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Jean Piaget
Interested in cognitive development after working with Binet on IQ test Interested in what children got wrong on test, and examined mistakes Children think differently than adults Used unstructured interviews to examine how kids think Believed cognition develops in a series of stages …
Schemes
Organized patterns of action/thoughts constructed to interpret experiences
Piaget: "Children are in a constant state of...."
Non cognitive equilibirum
Two ways schemes develop
Organization Adaptation
Organization
Combing simple schemes into new, complex schemes
Adaptation
Adjusting to demands of environment
Two ways adaptation occurs
Assimilation- interpret new experiences using existing patterns of thought Accommodation- modify existing patterns of thought to fit new experiences
Piaget's stages of cognitive development
Divided development into four stages Stages are invariant Progress through stages due to interaction between biological maturation and experience
Sensorimotor
Birth-->2 yrs Babies learn through their sensory abilities and movement Learn to coordinate senses with movement to learn about selves, environment 6 sub-stages
Substages of sensorimotor
1. Simple reflexes (birth-1mo) 2. Primary Circular Reactions (1-4mo) 3. Secondary Circular Reactions (4-8mo) 4. Coordination of secondary schemes (8-12mo) 5. Tertiary Circular reactions (12-18mo) 6. Symbolic Problem Solving aka beginning of thoughts (18mo-2yrs)
Simple Reflexes
First schemes- innate reflexes Use assimilation to apply reflexive schemes to new objects in environment
Primary Circular Reactions
Discover enjoyable things on accident and then try to repeat More interested in own bodies than toys
Secondary Circular Reactions
Main difference- focused on outside world instead of own body Vocalization tends to increase
Coordination of secondary schemes
Goal directed behavior: several schemes combined, coordinated to solve problem Putting steps together, doing things on purpose. Instead of finding things out on accident
Tertiary Circular Reactions
Begin to experiment actively with things in the environment Actions still “circular” Doings same things with variation
Symbolic Problem Solving
Develop ability to create mental representations- internal images of a past event, object Can solve simple problems without using “trial and error” approach Develop deferred imitation- ability to imitate someone who is no longer present Can engage in pretend play
Strengths of Piaget's Theory (4)
Father of “cognitive development” Stimulated research Emphasized that infants were active in their cognitive development- idea supported by research Basic outline of cognitive development correct, even if some specifics questioned
Weaknesses in Piaget's Theory (4)
Underestimated children’s abilities Failed to distinguish between competence and performance Claimed broad stages exists- cognitive development more continuous than that Limited attention to social/cultural influences
Object Permanence
Understanding objects, people still exist when you can’t see them Infants under 4 months will not reach for toy that has been covered
Object permanance in 4-5 mo infants
Reach for partially covered toys, not completely covered toys
Object permanence in 8-12 mo
will look for object but will have A not B error
A not B error
Looking for an object where last seen, not in new place
Object Permanence in 12-18 mo
Looking for object where they see it hidden but do not understand invisible displacement (i.e. taking an object and hiding it in your hand and then hiding your hand, baby will look where your hand is but will not look in your hand for the object)
Object permanence in 18 mo
look for object where hidden without trouble
Language
Communication system of sounds, letters, and gestures
Phonology
Sound system of language
Phonemes
Smallest unit of sound
Morphology
Rules for formation of words from sounds
Morphemes
Smallest meaningful unites of language, bounded and unbounded morphemes
Semantics
Meanings of language, understanding what each word means
Pragmatics
Rules of specifying appropriate use of language
Non-verbal communication skills
Using appropriate gestures, facial expressions, intonation to help convey meaning
Intonation
Variation in loudness, pitch, timing
When can babies distinguish phonemes of all languages?
By 1 mo old but they also lose this ability by 10-12 mo
Cooing (6-8 weeks)
Repeating vowel like sounds "aahhhaaahhaa"
Babbling (4-5 mo- 1yr)
Repeating consonant-vowel combination "bababa"
What do all children sounding the same suggest?
