Infancy and First Year

Trust vs. Mistrust

Erikson's stage where infants develop a sense of trust when their needs are met, or mistrust if they are not.

Oral Stage

Freud’s developmental stage where pleasure is sought through the mouth; infants explore everything by sucking.

Circular Reactions

Piaget's concept describing repeated actions in infants that help develop understanding of their environment.

Primitive Reflexes

Involuntary movements in infants that help with survival; includes rooting, sucking, and grasping.

Ainsworth Strange Situation

Research method to assess the quality of attachment between infants and their caregivers.

Neurogenesis

The process by which new neurons are formed in the brain, particularly significant during infancy.

Object Permanence

Understanding that an object continues to exist even when it is not visible; a key cognitive development milestone.

Self-Concept Development

Infants begin to recognize themselves as separate individuals around 4-5 months old.

Critical Period

A specific time during development when the brain is particularly susceptible to environmental influences.

SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome)

A sleep-related risk where infants die suddenly, often linked to unsafe sleep environments.

Infant Communication

Includes various cries which express needs such as hunger, pain, and discomfort.

Cognitive Schema

Mental frameworks that help organize and interpret information; developed through sensory experiences in infancy.

Pincer Grasp

A motor skill that develops around 9-10 months, allowing infants to pick up small objects between thumb and finger.

Infant Feeding Guidelines

Recommendations that suggest breastfeeding exclusively for the first 6 months for optimal nutrition.

Attachment Parenting

Parenting style that focuses on fostering a strong bond of trust through responsive care.

Sensory Development

The growing ability of infants to process sensory information as they interact with their environment.

Social Referencing

The tendency of infants to look to caregivers for cues on how to react in new situations.