development (paper 1)

• autonomic functions 


  functions in the body we do not consciously control (e.g. heartbeat, digestion, fear)
• brain stem 


  controls autonomic functions
• cerebellum 


  (means "little brain" and is at the base of the brain) coordinates movement with sensory input and also has a role in recognition
• cognition 


  thinking and mental processes
• cortex 


  outer covering of the brain, where mental processing takes place
• nature 


  genetic influences
• nurture 


  influences we learnt - how we are raised, our surrounding environment etc
• thalamus 


  key hub of info in the brain, relays sensory and motor signals to the cortex
• accommodation 


  when we acquire new info that changes our understanding of a new topic so that we need to form a new schema
• assimilation 


  when we accquire new info that does not change our understanding of the topic
• schema 


  mental framework of our beliefs/expectations that influence cognitive processing
• conservation 


  the ability to realise that quality remains the same even when the appearance changes
• egocentricity 


  a child's tendency to only see the world from their own perspective
• concrete operational stage 


  (7~11yrs) beginning to use logical thinking but only when working with physical objects
• formal operational stage 


  (11+yrs)child now fully able to think logically using abstract ideas
• pre-operational stage 


  (2~7yrs) child's thinking lacks internal consistency, not using logic, lack of conservation and egocentrism
• sensorimotor stage 


  (0~2yrs) child is focused on learning coordination and object permanence
• fixed mindset 


  achievements are made due to innate abilities
• growth mindset 


  abilities can be improved through effort, regard failure as a challenge
• praise 


  to express approval of someone else and what they have done
• self-efficacy 


  a person's understanding of their own capabilities
• learning style 


  a person's relatively consistent method of processing and remembering info
• verbaliser 


  a person who prefers to process info through words and sounds
• visualiser 


  a person who prefers to process info in terms of pictures/diagrams
• object permanence 


  knowing that objects still exist even when they are hidden/out of view
• kinaesthetic learner 


  a person who prefers active/physical exploration to process info
• self-regulation 


  being able to control your behaviour (emotions, attention, cognitive process - marshmallow test)
• thalamus

  • located deep inside the brain
  • there are 2 of them, one in each hemisphere
  • size and shape of a walnut
  • acts as a hub of info - receives signals from other areas of the brain and sends the signals on
• cortex

  • aka the cerebral cortex
  • is spilt into 2 halves (hemispheres)
  • the outer covering of the brain - about 3mm thick
  • all thinking + processing takes place here
• smoking 


  mothers who smoke when pregnant give birth to smaller babies, this is because nicotine slows down brain growth
• infection

  pregnant women should avoid contact with certain diseases

  (Rubella is a disease that can cause brain damage + hearing loss if the parent develops the illness in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy)
• voices 


  babies can recognise voices immediately after birth, this shows the brain is changing before birth in response to external stimuli