Child Development and Attachment: Key Theories and Research

What is the primary aim of studying child development?

To understand changes in behavior and mental processes over time.

What are cross-sectional studies?

Studies that compare people of different ages.

What is a drawback of cross-sectional studies?

Cohort effects and lack of information on developmental patterns.

What are longitudinal studies?

Studies that follow the same individuals over time.

What is a drawback of longitudinal studies?

Selective dropout and high costs in time and money.

What are the three key debates in child development?

Nature versus nurture, qualitative versus quantitative change, and effects of early experience.

What does 'nature versus nurture' refer to?

The debate over the influence of genetics versus environment on development.

What are polygenic traits?

Traits that are influenced by multiple genes.

How can the environment affect gene expression?

Factors like diet, drugs, and stress can alter gene expression.

What is the significance of critical and sensitive periods in development?

Certain experiences are crucial at specific developmental stages.

What did Harlow's research on infant monkeys demonstrate?

Contact comfort is more important than feeding for attachment.

What is imprinting, as demonstrated by Lorenz?

A process where certain animals follow the first moving object they see, typically their mother.

What is Bowlby's theory of attachment?

Babies are genetically programmed to signal for nurturance, and adults are programmed to respond.

What is the Strange Situation?

An experimental procedure to assess attachment relationships in infants.

What are the four basic types of attachment identified by Ainsworth?

Secure, avoidant, resistant, and disorganized attachment.

What does Piaget's theory of cognitive development emphasize?

Children are active learners who construct knowledge through experiences.

What is a schema according to Piaget?

A mental framework that organizes and interprets information.

What are the stages of Piaget's cognitive development?

Sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational.

What is object permanence?

The understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen.

What are the limitations of the preoperational stage?

Egocentrism, lack of reversibility, and confusion of appearance and reality.

What is the significance of the zone of proximal development?

It represents the difference between what a learner can do without help and what they can achieve with guidance.

What role does private speech play in Vygotsky's theory?

It aids in self-regulation and cognitive development.

What is the importance of play in childhood according to the lectures?

Play is essential for cognitive and social development.

What is the A not B error in infants?

The tendency of infants to search for an object where they previously found it rather than where they last saw it hidden.

What is the impact of early experiences on development?

Early experiences can significantly shape attachment and cognitive development.

What does the term 'scaffolding' refer to in Vygotsky's theory?

The support given to a learner that is tailored to their needs and gradually removed as they become more competent.