Suggests babbling is due to biological maturation not environmental experience
Declarative gestures
Pointing at things
Imperative Gestures
ORdering someone to do something
What does comprehension precedes production indicate
That infants can understand more than they can say 
Prelinguistic Stage
...
Holophrase Period
Begins around 10-14 mo, use holophrases (single words that convey many things)
Naming/Language Explosion
16-24 mo, vocabulary spurt when vocabulary expands rapidly By 2 yr, can produce ~ 300-400 words
Underextension
Use word too narrowly (i.e. Only pet Fifi is "dog")
Overexntension
Use word too broadly (ie all four legged animals are dog)
Telegraphic Period
18-24 mo, combine 2-3 words into simple sentences Contain only important words, leave out words that aren’t critical to meaning Use some grammatical rules Continue to use intonation and gestures
Pure Nurture
The Behavioral Approach language is learned through reinforcements, punishments, modeling, and imitation Skinner- learning occurs through operant conditioning, language abilities slowly shaped Bandura- learn through observation, imitation
Support for pure nurture
Children learn language spoken to and around them and pick up accents Children learn names of things quicker if rewarded by getting object they name Children whose parents speak to them more often, encourage them to talk are more advanced in language development
Problems with pure nurture
Can’t explain why kids learn rules of grammar Parents do not consistently reinforce kids for speaking correctly Children create novel communication
Pure Nature
Humans are biologically programmed to learn language Chomsky- Language acquisition device (LAD)- proposed neural system that was hypothesized to allow understanding/production of language Allows children to infer rules of speech from just hearing speech and then use rules to produce nov…
Support for pure nature
Similar stages of development across all cultures Left hemisphere of brain is specialized for language and activated by speech right after speech Sensitive period hypothesis- sensitive period for language development before puberty Brains before puberty specially prepared to learn l…
Problems with pure nature
Not an explanation, more of a description Mere exposure not enough Is it unique to humans?
Interactionist Perspective
Both nature and nurture
Temperament
A person's characteristics mode of responding to events, includes behaviors and emotions. "Building blocks of personality"
Dimensions of Temperament (6)
Positive affect/sociability  Fearful distress Irritable distress activity level Attention span Rhythmicity
3 categories of temperament
Easy temperament (40%) Difficult temperament (10%) Slow to Warm up Temperament (15%)
Easy Temperament (5)
o   high positive affect o   adaptable to new experiences o   easy to soothe o   rhythmic o   low distress
Difficult Temperament (5)
o   low positive affect o   high irritable distress o   very active o   irregular eating and sleeping habits o   hard to soothe
Timid, Shy Temperament
o   high levels of fearful distress o   low activity level **remaining infants share qualities of two or more categories
Stability of Temperament
Longitudinal research indicates that activity level, irritability, sociability, and fearfulness stay relatively stable over lifespan  o   more extreme traits more likely to persist o   more stable after age 3
Causes of Temperament (2)
o   identical twins are more similar in temperament than fraternal twins ·   environmental influences: o   goodness of fit: extent to which child’s temperament is compatible with demands and expectations of environment
Stage Theory
Erik Erikson, explained how we develop our understanding of ourselves and other people  Each stage a crisis that a person must deal with 
Basic trust vs mistrust
(0-1 yr) Appreciation of interdependence and relatedness Interactions with caregivers teach either a sense of trust or mistrust in other people, the world, themselves
Autonomy vs Shame
(1-3 yr) acceptance of the cycle of life, from integration to disintegration
Initiative vs guilt
(3-6 yr) Humor; empathy; resilience 
Industry vs Inferiority
6-12 yr, Humility; acceptance of the course of one's life and unfulfilled hopes
Identity vs Confusion
12-19 yr, Sense of complexity of life, merging of sensory, logical and aesthetic perception
Early Adulthood
20-25 yr, Sense of the complexity of relationships; value of tenderness and loving freely
Generativity vs Stagnation
