Life span chapter 5

3-5 Years-of-Age

Chapter 5Chapter 5

Physical and Cognitive Development in Early Childhood

3-5 Years-of-AgePowerPoints developed by Jenni Fauchier,

Butchered by Professor Carney

Physical and Cognitive Development in Early Childhood

3-5 Years-of-AgePowerPoints developed by Jenni Fauchier,

Butchered by Professor Carney

3-5 Years-of-Age

3-5 Years-of-Age

Intimate MomentIntimate Moment

• Did the parents handle the situation well?

• What could they have done differently?

• Did the parents handle the situation well?

• What could they have done differently?

How Does a Young Child’s Body and Brain Grow and Change?

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Physical DevelopmentPhysical Development

• Early childhood 3-5 yrs.– Growth rate slows

• About 2 ½” per year• 5-7 lbs.

• Early childhood 3-5 yrs.– Growth rate slows

• About 2 ½” per year• 5-7 lbs.

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Approximate HeightApproximate Height

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Physical DevelopmentPhysical Development• Girls

– Slightly smaller & lighter– More fatty tissue

• Boys– More muscle tissue – Heads still large for bodies– Body fat slow, steady decline– Body slims & trunks lengthen– Increasingly aware of their bodies

• Girls – Slightly smaller & lighter– More fatty tissue

• Boys– More muscle tissue – Heads still large for bodies– Body fat slow, steady decline– Body slims & trunks lengthen– Increasingly aware of their bodies

3-5 Years-of-Age

• Most important factors to height differences:– 1. Ethnic origin (heredity)

• African-American’s taller than white children

– 2. Nutrition (environment)

• Most important factors to height differences:– 1. Ethnic origin (heredity)

• African-American’s taller than white children

– 2. Nutrition (environment)

Variations in GrowthVariations in Growth

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Variations in GrowthVariations in Growth• Growth patterns vary

– Due to heredity mostly

– Environment

• Environmental– Urban

• Middle class

• 1st born children

– Taller than• Rural

• Lower class

• Later-born children

• Growth patterns vary – Due to heredity mostly

– Environment

• Environmental– Urban

• Middle class

• 1st born children

– Taller than• Rural

• Lower class

• Later-born children

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Brain and Nervous System Development


• Cognitive abilities improve– Brain maturation– Opportunities for experience?

• Plan actions

• Attend to stimuli more effectively

• Increased language development

• Brain material doubles in a year– Some areas

• Cognitive abilities improve– Brain maturation– Opportunities for experience?

• Plan actions

• Attend to stimuli more effectively

• Increased language development

• Brain material doubles in a year– Some areas

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• Prefrontal Cortex– Evolutionary

advanced • 3-6 extensive

development– Attention – Working memory

• Pruning

• Prefrontal Cortex– Evolutionary

advanced • 3-6 extensive

development– Attention – Working memory

• Pruning

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NeuronsNeurons

• Dendrites increase– Number

– Size

• Myelination continues– Relates to

improvement of abilities

• Hand-eye coordination

– Complete age 4

• Dendrites increase– Number

– Size

• Myelination continues– Relates to

improvement of abilities

• Hand-eye coordination

– Complete age 4

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Gross Motor SkillsGross Motor Skills• 3 years

– Hopping, jumping, & running back & forth– Like to show off skills

• 4 years of age– More adventurous– Increased abilities on steps

• Age 5– Even more adventuresome

– Run hard– Enjoy races with each other & parents

• 3 years– Hopping, jumping, & running back & forth– Like to show off skills

• 4 years of age– More adventurous– Increased abilities on steps

• Age 5– Even more adventuresome

– Run hard– Enjoy races with each other & parents

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Fine Motor SkillsFine Motor Skills

• Age 3: – Can pick up tiny objects

• Clumsy

– Build high towers

• Age 4:– Much more precise

• Age 5:– Hand, arm, & body all move together

• Age 3: – Can pick up tiny objects

• Clumsy

– Build high towers

• Age 4:– Much more precise

• Age 5:– Hand, arm, & body all move together

3-5 Years-of-Age

Motor SkillsMotor Skills

• Recall your favorite early childhood activities.• Did you prefer gross motor oriented activities

or fine motor oriented activities? • How did you spend most of your time? • Do you remember any activity that you wanted

to be able to participate in, but you were not physically coordinated enough to do?

