Involves bigger movements using larger muscles, e.g. crawling
Fine motor skills
Involves smaller movements using smaller muscles, e.g. picking up small objects
Social cognition
Noticing, noting, remembering information about social environments
Basic reactive emotions
Include joy, fear, sadness, etc. experienced early in development
Complex emotions
Include shyness, surprise, guilt, embarrassment, etc. experienced after initial developmental stages
Assimilation
Applying existing mental processes to new experiences
Accommodation
Modifying existing processes to adapt to new information/experiences
Schema
Mental structures helping organize and interpret information
Concrete thinking
Thought processes relying on real-world experiences
Symbolic thinking
Thinking involving mentallyrepresenting people, events, and objects
Abstract thinking
Thinking in general concepts rather than specific objects or events
Sensori-motor stage
0-2 years old, understanding via sensory and motor interactions
Pre-operational stage
2-7 years old, inability to think logically, egocentric behavior
Concrete operational stage
7-11 years old, logical thinking with concrete materials
Formal operational stage
11+ years old, capable of logical and abstract thinking
Brain Plasticity
Brain's ability to modify connections and rewire itself
Adaptive Plasticity
Ability to learn new information and skills, most efficient in infancy
Developmental Plasticity
Processes changing neurons and synaptic connections, established by genes
Neurogenesis
Unborn baby's cells divide and multiply to become neurons
Neural migration
New neurons migrate to specified brain locations
Neural maturation
Neurons settle into destination, dendrites grow and extend
Circuit formation
Axons form synapses with target cells, especially during early brain development
Circuit pruning
Weak/unused neural connections are pruned, strengthening remaining pathways
Myelination
Axons are myelinated, increasing neural transmission speed and preventing electrical interference between neurons
Attachment
Close emotional bond between infant and primary caregiver
Sensitive/critical period
Critical time for attachment to occur for optimal development
Monotropy
Attachment with only one attachment figure
Critical period
A lifespan stage during which individuals are more sensitive to environmental influences. Normal development relies on these life experiences occurring
Maternal deprivation
The consequences an individual experiences when they are separated from their mother (or main attachment figure) as a child, preventing attachment from occurring
Internal working model of others
By the age of five, children have learned about their caregivers likes, dislikes, and personality characteristics
Positive internal working model of self
Child believes they are worthy of love and comfort because of their caregiver's sensitivity to their needs and their loving responses of comfort and protection
Negative internal working model of self
Caregivers have consistently rejected the child and ignore their needs; the child will feel unworthy of love and care
Internal working model between self and others
Child will base future relationships with other people on their first relationships with primary caregivers
Bowbly's monotropic theory
Children have a biological need to form a bond with one main attachment figure, this bond the most important, usually with the mother.
Evolutionary perspective
The purpose of attachment is to enhance the infants chances of survival
Criticisms of Bowbly's theory
Focus on mother only, though there can be other attachment figures
Contradicting evidence regarding the "critical" period should be called "sensitive" instead - normal development still possible even if required life experiences do not occur in first 2 years
"Critical" period vs "sensitive" period
"Critical" = specific life experiences NEED to occur for normal development
"Sensitive" = effects of experiences on the brain are stronger than usual
Proximity seeking
Whether or not an infant stays in close proximity to their mother
Exploration and secure base behaviour
How confident the baby feels to explore their environment, while using their mother as a secure base to return to
Stranger anxiety
How anxious the baby becomes when around a stranger