Infancy and Childhood

Infant Brain Development You are born with most of the brain cells you will ever have. Neural networks grow rapidly, as illustrated here. From age 3-6 the most rapid growth is in frontal lobes

Infant Brain Development Association areas develop last with a surge in thinking, memory & language “Use it or lose it” pruning process occurs

Infant Motor Development Infants learn to roll over, sit, stand, walk & run Does this development represent nature/nurture, continuity/stages, or stability/change? Baby Body Sense

Maturation and Infant Memory Infantile amnesia Can you remember your 3rd birthday? What about your first day at preschool? We consciously remember little before age 4.

Cognitive Development in Infancy & Childhood

Cognitive Development Cognition: all the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating. Famous researchers: Jean Piaget Lev Vygotsky

Piaget’s Theory The maturing brain develops mental concepts or categories called schemas to organize experiences.

Piaget’s Theory Schemas are like mental molds into which we pour experiences. Two year-old Alexandra has learned the schema for doggie from her picture books.

Piaget’s Theory Schemas are like mental molds into which we pour experiences. Alexandra sees a cat and calls it a doggie. She is trying to assimilate this new animal into an existing schema. Mom says, “No, it’s a cat.”

Piaget’s Theory Schemas are like mental molds into which we pour experiences. Alexandra accommodates her schema for furry four-legged animals, distinguishing dogs from cats. Over time her schemas become more sophisticated.

Piaget’s Theory Schemas activity: Study the car. After I remove it, try to draw it.

Piaget’s Theory Schemas activity: Study the “devil’s tuning fork.” After I remove it, try to draw it.

Piaget’s Theory According to Piaget, a person’s mind goes through four stages in a struggle to make sense of experiences.

Piaget’s Theory Four stages of cognitive development Sensorimotor – Birth to age 2 Preoperational – 2 to 6~7 Concrete Operations – 6~7 to 11 Formal Operations – about 12 on

Piaget’s Theory Sensorimotor: takes the world in through the senses Begin understanding object permanence

Piaget’s Theory Sensorimotor: takes the world in through the senses Begin understanding object permanence Seem to have some math understanding

Piaget’s Theory

Piaget’s Theory

Piaget’s Theory

Piaget’s Theory Preoperational: learns to use language but does not comprehend complex mental operations such as conservation. video - The principle that quantity remains the same despite changes in shape.

Piaget’s Theory Preoperational: learns to use language but does not comprehend complex mental operations such as conservation.

Piaget’s Theory Other preoperational concepts: Egocentrism – thinking only of one’s self. The inability to perceive things from another’s point of view. They assume you see what they see (standing in front of the TV blocking your vision)

Piaget’s Theory Other preoperational concepts: Egocentrism – thinking only of one’s self. The inability to perceive things from another’s point of view. “Do you have a brother?” “Yes” “What is his name?” “John” “Does John have a brother?” “No”

Piaget’s Theory Other preoperational concepts: Theory of Mind – the ability to take another’s perspective. They start to understand when a sibling or playmate is angry, will share, or can empathize, tease, persuade. Pretend play

Piaget’s Theory Concrete Operations – gain skill in mental operations and think logically about concrete (physical) objects. Understand conservation “Get” jokes Comprehend mathematical transformations

Piaget’s Theory Formal Operations – reasoning expands to include logic and abstract reasoning. Systematic reasoning If this, then that thinking Potential for mature moral reasoning

Piaget’s Theory Pages 165 – 167 in blue book Four stages of cognitive development Sensorimotor – Birth to age 2 Preoperational – 2 to 6~7 Concrete Operations – 6~7 to 11 Formal Operations – about 12 on Pages 165 – 167 in blue book Pages 478 – 483 in green book

Piaget’s Theory Saw development as happening in stages. Less emphasis on ages than on sequence of stages Today’s researchers see development as more continuous than Piaget

Vigotsky’s Theory Emphasized social interaction to promote development rather than cognitive stages Parents provide a scaffold for higher levels of thinking through mentoring

Vigotsky’s Theory Where Piaget emphasized cognitive development preceded learning, Vigotsky said children learn within the context of their zone of proximal development

Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) Vigotsky’s Theory Can’t do, even if guided Can do, if guided Can do independently Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD)