1. Infancy and Childhood
Chapter 3

2. Objectives Describe the development of language.
Summarize the cognitive and emotional development of children.
Describe theories of social development.

3. Developmental Psychology
Study of how an individual’s physical, social, emotional, moral, and intellectual development occur in stages throughout the life cycle.

4. Developmental Psychology
Study...
Nature vs. Nurture
How much of who we are and what we do is a result of inheritance (heredity) or learning?

5. Capacities
Many newborns are capable of certain inherited, automatic, coordinated movements, known as reflexes.
Grasping Reflex
Response to the touch of the palm of the hand
Rooting Reflex
Response to touch around the mouth
Infants suck, breathe air, and swallow milk twice a second without getting confused.
In two years, grasping and rooting will develop the infant into one who can walk, talk, and feed him/herself

6. Maturation Internally programmed growth “Schedule” of growth
Unless a child is persistently underfed, severely restricted in his/her movements, or deprived of human contact and things to look at, he/she will develop more or less according to this schedule.

7. Maturation

8. Perceptual Development
Newborns notice their bodies and surroundings
Prefer looking at human faces and patterned materials most
Depth Perception
Infants 6 months and older refused to cross over an illusion of a cliff-like drop off
Younger infants, seemingly unafraid, would crawl further, but their heart rates would change

9. Language Language and thought both use symbols
“The sky is blue.” What is blue?
Animals, such as chimpanzees, can use basic forms of human language
Sign language, keyboards, etc. (Kanzi)
Learn how to express the symbol and know the meaning of the symbol
Humans increase the complexity with grammar

11. Language

12. Check for Understanding
Using a flow chart like the one to the right, describe the steps involved in learning language.

13. Case Study
The Case of Genie (p. 69)