Child Psych Exam 4

How does the brain change in middle and late childhood

• There is increased myelination, which means that there is a faster and more effective way of brain processing information

• increased cortisol thickness

• increased attention, reasoning, and cognitive control

What are the pros of sports participation?

healthy exercise, opportunities to learn, better self esteem, and better peer relationships

What are the cons of sports participation?

pressure to win/ achieve, physical injuries, faltering academic work, becoming too competitive, and unrealistic expectations for athletic success

What are the leading causes of death and common childhood illnesses in middle and late childhood?

• motor vehicle accidents- leading cause of death

• illnesses-

  • diabetes type 1 (auto immune) and type 2 (most common)

  • cancer- leukemia

  • asthma

What stage of development are children in during middle and late childhood according to Piaget?

Concrete Operations

What are concrete operations?

reversible mental actions are applied to real, concrete objects

What are children now capable of at this stage?

They are able to focus on several characteristics at once

What is critical thinking?

• Its thinking reflectively and productively and evaluating our evidence

• deep understanding develops when students are stimulated to rethink previously held ideas

• success grades are not an indicator of a critical thinking

• mindfulness is an important component of critical thinking

What is metacognition?

knowing about thinking

• it involves different parts of executive function, like planning, evaluating, self-regulating, and problem solving

• in middle to late childhood we see improvement in cognition

What are strategies (also known as control process)?

deliberate mental process to improve the process of information

What are some example of strategies?

creating mental images, elaboration: engaging in more extensive process of information

What are some strategies adults can use to help children remember information?

• help them organize information, elaborate the info, and develop images

• encourage them to understand the material rather than memorizing it

• repeat new information in different ways and link it to what children already know

• use language kids understand

What is convergent thinking?

intelligence reflected on conventional test; produces only one complete answer

What is divergent thinking?

it characterizes creativity; producing many answers for the same question

What is Sterbergs triarchic theory of intelligence?

It’s the theory that intelligence comes in three forms- analytical, creative, and practical.

How does analytical help us?

It gives us the ability to analyze, judge, evaluate, compare and contrast

How does creative help us?

It gives us the ability to create, design, invent, originate, and imagine

How does practical help us?

it gives us the ability to use, implement, and puts ideas into practice

What is Gardners 8 frames if mind?

This theory suggests human intelligence can be differentiated into the following modalities: verbal, mathematical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalistic

Verbal and Mathematical

• ability to think in words

• ability to carry out mathematical operations

spatial and bodily- kinesthetic

• ability to think three dimensionally

• ability to be physically adept

musical and naturalistic

• sensitivity to pitch, melody, rhythm, and tone

• ability to observe patterns in nature

Interpersonal and intrapersonal

• ability to understand and interact with others- inter

• ability to understand oneself- intra

True or false: Sternberg’s and Gardener’s approaches have made educators to think more broadly about children’s competencies 

true- it motivated new educational program development and assessment 

How does sternbergs theory of intelligence affect students?

• Students with strong analytical skills do well in traditional testing

• Creatively intelligent students may not always follow the rules.

• Children with strong practical skills may struggle with school expectations.

What is Eriksons psychosocial stage during this time?

industry vs inferiority-

• Encouragement increases the child’s sense of Industry (how things are made and how they work)

• Criticism results in a sense of inferiority

What are the functions of friendship?

• Companionship, stimulation, physical support,

• ego support, social comparison,

• affection and intimacy (self-disclosure and sharing of private thoughts) 

What is self esteem and what is it linked with?

• the global evaluations of the self

  • ex. being a good person

• low self esteem is linked with anxiety, depression, suicide and deliquency

What is self concept?

• domain specific evaluation of the self

• academic, athletic, appearance, etc.

What is bullying?

verbal and physical behavior intended to disturb someone who is less powerful

Who are more likely to be bullies and what are some characteristics of people who are victims of bullying?

• boys are more likely to be bullies

• certain family trait can increase the chance of a child becoming a bully

• victims of bullying are more lonely, more aggressive, and have a harder time at making friends

What are some outcomes of being bullied?

• Children are mire likely to be depressed, engage in suicidal ideation, and attempt suicide

• kids develop internal problems

• more likely to use mental health services

What are some outcomes of being a bully?

They develop criminal behaviors and tend to become antisocial later in adolescence and adulthood

What are the different types of parenting styles?

Authoritarian, Authoritative, Permissive, and Neglectful

Authoritarian parenting style

• Restrictive, punitive, control- oriented 

  • (strict and controlling)

• parents use punishment and expect child to obey without question 

• High demanding, low responsiveness 

  • (they set high expectations but don’t offer much warmth or support)

Authoritative parenting style

• Democratic, sets limits and expectations 

  • firm but supportive

• High degree of verbal exchange and nurturance 

  • parents set rules and expectations but they also listen, talk through things, and show warmth

• High demandingness, high responsiveness

  • they balance high standards with lots of care and communication

• Secure attachment with child

Permissive teaching style

• Few limits, limited monitoring or attempts at control 

  • parent is lenient

• High degree of involvement and responsivity 

  • parents are loving and involved but doesn’t set many rules or enforce limits

• Low demandingness, high responsiveness 

  • parents let their kids do what they want with little guidance or discipline

Neglectful parenting style

• the parent is uninvolved in the Childs life

• they don’t set rules or show much warmth or support

How does the authoritarian parenting style affect development?

