Cognitive Development in Infancy and Early Childhood

Vocabulary flashcards generated from lecture notes on cognitive development in infancy and early childhood, covering major theoretical frameworks, concepts, and developmental milestones.

Piaget's constructivism

The concept that children actively construct knowledge by interacting with the world rather than simply receiving information from adults.

Schema

A mental framework for understanding or organizing knowledge.

Assimilation

Fitting new information into an existing schema, such as calling a zebra a horse.

Accommodation

Changing an existing schema when new information does not fit, such as learning that zebras and horses are different.

Adaptation

In Piaget's theory, the overall adjustment of thinking through assimilation and accommodation.

Sensorimotor stage

Piaget's stage from birth to about age 2 in which infants learn through sensory experience and physical action, progressing from reflexes to intentional, goal-directed behavior.

Object permanence

Understanding that an object continues to exist even when it cannot be seen.

Representational thought

The ability to mentally represent people, objects, and events that are not currently present, supporting memory, planning, pretend play, and problem-solving.

Habituation

Reduced attention after repeated exposure to the same stimulus.

Dishabituation

Renewed attention when something new is presented after habituation.

Preferential-response methods

Research techniques that measure infants' looking preferences to infer what they notice, discriminate, or prefer.

Deferred imitation

Imitating an observed behavior after a delay, demonstrating recall or memory.

Perceptual narrowing

Increasing sensitivity to frequently experienced faces or speech distinctions and reduced sensitivity to less familiar distinctions.

Means-end behavior

Using one action to achieve a goal, such as pulling a cloth closer to retrieve a toy.

Preoperational stage

Piaget's stage from about ages 2 to 7, marked by symbolic thought, language, pretend play, and emerging reasoning, but difficulty coordinating several relevant features at once.

Egocentrism

In Piaget's theory, difficulty recognizing that other people may see, know, feel, or think differently.

Centration

Focusing on one salient feature of a situation while overlooking other relevant features.

Conservation

Understanding that quantity remains the same even when appearance changes.

Decentration

Considering multiple relevant features at once, which supports conservation.

Working memory

Holding and using information mentally, such as remembering a two-step direction.

Inhibitory control

Resisting impulses and distractions, such as waiting for a turn instead of grabbing.

Cognitive flexibility

Shifting rules, strategies, or perspectives, such as sorting by color and then switching to shape.

Theory of mind

Understanding that other people have separate thoughts, beliefs, desires, emotions, and knowledge.

False-belief task

A task measuring whether a child understands that another person can hold a belief that is incorrect or differs from reality.

Phonology

The system of speech sounds and sound patterns.

Semantics

The system of word meanings and vocabulary.

Syntax

Grammar and word order used to produce meaningful sentences.

Pragmatics

Socially appropriate language use, including adjusting language for different listeners or situations.

Fast mapping

Quickly linking a new word to a likely meaning.

Slow mapping

Refining a word's meaning over repeated experiences.

Code mixing and code switching

Normal bilingual communication strategies involving the use of elements from more than one language.

Vygotsky's sociocultural approach

A framework proposing that thinking develops through social interaction, culture, and cultural tools, especially language.

Zone of proximal development (ZPD)

The range between what a child can do independently and what the child can do with guidance.

Scaffolding

Temporary, tailored support that helps a learner complete a task within the ZPD, which is reduced as competence increases.

Private speech

Self-directed talk that helps children plan, focus, solve problems, and regulate behavior, which Vygotsky viewed as a tool that becomes inner speech.

Cultural responsiveness

Asking respectful questions, interpreting practices in context, avoiding stereotypes, and collaborating with families rather than treating differences as deficits.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

A heterogeneous neurodevelopmental condition involving social-communication differences and restricted or repetitive patterns of behavior or interests.

Parentese

An adjusted speech style often using a slower rate, clearer intonation, repetition, simpler sentences, and an attention-getting tone.

Recognition

Identifying something as familiar.

Recall

Retrieving information without the original stimulus present.