Child dev number 2 Module 4 and 5

Who developed the preferential looking method for studying infant perception

Robert Fantz.

How does the preferential looking method work

Babies are shown two stimuli, and researchers measure how long they look at each one to determine babies prefrence

What is habituation in infant research

Presenting a stimulus repeatedly until the baby gets bored to test whether they notice new differences later.

Who studied habituation in infants? 

: Janet Werker

What is dishabituation? 

When a baby regains interest in a new stimulus, showing they can tell the difference. 

Can newborns see?

Yes, but their vision is blurry and develops over time.

At 6 months, what kind of faces can babies discriminate? 

Human and monkey faces

At 9 months, what kind of faces can babies discriminate? 

Human faces, due to pruning

What is pruning? 

Excessive neural connections are eliminated from the brain as the baby gets older (brain gets rid of stuff that they do not need) 

What is the Cat in the Hat study? 

Babies recognized a story their mother read while in the womb after birth. 

What is motherese? 

Baby voice

What is categorical speech perception? 

Babies’ ability to distinguish between different speech sounds (phonemes) before they can talk. 

What age range is the sensorimotor period in Piaget’s theory? 

0-2 years

What is object permanence according to Piaget

Understanding that objects exist even when they are out of sight. 

How did Piaget test object permanence? 

Using the “search” task: hiding an object to see if the baby searches for it. 

How old did Piaget think babies were when they achieved object permanence?

Around 18–24 months

What did Baillargeon’s rotating screen study show? 

Babies as young as 3 months look longer at impossible events, suggesting early object permanence. 

What is core knowledge theory

The idea that babies are born with knowledge about objects, numbers, and people. 

What research supports that babies understand social behaviors? 

Hamlin, Wynn, & Bloom – babies prefer “helper” puppets over “mean” ones by 6 months. 

What is operant conditioning in infant memory studies? 

Babies learn to kick to move a mobile, showing memory when they do it again later.

What is deferred imitation

Infants watch an action and reproduce it later, showing memory.

What is infantile amnesia

The inability to remember events from early infancy due to immature brain structures. 

 

Phonology

Sounds in speech

Morphology

Word formation in speech 

 Syntax

Grammer

Semantics

Meaning of words

 Pragmatics

Social use of words (greetings, demanding) 

What is the Apgar scale

A newborn assessment that checks color, breathing, crying, reflexes, and muscle tone. 

How does birthing differ across cultures?

In the U.S., hospital births are common; in Guatemala, home births with midwives are common

 What is maternal mortality?

Death due to pregnancy or childbirth-related causes. 

Which groups are at higher risk of maternal mortality? 

Black and Indigenous women (2–3 times higher than White women). 

What role do midwives play in reducing maternal mortality? 

Providing continuous, culturally respectful care, supporting prenatal and postpartum care, and improving trust in healthcare.

How much weight do babies gain in the first year

They double weight in 6 months and triple it in the first year. 

What is the rooting reflex?

A newborn turns its head and opens its mouth when the cheek is touched. 

What is the Moro reflex?

A startle reflex where babies fling arms/legs out and then pull them in.

What is cephalocaudal development? 

Growth and motor control develop from head to toe. 

What is proximodistal development? 

Growth and motor control develop from the center outward (arms before hands/fingers).

What is neurogenesis?

Formation of new neurons.

What is synaptogenesis?

Formation of connections between neurons

What is myelination

Formation of fatty sheaths around neurons to speed transmission. 

What is synaptic pruning?

The brain removes unused connections to become more efficient (“use it or lose it”). 

What is brain plasticity?

The ability of the brain to change and adapt based on experience. 

How does poverty affect infant brain development

It can lower EEG activity associated with cognition, language, and social-emotional skills. 

What intervention improved infant brain development in low-income families?

Unconditional cash transfers to mothers.

How can poverty interventions help parents? 

Reduce stress, improve caregiving, and support early learning environments. 

What are the three stages of birth 

Dilation, Expulsion (delivery of baby), Afterbirth (delivery of placenta) 

Apgar scale measures

Heart rate, breathing, muscles, color, reflexes

Apgar scale scores

0-7 may need medical attention; 7-10; healthy

How do midwives help reduce maternal mortality?

providing continuous, personalized, and culturally sensitive care before, during, and after birth.

Why is nutrition critical in early life?

It supports rapid brain and body growth, immunity, and healthy development.

What are gross motor skills?

Large muscle movements (e.g., crawling, walking, standing).

What are fine motor skills?

Small, precise movements (e.g., grasping, picking up small objects, drawing).

What are the stages of language development in the first years?

1) Cooing → 2) Babbling → 3) Single words → 4) Two-word sentences