• Can you recall a time of triumph, when you accomplished a particular feat for the first time?

• Recall your favorite early childhood activities.• Did you prefer gross motor oriented activities

or fine motor oriented activities? • How did you spend most of your time? • Do you remember any activity that you wanted

to be able to participate in, but you were not physically coordinated enough to do?

• Can you recall a time of triumph, when you accomplished a particular feat for the first time?

3-5 Years-of-Age

NutritionNutrition• Energy needs

– Calorie needs increase with age

– Needs vary by age, sex, & size Preschooler

Up to 1,800 calories per day.

• Diets worsen as children age– Why?

• Today’s meals exceed dietary needs• Eating influenced by?

• Energy needs – Calorie needs increase with age

– Needs vary by age, sex, & size Preschooler

Up to 1,800 calories per day.

• Diets worsen as children age– Why?

• Today’s meals exceed dietary needs• Eating influenced by?

What Are Some Aspects of Young Children’s Health?

8

3-5 Years-of-Age

NutritionNutrition• Malnutrition Low-Income Families

– Most common: • Iron deficiency anemia

– Causes chronic fatigue

– Less• Fresh fruits• Vegetables• Education

– More processed foods• Linked to cognitive deficits, physical growth• Can improve with use of U.S. food programs• Linked to behavioral, conduct problems

• Malnutrition Low-Income Families– Most common:

• Iron deficiency anemia – Causes chronic fatigue

– Less• Fresh fruits• Vegetables• Education

– More processed foods• Linked to cognitive deficits, physical growth• Can improve with use of U.S. food programs• Linked to behavioral, conduct problems

What Are Some Aspects of Young Children’s Health?

3-5 Years-of-Age

Piaget’s Cognitive StagesPiaget’s Cognitive Stages

3-5 Years-of-Age

3-5 Years-of-Age

Piaget’s Preoperational StagePiaget’s Preoperational Stage

• Not yet capable of operations

• What is an operation?

• Operations definition: – Internalized set of actions highly organized &

conform to principles of logic. • Do mentally what was done physically before.

– Ex: Math problems in head

» Not yet capable

• Not yet capable of operations

• What is an operation?

• Operations definition: – Internalized set of actions highly organized &

conform to principles of logic. • Do mentally what was done physically before.

– Ex: Math problems in head

» Not yet capable

Three Views of Cognitive Changes in Early Childhood

3-5 Years-of-Age


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• Preoperational stage– Ages 2 - 7

– Stable concepts formed

– Mental reasoning, magical beliefs emerge

– Contains 2 substages:

– 1. Symbolic Function

– 2. Intuitive Thought

• Preoperational stage– Ages 2 - 7

– Stable concepts formed

– Mental reasoning, magical beliefs emerge

– Contains 2 substages:

– 1. Symbolic Function

– 2. Intuitive Thought


3-5 Years-of-Age


• 1. Symbolic Function Stage, Age 2 – 4– Creates mental images of objects

• Store for later use– Disneyland

– Imaginative drawings– Mentally represent object not present

• Ex: Scribbles represent people– Awareness of what scribble represents even over

time.

• 1. Symbolic Function Stage, Age 2 – 4– Creates mental images of objects

• Store for later use– Disneyland

– Imaginative drawings– Mentally represent object not present

• Ex: Scribbles represent people– Awareness of what scribble represents even over

time.


3-5 Years-of-Age

4 year old4 year old

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• 1. Symbolic Function Stage Cont.– Thoughts limited beliefs:

• Egocentrism:–Inability to see things from another

person's point of view.»What happens if parents divorce

at this stage?

• 1. Symbolic Function Stage Cont.– Thoughts limited beliefs:

• Egocentrism:–Inability to see things from another

person's point of view.»What happens if parents divorce

at this stage?


3-5 Years-of-Age

• Symbolic Function Stage Cont.– Animistic Thinking

• Imagining that inanimate objects have life & mental processes.

– Child trips over coffee table, what will they say?

