Study Guide: Exam 3, Early Childhood

What are some major body changes in early childhood?

Growth slows, body becomes leaner, bones lengthen, and muscle mass increases.

What brain changes occur during early childhood?

Brain grows rapidly, myelination increases, and there is synaptic pruning to strengthen important connections.

How do children’s motor skills improve?

Better balance, coordination, and fine motor skills through practice and maturation.

What contributes to children’s relationship with food?

Family habits, emotional associations, parental control, exposure to variety, and mealtime routines.

Do young children get enough sleep? What do parents think?

Often not; parents may underestimate their child’s sleep needs.

What causes inadequate sleep to be linked to obesity?

Hormonal imbalance, increased appetite, less energy for physical activity.

What are the types of maltreatment?

Physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, neglect.

What are developmental cascades from violence and poverty?

Disrupted brain development, emotional dysregulation, cognitive delays, and poor academic performance.

What is “dual representation”?

Understanding that a symbol (e.g., a map) can represent something real.

What is sociodramatic play?

Pretend play where children take on roles and act out scenarios.

What is egocentrism (Piaget)?

Difficulty seeing perspectives other than one's own.

What is centration?

Focusing on one aspect of a situation and ignoring others.

What is inhibitory control?

Ability to control impulses and resist distractions.

What is a false belief task?

A test of Theory of Mind where children must understand that someone can hold a belief that is false.

When do kids typically pass a false belief task?

Around age 4-5.

What is Theory-Theory?

The idea that children form theories about how the world and others work.

What does the “wug test” measure?

Understanding of grammar rules and word formation.

What is overregularization?

Applying regular grammar rules to irregular words (e.g., "goed" instead of "went").

What do 2-3 year olds know about number?

They can count small sets but don’t fully understand quantity or number constancy.

What are display rules?

Social rules about how and when emotions should be expressed.

What is parallel play?

Playing alongside others without interacting.

What is cooperative play?

Engaged, interactive play with shared goals or storylines.

What is instrumental aggression?

Aggression used to achieve a goal (e.g., grabbing a toy).

What is hostile aggression?

Aggression intended to harm others.

What is relational aggression?

Damaging social relationships or exclusion.

What parenting supports social development?

Warm, responsive, consistent parenting with emotional coaching.

What is mental state talk?

Talking about thoughts, feelings, desires—helps with emotional and social understanding.

What are the three stages of gender development?

Gender identity (2-3), gender stability (3-4), gender constancy (5-7).

When do children identify their racial group?

Around age 3-4.

What are essentialist messages?

The beliefs that certain categories, especially those related to social groups like gender, race, or ethnicity, have fundamental, underlying essences or core characteristics that define them.

What is the first stage of Kohlberg’s moral development theory?

Pre-conventional: based on avoiding punishment or gaining reward.

What are the three aspects of Social Domain Theory?

Moral, social-conventional, and personal domains.

What skills are needed to pass a false belief task?

Theory of Mind, working memory, and cognitive flexibility.

Moral Domain

Issues of justice, fairness, rights, and harm.

Social-Conventional Domain

Social norms, rules, and customs that help maintain order in a group or society.

Personal Domain

Personal choices and autonomy—things that don’t impact others directly.

Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development

Moral reasoning develops in three levels, each with two stages, building on Piaget’s work. People move from making decisions to avoid punishment, to understanding societal rules, to forming their own ethical principles

What are the three main levels of Kohlberg's theory of moral development?

Preconventional, Conventional, Postconventional

What defines the Preconventional level of moral reasoning?

Morality based on avoiding punishment and personal gain.

What is Stage 1 of Kohlberg’s theory? Give an example.

Obedience and Punishment Orientation – “He shouldn’t steal the drug because he’ll get in trouble.”

What is Stage 2 of Kohlberg’s theory? Give an example.

Individualism and Exchange – “He should steal it because it’ll help his wife, and she’ll help him back.”

What defines the Conventional level of moral reasoning?

Morality based on rules, social approval, and maintaining social order.

What is Stage 3 of Kohlberg’s theory? Give an example.

Interpersonal Relationships – “He should steal the drug because that’s what a good husband does.”

What is Stage 4 of Kohlberg’s theory? Give an example.

Maintaining Social Order – “He shouldn’t steal it because it’s illegal.”

What defines the Postconventional level of moral reasoning?

Morality based on universal principles and individual rights, beyond laws.

What is Stage 5 of Kohlberg’s theory? Give an example.

Social Contract and Individual Rights – “He should steal it because life is more important than property laws.”

What is Stage 6 of Kohlberg’s theory? Give an example.

Universal Ethical Principles – “He should steal it because saving a life is morally right, even if it breaks the law.”

How does the concept of "appearance vs. reality" develop in early childhood?

Children begin to understand that things can look different from what they really are (e.g., a sponge painted like a rock).

Why is cognitive flexibility important in early childhood?

It allows children to switch perspectives or adapt their thinking to new rules or tasks.

What is fast mapping in early childhood language development?

It's the process by which children quickly learn the meaning of a new word after only a brief exposure.