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biology of pregnancy
zygote--> embryo (2 weeks)--> fetus (9 weeks)
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maturation
set of biological changes
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sensitive period
- time window to develop skill
- determined by nature
- ex. sensitive period for leaning ESL syntax: before 7 years old
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critical period
- strict, all or none for learning
- determined by nature
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rich vs poor rats
- enriched environment--> heavier brain
- experience influences biology
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how to study development in infants
- measure amount of crying/eating
- hear mom's voice--> suck nipples more
- new word--> fetus kicks
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language development
- infants: distinguish all phonemes (even non-native languages)
- Motherese- exaggerate sound--> easier to distinguish
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when do infants develop grammar?
2-3 years
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infant language habits
- 2 word utterances
- add plural "s"
- overuse grammar rules (ex. sheeps)
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Piaget's theory of cognitive development
- study cognitive development through ERROR
- children do not know less than adults. Children have different set of assumptions than adults
- rigid stage order
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assimilation
incorporating new experiences into existing scheme
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accommodation
new scheme created
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Stage 1: sensorimotor
- 0-2 years
- reflex--> controlled
- (9 months) milestone = object permanence, A not B task
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Stage 2: preoperational
- 2-7 years
- symbolic thought (ex. pretend a stick is a sword)
- no logical thought
- classification of objects by single feature (ex. all red objects together, all blue objects together)
- word explosion
- egocentric- difficultly taking another's perspective
- cannot do conservation of liquids
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Stage 3: concrete operational
- 7-12 years
- logical thought of concrete objects
- understanding of operation- a reversable operation --> gains conservation
- classifies objects according to multiple features
- transform math functions
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Stage 4: formal operational
- 12+ years
- logical/reasoning thinking of abstract
- test hypothesis
- systematically find solutions to problems
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arguments against Piaget
- Piaget= children use same kind of logic to solve problems
- 1. development is a continuous process
- 2. Children can accomplish milestones at earlier age than proposed
- 3. formal logic is a SMALL part of cognition
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