Neural and Developmental Psychology: Brain Plasticity, Attachment, and Intelligence

Neural plasticity

The brain's ability to change its structure and function in response to experience.

Levels of connectivity

How many neurons are connected and organized into networks.

Changes in connection strength

Synapses become stronger or weaker depending on use (learning).

Associative Long-Term Potentiation (LTP)

A long-lasting increase in synaptic strength after repeated activation. Basis for learning and memory.

Hebbian learning

"Neurons that fire together wire together." Repeated coactivation strengthens connections.

LTP evidence for memory

Blocking LTP impairs learning; enhancing LTP improves performance on memory tasks.

Neurogenesis

Creation of new neurons. Mostly occurs prenatally.

Synaptogenesis

Formation of new synapses. Peaks in childhood.

Pruning

Elimination of unused synapses to increase efficiency.

Myelination

Formation of myelin sheath on axons. Continues from infancy through adulthood, improving processing speed.

Epigenetics

Environment can change gene expression without altering DNA sequence.

Enriched vs. impoverished environments

Stimulating environments lead to more synapses, better cognitive development; deprived environments can stunt development.

Developmental psychology

Study of how behavior, thinking, and emotions change across the lifespan.

Nature vs. nurture

Genetics vs. environment both shape development.

Case of Genie

Extreme deprivation harms development, especially language. Shows critical periods.

Gene x Environment interactions

Genes' effects depend on environment (e.g., PKU requires diet to prevent intellectual disability).

Dynamic systems theory

Development emerges from many interacting influences over time.

Developmental cascades

One change leads to further changes across domains.

Stages vs. continuity

Development may happen in sudden stages or gradual continuous change.

Qualitative vs. quantitative change

Qualitative: change in type or structure. Quantitative: change in amount or number.

Critical/sensitive periods

Specific windows when experience has major impact on development.

Harlow's monkeys

Comfort and contact are crucial for attachment, not just food.

Attachment styles

Secure, avoidant, resistant (ambivalent), disorganized.

Strange Situation Test

Ainsworth's method of assessing infant attachment through separation/reunion behavior.

Kohlberg's moral reasoning

1. Preconventional: based on consequences 2. Conventional: based on social rules 3. Postconventional: based on moral principles.

Erikson's psychosocial theory

Development occurs in stages with social conflicts to resolve (general idea only).

Parenting styles

Authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, uninvolved.

Biological sex components

Chromosomes, hormones, gonads, internal & external genitalia.

Sex developmental cascade

Chromosomes (XX/XY) -> gonads -> hormones -> sex organs.

Gender identity

Internal sense of being male, female, both, neither.

Gender roles

Social expectations for behavior based on gender.

Gender schemas

Mental frameworks for understanding gender.

Cisgender

Gender identity matches sex assigned at birth.

Transgender

Gender identity differs from sex assigned at birth.

Intersex

Biological characteristics not fitting typical male or female categories.

Condry & Condry study

Adults interpret babies' emotions differently depending on perceived gender.

Conceptual networks

Connected mental concepts that help us make inferences.

Algorithm

Step-by-step method that guarantees a solution.

Heuristic

Quick mental shortcut; faster but less accurate.

IQ (Intelligence Quotient)

Score measuring cognitive performance compared to norms (mean=100, SD=15). Predicts some aspects of academic/work success.

Heritability of IQ

Genetic contribution estimated using twin studies; influenced by environmental variation.

General intelligence (g)

A single underlying ability influencing all cognitive tasks.

Multiple intelligences

Theory that intelligence has many independent forms (e.g., musical, kinesthetic).

Fluid intelligence

Ability to solve new problems; peaks in young adulthood.

Crystallized intelligence

Knowledge and skills accumulated through life; increases with age.

Mozart Effect

Short-term boost to spatial ability from listening to music; not long-term intelligence increase.

Learning instrument effect

Music training improves cognitive development more than passive listening.

10% brain myth

False idea that we only use 10% of our brain.

Left-brain/right-brain myth

Both hemispheres contribute to most functions; not strictly logical vs. creative.

Stability of intelligence

IQ becomes more stable with age but can still change with environment/education.

Correlational design

Measures relationships; cannot prove causation.

Experimental design

Manipulates variables with random assignment to test causation.

Descriptive vs. normative theories

Descriptive: how people actually decide. Normative: how they should rationally decide.

Expected value

The rational, mathematically best choice.

Anchoring

Relying too heavily on the first piece of information.

Framing

Choices are influenced by how options are presented.

Availability heuristic

Judging likelihood by how easily examples come to mind.

Representativeness heuristic

Judging likelihood based on similarity to a prototype.

Loss aversion

Losses feel worse than equivalent gains feel good.

Sensorimotor stage

Birth to 2 yrs. Learn through senses and actions. Object permanence develops.

Object permanence

Understanding objects still exist when out of sight.

Preoperational stage

2 to 7 yrs. Egocentrism, centration, symbolic thinking.

Egocentrism

Difficulty seeing others' perspectives.

Centration

Focusing on one aspect of a situation at a time.

Three mountains task

Tests egocentrism.

Concrete operational stage

7 to 12 yrs. Logical thinking about concrete information. Conservation achieved.

Conservation

Understanding quantity remains same despite changes in appearance.

Formal operational stage

12+ yrs. Abstract, hypothetical, and scientific reasoning.

Pendulum problem

Tests systematic, scientific reasoning.

Dynamic systems approach

Development from interacting components; small continuous changes produce stage-like shifts in behavior.