Download Neural and Cognitive Developments in the Early Years

Neural and Cognitive
Developments in the Early Years
The Life Span
Human Development
for Healthcare
Professionals,
Chapter 3
The Brain
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Neural Tube
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Neurulation: the beginning of neural development
Neurons
Glia
Structures of the brain
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Hindbrain
Midbrain
Forebrain
Structure and Function of Neurons
Later Prenatal Brain Development
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14-16 weeks: random neural firing begins
About 15 weeks: sounds are heard
25 weeks: eyes open and close
Critical periods: developmental periods in
which a certain stimulus needs to be present in
order for sensory organs to function properly or
allow specific skills to be learned.
Postnatal Brain Development
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First year: neurons are still developing at a
fast rate, then this slows.
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Lots of synapses are formed and allow for quick
learning
1-12 years of age
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Neural pruning: the elimination of excess neurons
Cognitive Development
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Piaget’s Constructivist Theory: The human
brain constructs knowledge
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Schemas
Adaptation
Assimilation
Accommodation
We learn because we are intrinsically motivated to
learn
Cognitive Development
Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive
Development
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Sensorimotor stage (birth-2 years): stage in
which the baby is learning about their body and
their surrounding environment through direct
action/interaction with it.
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Object concept: the process babies use to learn
about their surroundings.
Object permanence: knowing that just because you
can’t see it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist; also, the
benchmark that allows us to say an infant is ready
to go to the next level of cognitive development
Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive
Development
Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive
Development
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Sensorimotor stage (con’t)
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Infant memory: previously it was believed that
infant memory was virtually non-existent on more
than the rudimentary levels. New research is
showing otherwise:
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Recognition
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simplest type of memory
– Believed by researchers up until the past few years to be the
only type of memory babies had
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Recall
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More complex
– Deferred imitation
Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive
Development
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Preoperational Stage (Ages 2-6)
Piaget saw the preschool years as a time of both
stability and great change.
Preschoolers are in the PREOPERATIONAL STAGE,
from age 2 to 7
– characterized by symbolic thinking
– Mental reasoning emerges, use of concepts
– Less dependence on sensorimotor activity for
understanding the world
– Preoperation egocentrism
Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive
Development
Which row contains more buttons? Preschoolers usually say that
the bottom row has more because it looks longer.
Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive
Development
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Number
– Rearranging elements
– The type of conservation task
grasped the earliest!
Substance
– Altering shape (clay, water)
Length
– Altering shape, configuration
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Area
– Rearranging figures
Weight
– Altering shape
Volume
– Altering shape (water
in container)
Understanding Language
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Phonology: the sound system
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Semantics: the meaning of words
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Babbling
Vocabulary spurt
Fast Mapping
Syntax: How we link words together: the rules that
govern syntax is grammer
Pragmatics: knowing what type of language to use
when
How language is learned
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Behavior theory: language is reinforced
Cognitive theory: Language Acquisition Device