAdvances in gross motor skills related to brain development & myelination of neurons in areas related to balance & coordination
Gender DifferencesBoys overall motor activity level higher than girls: jump higher & throw a ball betterGirls better in coordination of arms & legs & balancing & coordinated exercises
Fine Motor SkillsDevelop with gross motor skills but require practice
HandednessPreference by the End of PreschoolBy age 5 there’s a clear tendency to use one hand over the other
Today children are not forced to use the right hand
NutritionEating the Right FoodsGrowth rate is slower than in infancy
Need less food to maintain growth
Encouraging the child to eat more than they seem to want can lead to obesity (more than 20% above average weight for height)
Childhood obesity increased significantly since the mid-1980s
InjuriesAccidents are the Greatest RiskDue to level of physical activityBoys are more active than girls & take more risksMore accidents in poorer areas
Lead PoisoningTiny amounts of lead can be very harmfulLinked to lower IQ, verbal & auditory problems, hyperactivity & distractibility
Piaget’s Preoperational ThinkingPiaget’s Preoperational Thinking
The Use of Symbolic Thought, Mental Reasoning,& ConceptsSymbolic Function
The ability to use a mental symbol, a word, or object to stand for or represent something not present
Relation between language & thought
Symbolic function is the basis of sophisticated language use in the Preoperational Stage
Language & thinking are interconnected
Use of language allows the child to think beyond the present to the future
Language = thought or thought = language?
Centration & Conservation
CentrationThe process of concentrating on one limited aspect of a stimulus ignoring other aspects
Preschooler’s focus is on the superficial, obvious elements
ConservationKnowledge that quantity is unrelated to physical appearance or arrangement of objects
Centration prevents focusing on the relevant features of a situation
Preoperational Preoperational ThinkingThinking
EgocentricismThinking that doesn’t take into account others’ viewpointsTakes 2 forms:
1. Lack of awareness that others see things form a different perspective2. Failure to realize that others may hold thoughts, feelings, & points of view different from your own
Seen in talking to oneself in the presence of others or ignoring what others are saying
Preoperational Preoperational ThinkingThinking
Intuitive ThoughtIntuitive ThoughtPreschooler’s primitive reasoning & keen acquisition of knowledge about the world
They begin to understand the concept of functionality (actions, events, & outcomes are related to each other in fixed patterns)
They begin to show awareness of the idea of identity (certain things stay the same regardless of changes in shape, size, & appearance
Both are important to understand conservation
Evaluating PiagetEvaluating PiagetChildren have the innate ability to count
Cognitive skills develop in a more continuous manner than stage theories imply
Developmental changes are more quantitative than qualitative as Piaget claims
MemoryMemoryAutobiographicaAutobiographical Memoryl MemoryMemory of particular events on one’s lifeUnless the event is meaningful or vivid, it is likely not to be rememberedCultural factors affect memoryAutobiographical memories fade & inaccurately recalledScripts: broad Scripts: broad representations in memory representations in memory of events & the order in of events & the order in which they occurredwhich they occurredFrequent events melded into scripts
VygotskyVygotskyDefinitionsDefinitionsZone of Proximal DevelopmentZone of Proximal Development
Level at which a child can almost, but not fully, perform a task independently, but can do it with assistance from someone more competent
ScaffoldingScaffolding
The support for learning & problem solving that encourages independence & growth
Cultural ToolsCultural Tools
Physical items & intellectual & conceptual framework for solving problems
VygotskyVygotskyCognitive Development & Social Interaction Tied TogetherChildren are apprentices, learning from adult & peer mentors
Cultural & social factors involved in the learning process
Children’s cognitive development is dependent on the interaction with others
There are differences in how some societies support learning for boys & girls
Cultural tools provide a structure that can be used to help children define & solve problems as well as an intellectual POV that encourages cognitive development
Language & ThoughtLanguage & Thought
SyntaxSyntaxCombining words & Combining words & phrases to form sentencesphrases to form sentences
Fast MappingFast MappingNew words are associated New words are associated with their meaning only with their meaning only after a brief encounterafter a brief encounter
GrammarGrammarRules that determine how Rules that determine how thoughts can be expressedthoughts can be expressed
Private SpeechPrivate SpeechSpeech spoken & directed Speech spoken & directed to oneselfto oneself
