Psych Exam 2 - Infancy and Childhood

what are the risks during prenatal development

Teratogen - chemical or viral agent that can reach the embryo or fetus and compromise viability

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome - physical and mental abnormalities caused when the mother drinks during pregnancy

“Critical Periods” - times when specific organs are developing

what reflexes are babies born with

• Rooting • Breathing • Grasping • Crying

what sensory systems are babies born with

• Sight not well developed at birth but there is still a preference for faces

• Preference for human voices

• Strong sense of smell, babies can recognize mother's scent

what does physical development look like for babies

Physical growth does not occur at steady rate, grow quickly for the first few years, then tapers off to slower growth from 4-6 years old

Brain increases in size through childhood. The frontal lobe grows rapidly, and brain cell numbers do not change - born with all100-200 billion neurons

what does cognitive development look like

• 2-3 weeks old: imitate facial gestures

• 2 months old: change behavior to manipulate environment

• 3 months old: begin to retain learning

what does language acquisition look like

we learn 10-20 words per week during childhood

• 2 years old: 50-200 words used

• 3 years old: up to 1,000 words used

• 5 years old: understand about 6,000 words

What did Harlow’s Monkey Experiment Reveal

• Attachment is separate from source of nourishment

• Showed importance of touch in bonding

• Also raised ethical concerns

what is the secure attachment theory

• Upset by caregiver absence, but quickly comforted upon their return

what is the avoidant attachment theory

• Not distressed by caregiver leaving, indifferent to their return

what is the resistant attachment theory

• Sometimes called “Anxious-ambivalent” attachment

• Very upset by caregiver leaving, resistant to comfort on return

what parenting results in secure attachment

• Consistent caregiver, sensitive and responsive to child's needs

what parenting results in avoidant attachment

• Caregiver insensitive and inattentive to needs

what parenting results in resistant attachment

• Caregiver inconsistent in their response to child’s needs

what is self-concept/self-recognition

“sense of self”

capable of recognizing ourselves at 18 months old

positive self recognition is important to healthy development

what are the four parenting styles

authoritarian - imposes rules expects obedience

permissive - rarely punishes or demands, allows kid to do what they want

uninvolved - neglectful, dismissive and disconnected

authoritative - Both demanding and responsive, sets rules, but explains reasons & encourages discussion