g & d ch. 5

24
CHAPTER 5 CHAPTER 5 Physical & Cognitive Physical & Cognitive Development in Early Development in Early Childhood Childhood

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Physical & Cognitive Development in Early Childhood

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Page 1: G & D Ch. 5

CHAPTER 5CHAPTER 5Physical & Cognitive Physical & Cognitive

Development in Early ChildhoodDevelopment in Early Childhood

Page 2: G & D Ch. 5

Physical Physical GrowthGrowth

Individual Individual DifferencesDifferencesAverage differences in height & weight between boys & girls begins to increase

Boys start becoming taller

Differences in economically deprived countries v. developed countries

Better nutrition & health care

Difference in U.S. between advantaged & disadvantaged children

Page 3: G & D Ch. 5

Growth of the Brain

Fastest Growing Part of the BodyBy age 5, the brain is 90% of adult size

Increase in growth due to increase in the number of interconnections

It allows for more complex communications between neurons

Increase in the amount of myelin

Increase in the size of the corpus callosum

Page 4: G & D Ch. 5

Brain Brain LateralizationLateralization

Each Hemisphere Each Hemisphere has Certain has Certain FunctionsFunctionsEach hemisphere processes Each hemisphere processes information slightly differentlyinformation slightly differently

The left processes The left processes sequentiallysequentially

The right processes The right processes holisticallyholistically

Page 5: G & D Ch. 5

Boy Brain /Girl Brain

Male & Female Brains are Predisposed to Function Slightly Differently

Girls & Boys Show Some Hemispheric Differences

Gender & Cultural Relations to Brain Structure

Some Cultures Process Information Related to Vocal Sounds Differently

Increases in Myelin May Be Related to Growing Cognitive Capacities as well as Memory Improvements

Boys & Girls have Differences in Lower Body Reflexes

Boys & Girls Process Auditory Information Differently

Boys show greater Specialization of Left Hemisphere Language

Girls Language Capabilities is More Evenly Distributed Between Hemispheres

Girls Language Development is Faster than Boys

Page 6: G & D Ch. 5

Motor Development

Gross Motor SkillsAdvances in gross motor skills related to brain development & myelination of neurons in areas related to balance & coordination

Gender DifferencesBoys overall motor activity level higher than girls: jump higher & throw a ball betterGirls better in coordination of arms & legs & balancing & coordinated exercises

Fine Motor SkillsDevelop with gross motor skills but require practice

Page 7: G & D Ch. 5

HandednessPreference by the End of PreschoolBy age 5 there’s a clear tendency to use one hand over the other

Today children are not forced to use the right hand

Page 8: G & D Ch. 5

NutritionEating the Right FoodsGrowth rate is slower than in infancy

Need less food to maintain growth

Encouraging the child to eat more than they seem to want can lead to obesity (more than 20% above average weight for height)

Childhood obesity increased significantly since the mid-1980s

Page 9: G & D Ch. 5

InjuriesAccidents are the Greatest RiskDue to level of physical activityBoys are more active than girls & take more risksMore accidents in poorer areas

Lead PoisoningTiny amounts of lead can be very harmfulLinked to lower IQ, verbal & auditory problems, hyperactivity & distractibility

Page 10: G & D Ch. 5

Piaget’s Preoperational ThinkingPiaget’s Preoperational Thinking

The Use of Symbolic Thought, Mental Reasoning,& ConceptsSymbolic Function

The ability to use a mental symbol, a word, or object to stand for or represent something not present

Relation between language & thought

Symbolic function is the basis of sophisticated language use in the Preoperational Stage

Language & thinking are interconnected

Use of language allows the child to think beyond the present to the future

Language = thought or thought = language?

Page 11: G & D Ch. 5

Centration & Conservation

CentrationThe process of concentrating on one limited aspect of a stimulus ignoring other aspects

Preschooler’s focus is on the superficial, obvious elements

ConservationKnowledge that quantity is unrelated to physical appearance or arrangement of objects

Centration prevents focusing on the relevant features of a situation

Page 12: G & D Ch. 5

Preoperational Preoperational ThinkingThinking

EgocentricismThinking that doesn’t take into account others’ viewpointsTakes 2 forms:

1. Lack of awareness that others see things form a different perspective2. Failure to realize that others may hold thoughts, feelings, & points of view different from your own

Seen in talking to oneself in the presence of others or ignoring what others are saying

Page 13: G & D Ch. 5

Preoperational Preoperational ThinkingThinking

Intuitive ThoughtIntuitive ThoughtPreschooler’s primitive reasoning & keen acquisition of knowledge about the world

They begin to understand the concept of functionality (actions, events, & outcomes are related to each other in fixed patterns)

They begin to show awareness of the idea of identity (certain things stay the same regardless of changes in shape, size, & appearance

Both are important to understand conservation

Evaluating PiagetEvaluating PiagetChildren have the innate ability to count

Cognitive skills develop in a more continuous manner than stage theories imply

Developmental changes are more quantitative than qualitative as Piaget claims

Page 14: G & D Ch. 5

MemoryMemoryAutobiographicaAutobiographical Memoryl MemoryMemory of particular events on one’s lifeUnless the event is meaningful or vivid, it is likely not to be rememberedCultural factors affect memoryAutobiographical memories fade & inaccurately recalledScripts: broad Scripts: broad representations in memory representations in memory of events & the order in of events & the order in which they occurredwhich they occurredFrequent events melded into scripts

Page 15: G & D Ch. 5

VygotskyVygotskyDefinitionsDefinitionsZone of Proximal DevelopmentZone of Proximal Development

Level at which a child can almost, but not fully, perform a task independently, but can do it with assistance from someone more competent

