Infancy

Cephalocaudal Principle

Growth starts from the top part of the body (i.e., brain to foot)

Proximodistal Principle

Growth proceeds from the center of the body outward (e.g., Palm (grasping) to fingers)

Teething

Typically begins around 3-4 months

Growth Spurts

Children grow faster during the first 3 years, with growth slowing in the second year

Episodic Growth

Growth isn’t smooth and continuous but occurs in spurts

Benefits of Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding reduces risks of various illnesses and promotes better health for both babies and mothers

Brain Development

Brain growth spurts occur in fits and starts, with different brain regions developing at varying rates

Reflex Behavior

Involves automatic responses to stimuli controlled by lower brain centers

Neurons

Cells that send and receive information in the brain

Myelination

Coating neural pathways with myelin to enable faster signal transmission

Denver Developmental Screening Test

Used to assess children's progress in various developmental areas

Sensorimotor Stage

Piaget's first stage of cognitive development focusing on sensory experiences and motor actions

Plasticity

The brain's ability to change in response to environmental influences

Sleep

Essential for brain and body restoration, with different sleep stages serving various functions

Ecological Theory of Perception

Movement and perception are influenced by the interaction between physical characteristics and the environment

Equilibration

Children shift from one stage of thought to the next.

Object Permanence

The realization that something continues to exist when out of sight.

Dual Representation Hypothesis

Children under 3 struggle with spatial relationships due to holding multiple mental representations.

Habituation

Learning where repeated exposure to a stimulus reduces attention to it.

Explicit Memory

Conscious intentional recollection of facts, names, events, or other things.

Language Acquisition Device

Biological endowment enabling children to detect features and rules of language.

Temperament

Biologically based tendency to respond to the environment in predictable ways.

Trust vs

Erikson's stage in infancy where forming a basic sense of trust is crucial.

Attachment

Reciprocal, enduring emotional tie between an infant and a caregiver.

Social Referencing

Seeking emotional information to guide behavior.