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Neural and Cognitive Development The Early Years Outline I. Brian Formation II. Piaget’s theory of learning III. Objects IV. Memory V. Intentions and Agency VI. Preoperational Thinking VII. Language Development VIII.Cultural Considerations IX. Why it matters I. Prenatal Brain Formation 4th month prenatally brain’s basic structures are formed Communication occurs in the brain using electrochemical messages Myelination speeds the process. Myelination begins prenatally in the sensorimotor area Prenatal Brain Development So around 4 months prenatal the neurons begin to fire spontaneously Sounds can be heard by 15 wks Eyes open & close by 25th wk and fetus turns toward light. This sensory experience is critical for healthy brain development Prenatal Brain Development Neurons continue to produce rapidly thru the 1st year 0-12- neural pruning New connections are made thru life, but not new neurons Thus, Babies are not “blank slates” Sensory Integration Dysfunction II. Piaget’s Constructivist Theory Adaptation Assimilation Accommodation III. Understanding Objects Intersensory Object Integration Permanence Representational Thought IV. Memory Sensory Memory Short-term Rehearsal Long-term Consolidation Recall Recognition Forgetting Memory Declarative- learning about information and events Procedural or Implicit- automatic, habitual responses Verbal vs spatial Memory Requires the ability to attend (attention) At this stage of development we will focus on Recognition and Recall Recognition Ability to differentiate between new experiences and those we have had before Improves thru out infancy Duration and speed of habituation improve with age How quickly babies habituate (recognition speed) is correlated with later IQ Recall Ability to bring to mind experiences that happened in the past Requires mental representation, thus occurs later in infancy Deferred imitation- begins late in 1st year Social learning requires deferred imitation Separation anxiety begins with recall ~ 8 months V. Infant’s own intentions Intentional action ~ 3 mo- Making interesting sights last ~8-12 mo- Means ends behavior ~12-18 mo- Invent and try out new ways to problem-solve ~24 mo- Invent new ways to problem solve and try them out in their heads Other’s Intentions Agency Intention VI. Pre Schooler’s CognitionPreoperational Thinking Centered- Can only think one thing at a time By age 2: – They develop Object permanence- the understanding that objects exist apart from their own thoughts and perceptions – Can Recall – Can Plan and execute behaviors- even new ones – Understand agency and intention – Can use symbols – Can begin to understand some counting principals – Can figure out if you see something or you don’t – Can use words for what they desire: need, feel, want By age 3: – Children can use symbolic artifacts – Begin counting in versatile order – Have trouble understanding “underlying realities” but can be taught to attend to them. This learning is still fragile and easily disrupted – Can understand that another person sees something different then they do (such as a picture being upside down), but can not understand that the other has a totally different view “mountain exercise” – Use cognitive words such as think, forget, remember By age 4-5: – Can begin to understand that other’s have a different knowledge and knowing Implications for Preschoolers They do not understand that adults want something different than they do – More fragile under stress or when emotionally or personally involved Perspective taking improves as child develops the cognitive skills to decenter and receives feedback from others in social interactions VII. Language Development Phonology Semantics Syntax Voicing Grammar Code Switching Pragmatics Development 12 wks prenatal- recognizes patterns of sounds ~6 mo – Begins to lose unimportant distinctions, begins to babble most sounds ~9 mo: babbles only sounds of native language ~18-24 mo – After 50 words- vocabulary spurt, 2 word strings, increased comprehension, end of sensorimotor period ~2-3 yrs: Narratives begin ~5 yrs – Can produce most sentence structures – ~15,000 words Language Development Implications Vocabulary size is a key predictor of later literacy and success in school So: – Educate parents to increase parent child conversations that are lengthy, detailed and include discussions of past experiences of the child – Engage in joint book reading – Encourage preschool for children at risk (or if this is not culturally appropriate, engage extended family or other resources) VIII. Culture and Development Thinking culture Mediated is mediated by tools of the learning Scaffolding Egocentric speech IX. Why does any of this matter to a therapist In working with children and adults, you must take into account – Their cognitive developmental level, as well as their level of social and emotional functioning. – if their language is concrete vs. abstract and if they have understanding of cause/effect – Their culture and cultural differences in child raising You can educate parents and teachers on: – Prenatal interventions: Patterns and sounds to sooth baby – Provision of a sensory stimulating environment – Egocentricity and centered cognitions – Scaffolding vs disciplining – Need for immediate consequences due to limited memory sequencing – Use of accommodation and assimilation – Use of repetition needed – Preschool interventions