PragmaticsPragmaticsAspect of language Aspect of language relating to communicating relating to communicating effectively & appropriately effectively & appropriately with otherswith others
Social SpeechSocial SpeechSpeech directed toward Speech directed toward another & meant to be another & meant to be understood by that personunderstood by that person
Theory of MindTheory of MindDevelops an intuitive understanding of the link between mind & behavior Moves through 3 phases: Earliest phase (approx. 2 years) - aware of desires & speaks of wants & likes; by age 2 children understand people have desires & desires can cause behavior Mid-phase (approx. 3 years) - distinguishes the mental world from the physical world but still emphasize desire in explaining others’ actions Late phase (approx. 4 years) - understands that behavior is based on beliefs about the world, even when those beliefs are wrong; realizes that people not only have thoughts & beliefs, but those thoughts & beliefs are crucial to explaining why people do things
Early Childhood Early Childhood EducationEducation
Involvement in Some Involvement in Some Form of Education Form of Education Before Formal Before Formal Schooling is BeneficialSchooling is BeneficialVarieties of early education:Varieties of early education:
Child-care centersChild-care centers
PreschoolsPreschools
School childcareSchool childcare
Sesame StreetSesame StreetSignificantly Significantly Higher Higher VocabulariesVocabularies
Significantly Significantly Higher Scores on Higher Scores on Measures of Measures of Verbal & MathVerbal & Math
Tend to be Better Tend to be Better Readers Spending Readers Spending More Time More Time ReadingReading
Effectiveness of Effectiveness of ChildcareChildcare
More Verbal FluencyMemory & Comprehension AdvantagesHigher IQ ScoresMore Self-confidenceMore IndependentMore Socially Knowledgeable
Television & its Television & its InfluencesInfluences
Aggressive BehaviorFrequent exposure to TV violence causes children to be more aggressiveViolent video games causes similar behaviorsStereotypingTV viewing causes children to adopt many stereotypes that dominate TV programmingConsumer BehaviorCommercials are effect with childrenChildren grow to like products advertised on TVUrge parents to buy products
Television & its InfluencesProsocial BehaviorProsocial BehaviorTV viewing of TV viewing of prosocial behavior prosocial behavior influenced childreninfluenced childrenFactors that restrict Factors that restrict porsocial behavior:porsocial behavior:1. Prosocial behavior 1. Prosocial behavior portrayed much less portrayed much less frequently than frequently than aggressive behaviorsaggressive behaviors2. Prosocial programs 2. Prosocial programs must compete must compete w/other kinds of w/other kinds of programs & other programs & other activities child doesactivities child does
Influences on CognitionInfluences on CognitionChildren watching Children watching Sesame Street were Sesame Street were more proficient in more proficient in certain academic certain academic skills & adjusted to skills & adjusted to school more readilyschool more readilyHigher vocabularies, Higher vocabularies, better math & better math & prereading skills, prereading skills, better prepared for better prepared for school, frequently school, frequently improve their improve their academic skills & academic skills & develop more develop more positive attitudespositive attitudes
Television & its Television & its InfluencesInfluencesCriticism of TVCriticism of TV
Children watching a lot of TV have Children watching a lot of TV have short attention spans & have short attention spans & have difficulty concentrating due to brief difficulty concentrating due to brief segments of programmingsegments of programmingChildren become passive, lazy Children become passive, lazy thinkersthinkersNeither criticism is backed by Neither criticism is backed by researchresearchTV doesn’t harm children’s TV doesn’t harm children’s attention spanattention spanNo link between amount of TV No link between amount of TV viewing and creativityviewing and creativityNo evidence that TV watching has No evidence that TV watching has harmful effectsharmful effects
What parents need What parents need to doto doWays to regulate child’s TV Ways to regulate child’s TV viewingviewingChildren must have absolute, Children must have absolute, enforced rules re: the amount of enforced rules re: the amount of TV & the types of programs they TV & the types of programs they can watchcan watchChildren must know what they Children must know what they want to watch before they turn on want to watch before they turn on TV & not watch just because TV & not watch just because they’re boredthey’re boredParents should watch TV with Parents should watch TV with children & discuss the programschildren & discuss the programsParents should be good TV viewers Parents should be good TV viewers themselves not watching themselves not watching Inappropriate programs with Inappropriate programs with children presentchildren present