Chapter 4 Key Terms: Brain, Perception, and Motor Development

PSY232: Developmental Psychology

affordances

refers to the actionable properties of objects - their nature, OPPORTUNITES, and limits

alzheimer’s disease

a neurodegenerative disease characterized by dementia, the deterioration of memory and personality, and marked by the presence of presence of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in the cerebral cortex

amygdala

a brain structure that is part of the lmbic system and plays a role in emotion, especially fear and anger

amyloid plaque

found in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease, deposits of beta-amyloid accumulate a long with clumps of dead neurans and glial cells

axon

a long tube-like structure that extends from the neuron and carries electrical signals to other neurons

cataract

a clouding of the lens of the eye, resulting in blurred, foggy vision, can lead to blindness

cognitive reserve

the ability to make flexible and efficient use of available brain resources that permits cognitive efficiency, flexibility, and adaptability, it is cultivated throughout life from experience and Environmental factors

corpus callosum

a thick band of nerve fibers that connects the left and right hemispheres of the brain, allowing communication

cortex

the other most part of the brain containing the greatest numbers of neutrons and accounting for thought and consciousness

dementia

a progressive deterioration in mental abilities due to changes in the brain that influence higher cortical functions such as thinking, memory, comprehension, and emotional control and are reflected in impaired thought and behavior, interfering with the adult’s ability to engage in everyday activities

dendrites

branching receptors that receive chemical messages (called neurotransmitters) from other neurons that are converted into electrical signals

depth perception

the ability to perceive the distance of objects from each other and from ourselves

experience-dependent brain development

brain growth and development in response to specific learning experiences

experience-expectant brain development

brain growth and development that is dependent on basic environmental experiences, such as visual and auditory stimulation, in order to develop normally

externality effect

refers to a particular pattern of infant visual processing

fine motor development

development of the ability to control small movements of the fingers such as reaching and grasping

glial cell

a type of brain cells that nourishes neurons and provides structures to the brain

gray matter

unmyelinated neurons

gross motor development

development of the ability to control large movements of the body, such as walking and jumping

intermodal perception

the process of combining information from more than one sensory system such as visual and auditory senses

laterization

the process by which the two hemispheres of the brain becomes specialized to carry out different funcgtions

lewy mody dementia

common form of dementia characterized by the formation of spherical protein deposits known as lewy bodies

limbic system

a collection of brain structures responsible for emotion

macular degenration

a substantial loss of cells in the center area of the retina ( the macula), causing blurring and eventually loss of central vision; its onset is influenced by heredity and environmental factors

myelin

the fatty substance that coats the axons, which speeds the transmission of electrical impulses and neurological function