Early Childhood Development

What is lack of conservation?

The inability to realize that things may be the same quantity despite being in different shapes.

What years encompass the sensorimotor stage?

Years zero through two.

What are the key characteristics of the sensorimotor stage?

Exploration through the senses, development of object permanence, and stranger anxiety.

What years encompass the preoperational stage?

Years two through six.

What are the key characteristics of the preoperational stage?

Egocentrism, language development, pretend play, and lack of logic or mathematical ability.

What years encompass the concrete operational stage?

Years seven through eleven.

What are the key characteristics of the concrete operational stage?

Understanding conservation, basic mathematical and logical understanding, and basic understanding of analogies.

What years encompass the formal operational stage?

Years twelve and on.

What are the key characteristics of the formal operational stage?

Systematic reasoning, hypothesizing, and more advanced logic.

What is assimilation?

The ability to add new information to what is already known.

What is accommodation?

The ability to restructure the brain to add new information.

What developmental indicators did Dr. Spock and Erik Erikson focus on?

Independence and emotional maturity.

What controversial belief did Dr. Spock hold about child-rearing?

That children should be treated with affection.

What was Erik Erikson's belief about developmental stages?

That each developmental stage was a crisis and a struggle.

What is the struggle of infants?

Trust vs. Mistrust.

What is the concept of Trust vs. Mistrust?

That needs must be reliably met for a child to develop a sense of trust.

What is the struggle of toddlers?

Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt.

What is the concept of Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt?

That children need room to be themselves to develop self-confidence.

What is the struggle of preschoolers?

Initiative vs. Guilt.

What is the concept of Initiative vs. Guilt?

That children need space to initiate tasks to develop comfort with independence.

What is the struggle of elementary schoolers?

Competence vs. Inferiority.

What is the concept of Competence vs. Inferiority?

That children must devote themselves to tasks to develop self-esteem.

At what age can children recognize their birthgiver’s voice?

One day.

At what age can children laugh?

Two months.

At what age can children reach for and touch objects?

Three to five months.

At what age can children sit without support?

Five months.

At what age can children show anxiety when their caregiver is not around?

Nine to twelve months.

At what age can children walk unassisted?

Twelve months.

At what age can children kick a ball forward?

Twenty months.

At what age can children make two-word sentences?

Twenty-two months.

At what age can children pedal a tricycle and jump in place with both feet together?

Two years.

At what age can children group objects by category?

Two and a half years.

At what age can children feel ashamed?

Three years.

At what age can children wash their hands unassisted?

Three and a half years.

At what age can children tell you their street or town?

Four and a half years.

At what age can children stand on one foot for ten seconds?

Five years.