Human Development Exam 2

the basic nerve cell of the nervous system

the gap at the connection between neurons, through which neurons chemically communicate with one another

the elimination of neurons as the result of nonuse or lack of stimulation

a fatty substance that helps insulate neurons and speeds the transmission of nerve impulses

the degree to which a developing structure or behavior is modifiable due to experience

repetitive, cyclical patterns of behavior

the degree of awareness an infant displays to both internal and external stimulation 

a cluster of fibers that receive messages from other cells

unlearned, organized, involuntary responses that occur automatically in the presence of certain stimuli

the process by which info is initially recored in a form usable to memory

represent the average performance of a large sample of children of a given age

brain stimulates itself 

the degree to which an activity requires attention 

placement of material into memory

process by which material in memory storage is located, brought to awareness, and used

the lack of memory for experiences that occurred prior to 3 years of age

memory that is conscious and can be recalled intentionally

memories of which we are not consciously aware but that affect performance and behavior 

an overall developmental score that relates to performance in four domains: motor skills, language use, adaptive behavior, and personal-social 

the ability to identify a stimulus that previously has been experienced through only one sense by using another sense 

a disease in which a child's stomach, limbs, and face swell with water

a disease in which infants stop growing

some deficiency in diet

the condition of having an improper amount and balance of nutrients

a disorder in which infants stop growing due to a lack of stimulation and attention as the result of inadequate parenting

pinpoint the direction from which a sound is emanating

the rules that govern the meaning of words and sentences.

making speech-like but meaningless sounds

one-word utterances that stand for a whole phrase, whose meaning depends on the particular context in which they are used

speech in which word not critical to the message are left out

a neural system of the brain hypothesized to permit understanding of language

a type of speech directed toward infants; characterized by short, simple sentences

a style of speech that characterizes much of the verbal communication directed toward infants- formally known as moth erase, now known as infant-directed speech

infants can interpret others facial and vocal expressions that carry emotional meaning

the sorting out, interpretation, analysis, and integration of stimuli involving the sense organs and brain

organized patterns of functioning that adapt and change with mental development

the process by which people understand an experience in terms of their current stage of cognitive development and way of thinking

changes in existing ways of thinking that occur in response to encounters with new stimuli or events

several schemes are combined and coordinated to generate a single act to solve a problem 

the realization that people and objects exist even when they cannont be seen. 

a person who is no longer present is imitate later, children are able to pretend that they are driving a car, feeding a doll, cooking dinner long after they have witnessed such scenes in reality

the nonverbal expression of emotion

the caution and wariness displayed by infants when encountering an unfamiliar person

the distress displayed by infants when a customary care provider departs

the intentional search for information about others feelings to help explain the meaning of uncertain circumstances and events

a process in which infants behaviors invite further responses from parents and other caregivers, which in turn bring about further responses from the infants

The sum total of the enduring characteristics that differentiate one individual from another

patterns of arousal and emotionality that are consistent and enduring characteristics of an individual

The notion that development is dependent on the degree of match between children's temperament and the nature and demands of the environment in which they are being raised

In the first year of life

• Cephalocaudal principle
• Proximodistal principle
• Principle of hierarchical integration
• Principle of the independence of systems

the principle that growth follows a pattern that begins with the head and upper body parts and then proceeds down to the rest of the body

the principle that development proceeds from the center of the body outward

the principle that simple skills typically develop separately and independently but are later integrated into more complex skills 

the principle that different body systems grow at different rates

Sudden infant death syndrome- a disorder in which seemingly healthy infants die in their sleep

Table 4-3

• 3.2 months: rolling over
• 3.3 months: grasping rattle
• 5.9 months: sitting without support
• 7.2 months: standing while holding on 
• 8.2 months: grasping with thumb and finger
• 11.5 months: standing alone well
• 12.3 months: walking well
• 14.8 months: building tower of two cubes
• 16.6 months: walking up stairs
• 23.8 months: jumping in place

50 calories per lb of weight

Breast milk- more early digested, sterile, warm, convenient, said to increase cognitive growth leading to high adult intelligence. Creates intimacy between mother and child.

Introducing solid food: 6 months, aren't needed till 9-12 months. Introduced one at a time. Cereal-strained fruits-veggies and other foods.

considers how info that is collected by various individual sensory systems is integrated and coordinated. 

see lab

the model that seeks to identify the way that individuals take in, use, and store information 

• Under- the overly restrictive use of words; common among children just mastering spoken language
• Over- the overly broad use of words, overgeneralizing their meaning

the theory that language acquisition follows the basic laws of reinforcement and conditioning 

24 months. 

Bowlby's view- attachment is based primarily on infants needs for safety and security. 

gave infant monkeys the choice of cuddling a wire monkey that provided food, or a soft cloth monkey that was warm but did not provide food. 

stressful situations

the model in which infants and parents learn to communicate emotional states to one another and to respond appropriately 

• Theory psychosocial development:
• the theory that considers how individuals come to understand themselves and the meaning of others-and their own-behavior

Activity level: proportion of active time periods to inactive time periods

Approach-withdrawl:The response to a new person or object, based on whether the child accepts the new situations or withdraws from it

Adaptability: How easily the child is able to adapt to changes in his or her environment

Quality of mood: The contrast of the amount of friendly, joyful, and pleasant behavior with unpleasant, unfriendly behavior

Attention span and persistence: The amount of time the child devotes to an activity and the effect of distraction on that activity

Distractibility: THe degree to which stimuli in the environment alter behavior

Rhythmicity (regularity): the regularity of basic functions such as hunger, excretion, sleep, and wakefulness

Intensity of reaction: the energy level or reaction of the child's response

Threshold of responsiveness: The intensity of stimulation needed to elicit a response

children in low income households and those whose mothers are single may benefit from the educational social experiences in child care, as well as form the higher income produced by parental employment

solve problems better, pay greater attention to others, use language more effectively 

play well with other children