Cognitive Development in Infancy and Toddlerhood

Sensorimotor Stage

0-2 years

Schemes

Mental structures that organize knowledge.

Adaptation

The process of adjusting to the environment.

Assimilation

Integrating new information into existing schemes.

Accommodation

Modifying existing schemes to fit new information.

Organization

The grouping of isolated behaviors and thoughts into a higher-order system.

Goal-directed Behavior

Intentional actions that are aimed at achieving a specific goal.

Object Permanence

Understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen.

A-not-B Error

The tendency to search for an object where it was previously found rather than where it was last hidden.

Mental Representations

Internal depictions the mind can manipulate.

Deferred Imitation

The ability to remember and copy the behavior of an absent model.

Make-Believe Play

Pretend play that involves acting out various roles and scenarios.

Violation-of-Expectation Method

A research method used to study infants' understanding of object permanence.

Sensory Register

The initial stage of memory where sensory information is stored briefly.

Short-Term Memory Store

Also known as working memory, it holds information temporarily for processing.

Long-Term Memory Store

The stage of memory that stores information indefinitely.

Central Executive

The part of working memory that directs attention and processing.

Executive Function

Cognitive processes that improve drastically in childhood/adolescence.

Sustained Attention

The ability to maintain focus on a task over time.

Short-Term Memory

At 6 months, can hold 1 item; at 24 months, can hold 2-4 items.

Retention of Learned Behavior

1-2 days at 2 months; 1 week at 3 months; 2 weeks at 6 months; 13 weeks at 18 months.

Categorization

The ability to group objects based on shared characteristics.

Zone of Proximal Development

The difference between what a learner can do without help and what they can do with help.

Intelligence Quotient (IQ)

Indicates the degree to which individuals' scores deviate from those of peers.

Language Acquisition Device (LAD)

A theoretical construct proposed by Noam Chomsky that explains the innate ability to acquire language.