PSYCH CH4

What happens to the rate of physical growth during the preschool years?

Growth slows: ~2–3 in/year, 4–6 lbs/year

What is a common behavioral sign of this change in growth?

Less frequent need for new clothes/shoes; improved coordination

What is the greatest risk to the health of a preschooler?

Accidents/ injuries

Why are preschoolers at the highest risk of accidents/injuries?

Curiosity, limited judgment, active motor skills

What is plasticity in regard to brain growth ?

Brain can reorganize and adapt

What allows a child’s brain to be high in plasticity?

Fast synapse formations

How does lateralization play into brain plasticity ?

Both of the brain’s hemispheres specialize and improve efficiency

How does myelination play into brain plasticity?

Faster neuron signaling→ better coordination

Gross motor skills

Large muscle movements

Ex: running or jumping

Fine motor skills

Small muscle movements

Ex: drawing or buttoning

How do gross motor skills develop through preschool years?

Improve through activity and practice

How do fine motor skills develop through preschool yrs?

Improve with practice and hand eye coordination

Why are preschoolers “Illogical” according to Piaget ?

Preoperational stage: symbolic thought present but lack operations like reversibility and conservation

Centration

Focus on 1 feature at a time

How is centration related to lack of conservation?

Focus on height/length, ignore volume/quantity

How is centration related to egocentrism?

Can’t take other’s perspectives. Only focus on their own

How is centration related to lack of identity?

Confused appearance w/ reality. Can’t see both identities, only 1

Ex: Halloween masks

Criticism 1 of Piaget’s evaluations

Underestimated child’s abilities

Criticism 2 of Piaget’s abilities

Stages are too rigid

Criticism 3 of Piaget

Ignores cultural difference

Criticism 4 of Piaget

Small bias samples

Executive functioning

Planning, attention, impulse control

Preschooler executive functioning abilities

Emerging abilities to follow multi step problems with help

Ex of improving preschooler executive functioning

Playing games with planning or self control

Memory organization in preschoolers

Limited, often structural recall

Memory susceptibility in preschoolers

Easily influenced by suggestions. Can have fake memories

Memory for events before age 3

Fragmented/rare (infantile amnesia)

Vgotsky’s theory of cognitive dev

Learning occurs through social interaction; scaffolding by more knowledgeable others

Language development – syntax & grammar

Longer, more complex sentences

Language development – fast mapping

Learn new words quickly

Language development – pragmatics

Social rules for talking

Language development – private speech

Self-guiding speech

Language development – social speech

Talking appropriately with others

Erikson Stage 3

Initiative vs guilt

How does a child develop the positive trait in Stage 3?

Encouragement and support → initiative; exploration builds confidence

How does self-concept develop in preschoolers?

Describe self via traits and behaviors

How does racial and ethnic awareness develop?

Observation and social feedback

Definition of sex

Biological male/ female

Gender

Cultural and social expectations of males and females

Gender role

Behaviors considered normal for gender

(Women take care of the house, men work)

Gender identity

Personal sense of being male/female/other

Biological theory of gender role dev

Genes and horomones influence behavior

Social learning theory of gender role dev

Observe, imitate, reinforced by others

Cognitive theory of gender role development

Develop gender schemas, align behavior accordingly

How does friendship develop in preschool years?

Shared play, cooperation, understanding others’ feelings

Constructive play

Build or create things

Functional play

Repetitive motor activity

Parallel play

Play near others without interaction

Onlooker play

Watch others play

Associative play

Interact and share, no common goal

Cooperative play

Work together toward shared goal

Authoritative parenting style

High warmth/control → positive outcomes

Authoritarian parenting style

Low warmth/high control → obedient, anxious

Permissive parenting style

High warmth/low control → impulsive, low self-discipline

Neglectful parenting style

Low warmth/control → poor social & emotional outcomes

Child abuse/neglect statistics

• ~1 in 7 children affected

Factors related to child maltreatment

Stress, poverty, parental abuse history

Cycle of violence hypothesis

Abused children may repeat abuse patterns later

Instinct/evolution view of aggression

Natural tendency to compete

Social-learning explanation of aggression

Modeled and reinforced behavior

Cognitive explanation of aggression

Misinterpret social cues → aggressive response