Cognitive Development and Language Acquisition

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts in cognitive development and language acquisition based on the lecture notes.

Cognitive Development

The progression of thinking and understanding as a child matures.

Object Permanence

The awareness that objects continue to exist even when not seen.

Conservation

The understanding that quantity remains the same despite changes in shape or container.

Critical Period

A specific time frame during development when certain skills or abilities are most easily learned.

Baby Reflexes

Involuntary actions present in infants such as the Babinski and rooting reflexes.

Babinski Reflex

A reflex in infants where the toes splay outward when the sole of the foot is stroked.

Rooting Reflex

A reflex that helps infants find food by turning their head and opening their mouth when their cheek is stroked.

Imprinting

A rapid learning process occurring during a critical period, where some animals form attachments.

Depth Perception

The ability to perceive the distance of objects, which develops in infants.

Morpheme

The smallest unit of meaning in a language.

Phoneme

The smallest unit of sound in a language.

Syntax

The arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences.

Language Acquisition Device

A theoretical tool in the human brain that is said to aid language learning.

Centration

The tendency to focus on one aspect of a situation while neglecting others.

Animism

The belief that inanimate objects have feelings and intentions.

Assimilation

The process of integrating new information into existing schemas.

Accommodation

The process of modifying existing schemas to incorporate new information.

Sensorimotor Stage

The first stage in Piaget's theory, where infants learn through sensory experiences and manipulating objects.

Preoperational Stage

The second stage in Piaget's theory, characterized by symbolic thinking and egocentrism.

Concrete Operational Stage

The third stage in Piaget's theory, where children begin to understand logic and the concept of conservation.

Formal Operational Stage

The final stage in Piaget's theory, where individuals can think abstractly and reason logically.

Theory of Mind

The ability to understand that others have thoughts, beliefs, and perspectives different from one's own.

Scaffolding

Support given to learners that is tailored to their needs and gradually removed as they become more competent.

Sensitive Periods

Time frames in development where certain experiences can have a more significant impact.

Teratogen

An agent or factor that causes malformation of an embryo.

Telegraphic Speech

Early speech stage in which a child speaks like a telegram, using mostly nouns and verbs.

Crystalized Intelligence

The ability to use learned knowledge and experience.

Fluid Intelligence

The capacity to think logically and solve problems in novel situations, independent of acquired knowledge.

Operational Definition

A clear statement of procedures and criteria for measurement in research.

Overgeneralization

The application of a grammatical rule too widely, leading to incorrect forms.

Primary Sex Characteristics

The physical features directly involved in reproduction, such as the development of reproductive organs.

Fine Motor Skills

The abilities required to control the small muscles of the body for tasks like writing or buttoning a shirt.

Gross Motor Skills

The abilities to control large muscles for walking, running, and maintaining balance.

Visual Cliff

A laboratory device used to test depth perception in infants.

Zone of Proximal Development

The difference between what a learner can do without help and what they cannot do.