• it creates greater anxiety, makes children compare them selves to others

• children are afraid to be creative or speak up, and have trouble expressing thoughts and feelings

• children develop externalizing behaviors which may cause them to act out and have trouble managing their emotions

How does the Authoritative parenting style support development?

• kids develop confidence, are more responsible, can manage their emotions well

• Kids are better at communicating with adults and peers, and behave better by showing kindness and respect others

How does the Permissive parenting style affect development?

• kids have difficulty with self control, trouble with peers (being bossy) and may have trouble following rules and tend to be disrespectful

How does the Neglectful parenting style affect development?

• kids develop a low self esteem, have difficulty reading social cues, difficulty with self control, more externalizing behaviors, skipping school and deliquency

What is emerging childhood and when does to occur?

• its described as having 5 key features

  • exploring identity, especially in love and work

  • experiencing instability

  • being self focused

  • feeling in between

  • experiencing possibilities and transformative opportunities

• occurs at 18-25 years of age

what is puberty?

its a brain- neuroendocrine process of rapid physical changes In early adolescence

What are some major physical developments for females in puberty?

• breast growth or appearance of pubic hair

• hips grows to become wider than shoulders

• armpit hair occurs

• menarche- girls first menstruation

• irregular menstrual cycles and ovulation in the first year

• marked weight gains

What are some major physical developments for males in puberty?

• increase in penis and testicle size

• onset of sperm production (Spermarche)

• appearance and growth of pubic hair, armpit hair, and facial hair

• first ejaculation

• voice changes

What is Corpus Callosum?

• its a change in the brain where fibers connect the two hemispheres of the brain and it thickens

  • it helps teens process info faster meaning they can think faster and more clearly

• the prefrontal cortex continues to mature

  • teens are still learning how to make thoughtful choices and manage their impulses

What is the limbic system?

• it handles our emotions… its already matured by adolescence

• dopamine levels change which can lead to more risk taking behavior

• increased connections are forming in different parts of the brain- helping teens to think in complex ways

What sleep changes occur during adolescence?

• less sleep which has negative consequences emotionally and cognitively

  • its harder to focus, pay attention and understand material in class

  • you develop more emotional and peer related problems

  • higher anxiety and higher levels of suicidal ideation

What is the clock shift in adolescence?

• it refers to a change in teen natural sleep patterns as they get older, their clock starts to change making them feel tired later at night and want to sleep in longer in the morning

• this happens because melatonin, which helps the body gets ready for sleep, is released later in the evening so it makes it harder for them to fall asleep early and waking up can be tough

What are the leading causes of death in adolescence?

1. motor vehicle accidents

2. homicide

3. suicide

anorexia nervosa

the pursuit of thinness through starvation

what are the characteristics that come with anorexia nervosa?

• weighing less than 85% of normal weight

• having an intense fear of gaining weight that does not diminish with weight loss

• other factors:

  • obsessive thinking about weight and compulsive exercise

  • disorder typically begins in the early to middle teenage years

Bulimia nervosa

binge and purge pattern of eating

What happens in bulimia nervosa and when does it occur?

• purge involve self-induced vomiting or the use of laxatives

• begins in late adolescence and early adulthood

• people with bulimia often have difficulty controlling their emotions and are often highly perfectionist

• people have normal weight range, making it harder to detect

• about 70 % percent of people recover form the disorder

What is cognitive control?

its focusing attention, reducing interfering thoughts, and being cognitively flexible

What stage of development are adolescents in according to Piaget?

Formal operational stage- it beings at 11 years old

Hypothetical Deductive reasoning

it involves creating a hypothesis and deducing its implications, which provides a way to test the hypothesis

What cognitive abilities emerge during the formal operations stage?

• abstract thinking and logical logical interfaces

• verbal problem solving and abilities

• enhanced focus on thought and its abstract qualities

• thought full of idealism and possibilities

What is the imaginary audience?

its the feeling that one is the center of attention and is on stage

What is a personal fable?

a sense of persona; uniqueness and invincibility or invulnerability

What are the major changes in executive functioning?

• working memory, cognitive control, decision making, critical thinking, and meta cognition

What is working memory?

its a mental workbench where people assemble information to help them make decisions

What is decision making?

• generating more options, examining perspectives, anticipating consequences, and judging sources

  • its strongly influenced by emotional state and social context

What is critical thinking?

its thinking reflectively and evaluating evidence

What is the pre conventional level of moral development?

• its the first stage common in young children, where morality is based on rewards, punishments, and self interest

What is Kolberg’s theory of moral development?

it explains how people’s sense of right and wrong changes as they grow

What two stages occur in the pre-conventional level ?