• Symbolic Function Stage Cont.– Animistic Thinking

• Imagining that inanimate objects have life & mental processes.

– Child trips over coffee table, what will they say?


3-5 Years-of-Age


• 2. Substage: Intuitive Thought – @ 4 - 7 yrs. of age

– Primitive reasoning

• Can’t answer “what if” questions.

– Have many questions• “What makes you grow?”

• 2. Substage: Intuitive Thought – @ 4 - 7 yrs. of age

– Primitive reasoning

• Can’t answer “what if” questions.

– Have many questions• “What makes you grow?”


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• Limits in preoperational thought

• Do not understand at this stage: – Centration:

• Salient: Focusing attention on 1 characteristic to exclusion of others

– Conservation:• Realizes altering object’s substance does

not change it quantitatively

• Limits in preoperational thought

• Do not understand at this stage: – Centration:

• Salient: Focusing attention on 1 characteristic to exclusion of others

– Conservation:• Realizes altering object’s substance does

not change it quantitatively

Piaget’s Preoperational Stage Intuitive Thought Cont.

Piaget’s Preoperational Stage Intuitive Thought Cont.

3-5 Years-of-Age

• 2 ways preschool child’s attention deficient:– 1. Salient vs. relevant dimensions

• Salient means– Attention to what stands out

• Flashy clown presents directions– Remembers clown

– Forget instructions

» By 6 or 7

» Pay attention to directions

• 2 ways preschool child’s attention deficient:– 1. Salient vs. relevant dimensions

• Salient means– Attention to what stands out

• Flashy clown presents directions– Remembers clown

– Forget instructions

» By 6 or 7

» Pay attention to directions

Information ProcessingInformation Processing

3-5 Years-of-Age

Information-Processing ApproachInformation-Processing Approach

• 2. Planfulness – Preschool

• 2 pictures are they the same?

• Look quickly, make a decision without examining details

– 6-7• Compare one detail at a time

• 2. Planfulness – Preschool

• 2 pictures are they the same?

• Look quickly, make a decision without examining details

– 6-7• Compare one detail at a time

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School ReadinessSchool Readiness

• Longer attention spans linked to school readiness.

• Longer attention spans linked to school readiness.

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MemoryMemory

• Short-term memory– Retain information for @ 30 sec.

– Rehearsal • (repeating information )• Keeps information in short-term memory

longer • Older children better able to rehearse

– Memory becomes more accurate

• Short-term memory– Retain information for @ 30 sec.

– Rehearsal • (repeating information )• Keeps information in short-term memory

longer • Older children better able to rehearse

– Memory becomes more accurate

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Factors Influencing Accuracy of Memory

Factors Influencing Accuracy of Memory

• Susceptible to misleading or incorrect post-event information

• Individual differences in suggestibility• Interviewing techniques can produce

distortions – Suggestible

• Small details • Central aspects of event

– Interviewing kids about child abuse?

• Susceptible to misleading or incorrect post-event information

• Individual differences in suggestibility• Interviewing techniques can produce

distortions – Suggestible

• Small details • Central aspects of event

– Interviewing kids about child abuse?

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Theory of Mind Theory of Mind

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Theory of MindTheory of Mind

• Theory of Mind – Awareness of one’s own mental processes &

the mental processes of others

• Children’s theory of mind changes as they develop

• Theory of Mind – Awareness of one’s own mental processes &

the mental processes of others

• Children’s theory of mind changes as they develop

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Theory of Mind: Beyond age 5

Theory of Mind: Beyond age 5

• Not until middle & late childhood – Move from understanding that beliefs

can be false • to

– Realizing same event can be open to multiple interpretations

• Not until middle & late childhood – Move from understanding that beliefs

can be false • to

– Realizing same event can be open to multiple interpretations

3-5 Years-of-Age

Star Wars according to a 3 year-oldStar Wars according to a 3 year-old

3-5 Years-of-Age

3 year-old asked about monsters3 year-old asked about monsters

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Language DevelopmentLanguage Development

• Between 2 & 3– Transition from

• Simple sentences that express a single proposition

– to • Saying complex sentences

• Between 2 & 3– Transition from

• Simple sentences that express a single proposition

– to • Saying complex sentences

Life span chapter 5

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