26-64 yr, Caring for others, and agape, empathy and concern
Integrity vs Despair
65 yr- death, Existential identity; a sense of integrity strong enough to withstand physical disintegration 
Attachment
Emotional tie that binds us to special people with whom we seem proximity and security 
Attachments are reciprocal
Formed from interaction between caregiver and child
Reciprocal Socialization
PRocess in which infants' behaviors invite further resposnes from caregivers which in turn bring about further responses from the infants 
Four Phases of Development of Infants' attachment to their caregivers
Asocial Phase (birth-6 weeks) Responsive to anything, social or not Phase of Indiscriminate Attachments- (6 weeks to 6-7 months) At beginning, prefer social stimuli but aren’t picky By 3-6 months- some preferences for familiar people, still happy to interact with strangers Specific A…
Attachment Related Fears
Stranger anxiety Separation anxiety
Stranger Anxiety
Fear when approached by unfamiliar individual Begins with first attachment, peaks between 8-10 months, gradually declines over 2nd year Strangers less scary if Attachment figure close by, responds positively Situation is familiar Stranger is sensitive to child’s cues, isn’t “weird …
Separation Anxiety
Fear when separated from attachment figure starts at 6-8 mo, peaks @14-18 months, fades throughout preschool grade school kids and teens may have some depression/anxiety when separated for long periods
"Strange Situation"
Method used to asses strength and quality of attachment Involves child, parent, and stranger interacting in different combinations (Ainsworth) Does child use caregiver as secure base? How does child relate to stranger? How does child handle brief separations from parent? How easily i…
Secure attachment (65% of US 1 yr olds)
Use parent as secure base Warms up to stranger with parent present Upset when parents leave When parent returns: maintain contact until comforted, then return to exploration
Resistant (ambivalent) attachment (10% of US 1 yr olds)
Parent not used as effectively as secure base May be scared of stranger even with parent present Very distressed when parent leaves When parent returns: very difficult to sooth May be ambivalent- stay close but resist comfort
Avoidant Attachment (20% of US 1 yr Olds)
May avoid contact, interaction with parent May be friendly with stranger, may ignore Not as many signs of outward distress when parent leaves When parent returns do not seek out comfort from parent
Disorganized/Disoriented Attachment (5% of US 1 yr olds)
Most insecure, stressed out by situation Combination of anxious, avoidant tendencies Show confusion about approaching or avoiding parent Combination of anxious, avoidant tendencies Show confusion about approaching or avoiding parent Sometimes distressed when parent leaves, sometim…
Caregiving hypothesis
Type of attachment baby forms is determined by type of caregiving provided  Securely attached babies- parents are sensitive, synchronous, emotionally supportive, stimulating Babies with resistant style- inconsistent parents Baby tries to get comfort through neediness, becomes angry w…
Temperament Hypothesis
Strange situation is really measuring differences in infant temperament not attachment styles 
Attachment Stability
Research is mixed Middle/Upper class more likely to stay secure over time Changes usually go from insecure to secure, especially with social support and psychologically adjusted mothers Lower SES, low levels of support, high levels of stress more likely to move from secure to insecur…
Baby Growth
Add ~2-3 in, 5 lbs each year Boys taller, heavier, more muscular Begin to lose “baby fat”, gain adult proportions- this improves balance Size affected by nutrition, health care, genetics
Brain Development
Brain increases from 70-90% of adult weight Rapid development of frontal lobes, corpus callosum Brain becomes more lateralized, but two hemispheres work together on most tasks
Gross motor skills
Partly due to maturation of brain, body & partly due to practice High activity levels (Highest at age 3) Boys slightly more active than girls Boys better at skills involving power, strength
Fine motor skills
Girls better at these skills and those requiring balance Gradually become adept at dressing, feed themselves Potty training takes place Age of potty training increasing in US AAP advocates flexible approach when child shows signs of being ready Artistic skills gradually develop …

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