1. heteronomous morality- fear/ punishment; judging by consequences

   • EX. he shouldn’t steal the drug because he’ll get in trouble

2. individualism, instrumental purpose and exchange- right actions are those that serve the individuals needs, but there’s also some understanding of fairness, like the golden rule

   • EX. he shoudln’t steal it because the chemist deserves to be paid- its only fair

What occurs at the conventional level of moral development?

• people start to base moral decisions on social rules and exceptions

• this occurs in children, adolescence and older adults

What two stages occur in the conventional level?

1. mutual interpersonal expecting, relationships, and interpersonal conformity- people try to live up to what others except of them and value trust, loyalty, and caring in relationships

   • EX. yes he stole the drug to help someones he loves. That shows he cares”

2. social systems morality- right and wrong judged based on laws, rules, and duty. People believe in maintaining social orders and following laws, even if its hard

   • EX. no. stealing is wrong because it brakes the law

What occurs at the post conventional stage in moral development?

• this is the most advanced stage where moral reasoning is based on abstract principles, individual rights and universal values- not just rules or laws

What two main stages occur in the post conventional stage?

1. social contract or utility and individual rights- people recognize that laws are important, but they also understand that laws can be changed if they’re unfair. They value individual rights, justice, and the common good.

   • EX. yes, everyone has the right to a life-saving drug, even if the laws says that stealing is wrong”

2. universal ethical principles- decisions are guided by deep moral beliefs, like human rights, justice, and equality. Someone may go against laws if they conflict with their ethical principles.

   • EX. someone might say “yes. because saving a life is more important than following a law”

What level of moral development to people understand that morality can go beyond the law, and they make choices based on what is ethically right, not just socially accepted?

The post conventional level

What level of moral reasoning is focused on following rules, meeting social expectations and being a “good” member of society?

The conventional level

What level of moral development are people focused on what’s best for them and avoiding negative consequences, rather than doing what right for others or society?

The pre conventional level

What stage of moral development are adolescence and emerging teen in?

adolescents are in conventional and emerging adults are in post conventional

What ahappens in the transition from middle school to high school?

• students have less of an opportunity to get to know and trust each other

• high schools are larger so its more impersonal and more bureaucratic (ran by rules)

• content is not relevant to students interest

• peer frogs can demand conformity and those who fail to fit in can be stigmatized

What are the benefits of joining extracurricular activities?

• higher grades and increased school engagement

• reduced likelihood of dropping out

• improved likelihood of going to college

• higher self esteem

• lower rates of depression, delinquency, and substance use

What is Eriksons stage for adolescence?

identity vs confusion- adolesence are faced with deciding who they are and what they are about

What is Marcia’s 4 statuses of identity?

• it focuses on how young people develop a sense of who they are.

• describes 4 identities statuses based on two key factors: crisis (exploring options) and commitment (making a choice or decision)

Identity diffusion

• individuals who have not yet experienced a crisis or made any commitments

  • the person hasn’t explored or decided on there beliefs, values or goals yet

  • EX. “I don’t know what I want to do an dim no thinking about it right now”

Identity foreclosure

• individuals who have made a commitment but have not experienced a crisis

  • the person accepts values or decisions from others like parents without exploring options

  • EX. “im going to be a doctor because my parent said I should”

Identity Moratorium

• individuals who are in the midst of a crisis but whose commitments are either absent or only vague

  • the person is actively exploring, questioning, or trying different paths, but haven’t settled on one yet

  • EX. “im not sure what I believe or what career I want, im still figuring to out”

Identity Achievement

• people who have undergone a crisis and have made a commitment

  • the person has explored different options and made a clear, personal decision

  • EX. “i’ve thought about different careers and i’ve decided to become a nurse”

What is parental monitoring?

• it consist of supervising social setting, activities, and friends

What are high and low levels of parental monitoring associated with?

• depression- low

• lower rates of drug use- high

What type of attachment occurs when using authoritative parenting style?

secure- its associated with healthier relationships, financial competence, and fewer problems/ risky behaviors at age 21

What are insecure attachment associated with?

• substance use, depression, and higher risk taking behavior

What are the 3 stages of heterosexual relationships?

• entering romantic attractions and affiliations

  • 11-13 yrs, “crush” stage. when teens are interested in romance

• exploring romantic relationships

  • 14-16 yrs, casual dating starts

• consolidating dyadic romantic bonds

  • 17-19 yrs, more serious romantic relationships

How does media multitasking affect teens?

• media multitasking is increasing:

  • it has negative effects on delayed gratification, lower grades, thinking, growth mindset, and social well being

  • teens focus more on negative content and that can increase the risk for developing depression and anxiety

Juvenile Delinquency

some characteristics of lower SES culture may promote delinquency:

• family and environment of poverty and child maltreatment

• norms of many lower, SES peer groups and gangs

• living in high crime rate neighborhood

• low parental control, family discord, and inconsistent and inappropriate discipline

• hostile sibling, relationships, and older sibling delinquency

• lack of academic success and cognitive factors