Jaymie Ticknor Developmental Psychology 3620 Sect 853 28 September 2013 Chapter 6 Physical Development The Body and the Brain Brain Development Structures of the Brain Hemispheres the two halves of the cerebellum Corpus Callosum the band of fibers that connects the two hemispheres of the brain Brain Stem includes the spinal cord which controls our basic functions such as breathing Cerebellum controls balance coordination and movement Cerebrum Cortex controls the higher functions of thought and action includes different parts Occipital Lobe processes vision Temporal Lobe processes hearing Parietal Lobe processes sensory input and spatial awareness Frontal Lobe processes complex thoughts movement language and self control Prefrontal Cortex controls judgment and the ability to plan Amygdala emotional center Hippocampus memories and sensations Development Processes Neurons and Synaptic Connections Neurons the cells that make up the nervous system of the body Neurotransmitters chemicals that transmit nerve impulses across a synapse from one nerve cell to another Axon the part of a nerve cell that conducts impulses away from the cell body Dendrites the portions of a neuron that receive impulses from other neurons Synapse the place where the axon from one neuron meets the dendrite of another neuron Synaptogenesis the development of new synapses Plasticity of the Brain Experience Expectant Versus Experience Dependent Brain Development Plasticity the ability of an immature brain to change in form and function Pruning the deterioration and disappearance of synapses that are not used Experience Expectant Brain Development development that occurs when we encounter experiences that our brains expects as a normal event critical period Experience Dependent Brain Development development that occurs in response to specific learning experiences practice makes perfect Myelination of Neurons in the Brain Myelination the process of laying down a fatty sheath of myelin on the neurons Motor Development Infant Reflexes Reflexes patterned involuntary motor responses that are controlled by the lower brain centers Sucking Reflex when something touches the roof of the baby s mouth his her lips close and he she will suck reflexively Moro Reflex startle reflex when baby loses support and feels like he she is falling or hears a loud sound he she will flail his her arms and legs outward cry then will pull limbs back in to protect the head disappears about 3 months Stepping Reflex support the baby s weight but let his her feet touch the ground he she will lift and set his her feet in a walking motion disappears about 3 months Babinski Reflex stroke the side of a baby s foot his her big toe points up and the other toes will fan out stroke bottom of foot toes will curl inward disappears about 4 months Rooting Reflex gently stroke the baby s cheek he she will turn in the direction of the touch and begin to suck with his her mouth disappears about 4 months Palmar Grasp grab things when you touch the baby s palm with your index finger he she will clench your finger disappears about 6 months Development of Motor Skills Gross Motor Skills skills that involve the large muscle groups of the body the legs and arms Fine Motor Skills skills that involve small movements mostly of the hands and fingers but also of the lips and tongue Myelination of Motor Neurons Homunculus little person that indicates where in the brain the different parts of the body are controlled and how much space is allocated to each part Cephalocaudal Direction from head to toe tail from the head downward Milestones head neck shoulders arms chest hips thighs lower legs and feet Proximodistal Direction center of the body out toward the extremities Milestones torso arms hands and fingers Mirror Neurons neurons that fire both when an individual acts and when the individual observes the same action performed by another
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