Brain Development

Structural changes of the brain

• Neurogenesis

• Migration

• Differentiation

• Pruning

The study of sturcture-function relationships

• Cannot be studied by one method: using a combination of methods and studies enables us to make generalizations based on sound theory

Limitations of developmental neuroscience

• Selection samples

• Ability/ strategy controversy

• Maturation/ learning controvery

• Changing functions

• Correlational nature of research

Cognitive development

Piaget’s theory

• Cognitive development as a form of adaptation

• Two processes: assimilation and accommodation

• The idea that intelligence develops progressively in a series of stages

  1. Sensorimotor stage (birth to 2 years)

     • Object permanence

     • Egocentrism

  2. Pre-operational stage (2-7 years)

     • Conservation tasks

     • Egocentrism

  3. Concrete operational stage (7-11 years)

  4. Formal operational stage (11-16 years)

• Evaluation of Piaget’s theory of cognitive development

  • The concept of clear-cute stages

  • Maturation as the driving force of development

  • Individual differences

  • Confounding variables in the methods

  • Strengths of the theory

• Lev Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory

  • The role of culture

    • Higher-order functions

    • Culture provides the tools, the child internalizes them

  • The zone of proximal development (ZPD)

    • Teaching should follow maturation versus teaching should be ahead of maturation

    • Scaffolding

  • Using tools

    • The interpersonal becomes intrapersonal through the use of tools

    • The most important system of symbols is language

    • Culture is therefore internalized gradually through language

    • Speech is a tool of thinking

    • Evidence: egocentric speech gradually turns into silent inner speech

Development of empathy and theory of mind

Empathy and theory of mind

• Theory of mind is broader and narrower than empathy

• Manifestations of emotional empathy develop first

Early manifestations of emotional empathy

• Children are capable of a variety of empathy-related behaviors

• Infants are not able to differentiate the self from others

Childhood trauma

• PTSD as a consequence of trauma

• Resilience

  • Resilience of children depends on resilience of parents