Physical and Cognitive Development in Infancy

These flashcards cover key terminology and concepts related to physical and cognitive development in infancy.

First 1000 days

The critical period of development from conception to two years of age that shapes a child's growth and wellbeing.

Cognitive Development

The growth and maturation of thinking processes including perceiving, remembering, concept formation, problem solving, imagining, and reasoning.

Nature vs. Nurture

The debate on whether a person's development is primarily determined by innate biological factors (nature) or environmental influences (nurture).

Piaget's Theory

A cognitive developmental theory stating that children actively construct their understanding of the world through their experiences.

Object Permanence

The understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be seen, which infants develop over time.

Habituation

A decrease in response to a stimulus after repeated presentations, indicating learning has occurred.

Sensation vs. Perception

Sensation refers to the process of receiving stimulus energies through sensory organs, while perception is the interpretation of that sensory information by the brain.

Culturally Appropriate Screening Tools

Assessment tools designed to take into account the cultural backgrounds of children to avoid misdiagnosing developmental delays.

Visual Preference Method

A research method used to measure how long infants look at different stimuli to determine if they can distinguish between them.

Reflexes in Infants

Innate responses present at birth, such as rooting, grasping, and sucking, that initially guide infants' interactions with their environment.

Developmental Surveillance

Regular monitoring of a child's growth and development, including assessments of physical health, vision, hearing, and overall wellbeing.

Maslow's hierarchy of needs

A psychological theory suggesting that humans have a series of needs that must be met in order to achieve personal development, beginning with basic physiological needs and moving to self-actualization.

Cognitive Load Theory

An educational theory focusing on the amount of information that working memory can hold at one time, influencing how learners process and retain new information.

Depth Perception

The ability to perceive the distance between objects and depth in space, which develops in infants through various cues.