ScaffoldingScaffolding

The support for learning & problem solving that encourages independence & growth

Cultural ToolsCultural Tools

Physical items & intellectual & conceptual framework for solving problems

Page 16: G & D Ch. 5

VygotskyVygotskyCognitive Development & Social Interaction Tied TogetherChildren are apprentices, learning from adult & peer mentors

Cultural & social factors involved in the learning process

Children’s cognitive development is dependent on the interaction with others

There are differences in how some societies support learning for boys & girls

Cultural tools provide a structure that can be used to help children define & solve problems as well as an intellectual POV that encourages cognitive development

Page 17: G & D Ch. 5

Language & ThoughtLanguage & Thought

SyntaxSyntaxCombining words & Combining words & phrases to form sentencesphrases to form sentences

Fast MappingFast MappingNew words are associated New words are associated with their meaning only with their meaning only after a brief encounterafter a brief encounter

GrammarGrammarRules that determine how Rules that determine how thoughts can be expressedthoughts can be expressed

Private SpeechPrivate SpeechSpeech spoken & directed Speech spoken & directed to oneselfto oneself

PragmaticsPragmaticsAspect of language Aspect of language relating to communicating relating to communicating effectively & appropriately effectively & appropriately with otherswith others

Social SpeechSocial SpeechSpeech directed toward Speech directed toward another & meant to be another & meant to be understood by that personunderstood by that person

Page 18: G & D Ch. 5

Theory of MindTheory of MindDevelops an intuitive understanding of the link between mind & behavior Moves through 3 phases: Earliest phase (approx. 2 years) - aware of desires & speaks of wants & likes; by age 2 children understand people have desires & desires can cause behavior Mid-phase (approx. 3 years) - distinguishes the mental world from the physical world but still emphasize desire in explaining others’ actions Late phase (approx. 4 years) - understands that behavior is based on beliefs about the world, even when those beliefs are wrong; realizes that people not only have thoughts & beliefs, but those thoughts & beliefs are crucial to explaining why people do things

Page 19: G & D Ch. 5

Early Childhood Early Childhood EducationEducation

Involvement in Some Involvement in Some Form of Education Form of Education Before Formal Before Formal Schooling is BeneficialSchooling is BeneficialVarieties of early education:Varieties of early education:

Child-care centersChild-care centers

PreschoolsPreschools

School childcareSchool childcare

Page 20: G & D Ch. 5

Sesame StreetSesame StreetSignificantly Significantly Higher Higher VocabulariesVocabularies

Significantly Significantly Higher Scores on Higher Scores on Measures of Measures of Verbal & MathVerbal & Math

Tend to be Better Tend to be Better Readers Spending Readers Spending More Time More Time ReadingReading

Page 21: G & D Ch. 5

Effectiveness of Effectiveness of ChildcareChildcare

More Verbal FluencyMemory & Comprehension AdvantagesHigher IQ ScoresMore Self-confidenceMore IndependentMore Socially Knowledgeable

Page 22: G & D Ch. 5

Television & its Television & its InfluencesInfluences

Aggressive BehaviorFrequent exposure to TV violence causes children to be more aggressiveViolent video games causes similar behaviorsStereotypingTV viewing causes children to adopt many stereotypes that dominate TV programmingConsumer BehaviorCommercials are effect with childrenChildren grow to like products advertised on TVUrge parents to buy products

Page 23: G & D Ch. 5

Television & its InfluencesProsocial BehaviorProsocial BehaviorTV viewing of TV viewing of prosocial behavior prosocial behavior influenced childreninfluenced childrenFactors that restrict Factors that restrict porsocial behavior:porsocial behavior:1. Prosocial behavior 1. Prosocial behavior portrayed much less portrayed much less frequently than frequently than aggressive behaviorsaggressive behaviors2. Prosocial programs 2. Prosocial programs must compete must compete w/other kinds of w/other kinds of programs & other programs & other activities child doesactivities child does

Influences on CognitionInfluences on CognitionChildren watching Children watching Sesame Street were Sesame Street were more proficient in more proficient in certain academic certain academic skills & adjusted to skills & adjusted to school more readilyschool more readilyHigher vocabularies, Higher vocabularies, better math & better math & prereading skills, prereading skills, better prepared for better prepared for school, frequently school, frequently improve their improve their academic skills & academic skills & develop more develop more positive attitudespositive attitudes

Page 24: G & D Ch. 5

Television & its Television & its InfluencesInfluencesCriticism of TVCriticism of TV

Children watching a lot of TV have Children watching a lot of TV have short attention spans & have short attention spans & have difficulty concentrating due to brief difficulty concentrating due to brief segments of programmingsegments of programmingChildren become passive, lazy Children become passive, lazy thinkersthinkersNeither criticism is backed by Neither criticism is backed by researchresearchTV doesn’t harm children’s TV doesn’t harm children’s attention spanattention spanNo link between amount of TV No link between amount of TV viewing and creativityviewing and creativityNo evidence that TV watching has No evidence that TV watching has harmful effectsharmful effects

What parents need What parents need to doto doWays to regulate child’s TV Ways to regulate child’s TV viewingviewingChildren must have absolute, Children must have absolute, enforced rules re: the amount of enforced rules re: the amount of TV & the types of programs they TV & the types of programs they can watchcan watchChildren must know what they Children must know what they want to watch before they turn on want to watch before they turn on TV & not watch just because TV & not watch just because they’re boredthey’re boredParents should watch TV with Parents should watch TV with children & discuss the programschildren & discuss the programsParents should be good TV viewers Parents should be good TV viewers themselves not watching themselves not watching Inappropriate programs with Inappropriate programs with children presentchildren present