Chapter 4: Infancy Lecture Notes

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering physical, cognitive, and emotional/social development during infancy based on the provided lecture notes.

Cephalocaudal principle

Growth that tends to begin at the top, with the head, and then proceeds downward to the rest of the body.

Proximodistal principle

Growth that proceeds from the middle of the body outward.

Teething

A period of discomfort and pain experienced by infants between $5$ and $9$ months of age as new teeth break through the gums.

Synapses

Tiny gaps between neurons across which communication takes place.

Neurotransmitters

Chemicals released by the axon and received by the dendrites to facilitate communication between neurons.

Myelin sheath

A white, fatty substance that wraps around axons to increase the speed of communication between neurons.

Synaptic pruning

The process in brain development where dendritic connections that are used become stronger and those that are unused wither away.

Hypothalamus

A structure in the limbic system that monitors and regulates basic animal functions such as hunger, thirst, and body temperature.

Thalamus

A part of the limbic system that acts as a receiving and transfer center for sensory information.

Cerebral cortex

The outermost part of the forebrain which accounts for $85\%$ of the brain's weight and is the basis of human abilities such as language and complex problem solving.

Lateralization

The specialization of the two hemispheres of the brain.

Occipital lobe

The part of the cerebral cortex specialized for processing visual information.

Temporal lobe

The part of the cerebral cortex specialized for processing auditory information.

Parietal lobe

The part of the cerebral cortex specialized for processing information from bodily sensations.

Frontal lobe

The part of the cerebral cortex that includes spoken language production and decision making.

Plasticity

The degree to which the brain is highly responsive to environmental circumstances.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

Death within the first year of life due to unknown reasons with no apparent illness, most common between $2$ and $4$ months of age.

Cosleeping

A cultural practice, also called bed-sharing, in which the infant sleeps in the same bed as the parents.

Custom complex

A distinctive cultural pattern of behavior that is based on underlying cultural beliefs.

Marasmus

A disease in which the body wastes away due to insufficient protein and calories.

Oral rehydration therapy (ORT)

A treatment for infant diarrhea involving drinking a solution of salt and glucose mixed with clean water.

Gross motor development

Development that includes balance, posture, and whole-body movements such as crawling or walking.

Fine motor development

Development involving finely tuned movements of the hands, such as grasping and manipulating objects.

Opposable thumb

The position of the thumb opposite the fingers, which is unique to humans and allows for fine movements.

Pincer grasp

An infant's ability to hold a small object between the thumb and forefinger, usually appearing between $9$ and $12$ months.

Depth perception

The ability to discern the relative distance of objects in the environment.

Binocular vision

The ability to combine the images of each eye into one image, providing perception of depth or distance.

Intermodal perception

The integration and coordination of sensory information.

Maturation

A biologically driven program of developmental change according to Piaget's theory.

Schemes

Cognitive structures used for processing, organizing, and interpreting information.

Assimilation

The process of altering new information to fit an existing scheme.

Accommodation

The process of changing a scheme to adapt to new information.

Sensorimotor stage

Piaget's first stage of cognitive development ($0-2$ years) where infants learn to coordinate sensory activities with motor activities.

Object permanence

The awareness that objects and people continue to exist even when not in direct sensory or motor contact.

A-not-B error

A mistake where infants look for an object under blanket A (where it was first found) even after seeing it hidden under blanket B.

Habituation

The gradual decrease in attention to a stimulus after repeated presentations.

Dishabituation

The revival of attention when a new stimulus is presented following several presentations of a previous stimulus.

Joint attention

The process by which infants direct their attention to what the people around them are attending to.

Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID)

An assessment tool measuring cognitive, language, and motor scales for children from $3$ months to $3.5$ years.

Cooing

Early gurgling sounds such as 'oo-ing' and 'ah-ing' that babies begin making at about $2$ months.

Babbling

Repetitive consonant-vowel combinations like 'ba-ba-ba' that infants start around $4$ to $6$ months.

Infant-directed (ID) speech

A special way of speaking to infants with a higher pitch and exaggerated intonation.

Temperament

Innate responses to the physical and social environment, including qualities like activity level and soothability.

Goodness-of-fit

The concept that children develop best if there is a match between the child's temperament and environmental demands.

Primary emotions

The most basic emotions shared with animals, such as anger, sadness, fear, disgust, surprise, and happiness.

Secondary emotions

Emotions that require social and cultural learning, such as embarrassment, shame, and guilt.

Social smile

An expression of happiness in response to interacting with others, first appearing in the second or third month.

Emotional contagion

A phenomenon where neonates begin crying after hearing another neonate cry.

Social referencing

The ability to observe others' emotional responses to uncertain situations and use that information to shape one's own response.

Trust versus mistrust

The central crisis in Erikson's theory for infancy, focusing on dependence on others for survival.

Attachment theory

John Bowlby's theory focusing on the crucial importance of the infant's relationship with the primary caregiver.