Infancy & Childhood

Physical Development Focus on our physical changes over time.

How do brain and motor skills develop? Good News While in the womb, you produce almost ¼ million brain cells per minute. Bad News That is basically all you are ever going to develop.

The Brain and Infancy Although the brain does not develop many new cells, the existing cells begin to work more efficiently- forming more complex neural networks.

The Brain & Memory Infantile amnesia average age of 1st conscious memory: 3.5 years. Babies demo implicit memory with rattles, kicking, etc.

Maturation Physical growth, regardless of the environment. Although the timing of our growth may be different, the sequence is almost always the same.

Motor Development Sequence is the same- but once again timing varies. First learn to roll over, sit up unsupported, crawl, walk etc…

Walking Walking- in US 25% learn by 11 months, 50% within a week of 1st birthday, 90% by 15 months. Varies by culture- if the culture emphasizes walking then babies can walk at younger ages (NURTURE). But identical twins tend to learn to walk on the same day (NATURE).

Stage Theorists These psychologists believe that we travel from stage to stage throughout our lifetimes.

Cognitive Development It was thought that kids were just stupid versions of adults. Then came along Jean Piaget Kids learn differently than adults

Schemas Right now in your head, picture a model. Children view the world through schemas (as do adults for the most part). Schemas are ways we interpret the world around us. It is basically what you picture in your head when you think of anything. These 3 probably fit into your concept (schema) of a model. But does this one?

Assimilation Incorporating new experiences into existing schemas. If I teach my 3 year that an animal with 4 legs and a tail is a dog…. Assimilation Incorporating new experiences into existing schemas. What schema would you assimilate this into? Or this? What would he call this?

Assimilation in High School When you first meet somebody, you will assimilate them into a schema that you already have. If you see two guys dressed like this, what schema would you assimilate them into? Would you always be right?

Accommodation Changing an existing schema to adopt to new information. If I tell someone from the mid-west to picture their schema of the Bronx they may talk about the ghetto areas. But if I showed them other areas of the Bronx, they would be forced to accommodate (change) their schema to incorporate their new information.

Practice: Schema: Everything with wheels is a truck Scenario: Child is presented with a bicycle If he assimilates, he might think… If he accommodates, he might think…

Practice: Schema: My parents don’t know what it is like to be a teenager Scenario: Your grandmother tells you a story about your mother’s rebellious teenage years. If you assimilate, you might think… If you accommodate, you might think…

Practice: Schema: Christopher Columbus was a heroic man who discovered America Scenario: You read an article in US History about how Columbus and other early settlers mistreated Native Americans If you assimilate, you might think… If you accommodate, you might think…

Practice Come up with your own example of an assimilation and accommodation of a schema! Maybe something from your own life?