Ch. 9 PSY 330 – Infant and Child Development

cognitive development between the ages of about 2 and 6. "Pre-logical" • Symbolic thought/language • Magical imagination

• centration • focus on appearance • static reasoning • irreversibility

characteristic of preoperational thought in which a young child focuses on one idea

children's tendency to think about the world entirely from their own personal perspective • literally means self-centered

characteristic of preoperational thought where young child ignores all attributes that are not apparent

thinking that nothing changes • whatever is now has always been and always will be

idea that nothing can be undone • inability to recognize that something can be restored

belief that natural objects are alive.

idea that amount of a substance remains the same when appearance changes

initial presentation - 2 equal glasses of liquid transformation - pour 1 into a taller narrower glass Question - which glass contains more? Preoperational child's answer - the taller one

initial presentation - 2 equal lines of checkers transformation - increase spacing of checkers in 1 line Question - which line has more checkers? Preoperational child's answer - the longer line

initial presentation - 2 equal balls of clay transformation - squeeze 1 ball into a long, think shape Question - which piece has more clay? Preoperational child's answer - the long one

initial presentation - 2 sticks of equal length transformation - move one stick Question - which stick is longer? Preoperational child's answer - the one that is farther to the right

• First leading developmentalist to emphasize the other side of early cognition. • young children not always egocentric • can be very sensitive to the wishes and emotions of others • Emphasizes social aspect of young children's cognition in contrast to Piaget's emphasis on the individual.

skills a person can exercise only with assistance • ideas or cognitive skills a person is close to mastering as well as to more apparent skills.

temporary support tailored to a learner's needs and abilities • aimed at helping master next task

internal dialogue that occurs when people talk to themselves • silent or out loud

function of speech where person's cognitive skills are refined and extended • both formal instruction and casual conversation

• Both Piaget and Vygotsky realized that children actively work to understand their world. • seek to explain what they experience • why and how people behave as they do

idea that children attempt to explain everything they see and hear by constructing theories

person's theory of what other people might be thinking • must realize other people are not thinking the same thoughts that they are • Scientific American "A Change of Mind"

• brain maturation • myelination • social interaction

• vocabulary • grammar • pronunciation

• Scientific American "Born to Talk" • Grammar of language includes structures, techniques, and rules that are used to communicate meaning. • word order • word repetition • prefixes and suffixes • intonation • emphasis

• Basics of language learning apply to every language a young child learns. • Naming • vocabulary explosions • fast-mapping • overregularization • extensive practice • Established languages continually change as each new generation revises it to meet current needs.

• Bilingualism is an asset. • Important to speak the majority language as well as the minority one.

• These subjective factors get in the way of objective developmental research. • Bilingualism has both advantages and disadvantages for early cognition and literacy. Debate over bilingual education inseparable from issues of: • ethnic pride • identity • prejudice • fear Children who speak two languages by age 5 are: • less egocentric. • more advanced in their theory of mind.

• preschool • nursery school • day care • pre-primary

• skills • goals • methods

• Child Centered: • Montessori Schools • The Reggio Emilia Approach • Teacher-Directed • Head Start and Intervention Programs

• Programs that stress children's development and growth. • Child-centered programs that use a Piaget-inspired model allows children to discover ideas at their own pace. • physical space and materials • puzzles • blocks of many sizes • toys • Child-centered programs also encourage artistic expression. • Costs and benefits of the different approaches: • "How long has each staff member worked at the center?" • adequate space & equipment • low adult/child ratio • trained staff & educated parents • continuity helps • positive social interaction among children & adults • Safety

A characteristic of preoperational thought in which a young child ignores all attributes that are not apparent.

Piaget's term for children's tendency to think about the world entirely from their own personal perspective.

The belief that natural objects and phenomena are alive.

A characteristic of preoperational thought in which a young child focuses (centers) on one idea, excluding all others

The principle that the amount of a substance remains the same (i.e., is conserved) even when its appearance changes.

A person who is fluent in two languages, not favoring one over the other.

The process by which people learn from others who guide their experiences and explorations.

The speedy and sometimes imprecise way in which children learn new words by tentatively placing them in mental categories according to their perceived meaning.

A federally funded early-childhood intervention program for low-income children of preschool age.

Piaget's term for cognitive development between the ages of about 2 and 6; it includes language and imagination (which involve symbolic thought), but logical, operational thinking is not yet possible at this stage.

A characteristic of preoperational thought in which a young child thinks that nothing changes. Whatever is now has always been and always will be.

A characteristic of preoperational thought in which a young child thinks that nothing can be undone. A thing cannot be restored to the way it was before a change occurred.

A major accomplishment of preoperational intelligence that allows a child to think symbolically, including understanding that words can refer to things not seen and that an item, such as a flag, can symbolize something else (in this case, for instance, a country).

When a person imitates an action that is not a relevant part of the behavior to be learned. Overimitation is common among 2- to 6-year-olds when they imitate adult actions that are irrelevant and inefficient.

Temporary support that is tailored to a learner's needs and abilities and aimed at helping the learner master the next task in a given learning process.

Schools that offer early-childhood education based on the philosophy of Maria Montessori, which emphasizes careful work and tasks that each young child can do.

Vygotsky's term for the skills--cognitive as well as physical--that a person can exercise only with assistance, not yet independently.

The idea that children attempt to explain everything they see and hear by constructing theories.

The internal dialogue that occurs when people talk to themselves (either silently or out loud).

The application of rules of grammar even when exceptions occur, making the language seem more "regular" than it actually is.

A program of early-childhood education that originated in the town of Reggio Emilia, Italy, and that encourages each child's creativity in a carefully designed setting.

Human interaction that expands and advances understanding, often through words that one person uses to explain something to another.

A person's theory of what other people might be thinking. IN order to have a theory of mind, children must realize that other people are not necessarily thinking the same thoughts that they themselves are. That realization seldom occurs before age 4.

preoperational intelligence

centration

egocentrism.

number.

guided participation.

theory-theory.

typically appears rather slowly.

brain maturation

a sensitive period

fast-mapping.

overregularization

become equally fluent in two languages.

self discovery

were better at prereading and early math tasks.

make all children "ready to learn."

preoperational intelligence.

egocentrism

static reasoning

underestimating cognition during early childhood.

scaffolding

most questions were about human behavior, such as "Why do people kiss?"

theory of mind.

age and siblings

500; 10,000

overregularization.

"balanced bilingual"

Vygotsky

Reggio Emilia

Some programs involve parents; others do not.

Programs vary in length, curriculum, and goals.