Bell Ringer What is the rooting reflex? How does a toddler learn? Have you ever seen a mother of one species be a mother to a baby of a different species (i.e. a dog mothers a cat)?

Sec. 2 Cognitive and Emotional Development

Cognitive Development

How Knowing Changes Schema – a conceptual framework used to make sense of the world. Assimilation – the process of fitting objects and experiences into one’s schemas. Accommodation – adjustment of one’s schemas to include newly observed events and experiences.

Look at it like this Schemas = file folders in your head used to understand the world. Files – Sports, Music, People, etc. Assimilation is when you learn about a new band or sport. You put it in the file folder that already exists. Accommodation is when you learn about something that you don’t have a file folder for.

Object Permanence A child’s realization that an object exists even when he/she can’t see or touch it. A child’s ball rolls under the couch, if the children goes and gets the ball, they have object permanence. If not, they probably forgot the ball ever existed.

Representational Thought The ability of a child to picture something in his/her mind.

Principle of Conservation A given quantity does not change when its appearance is changed. Happens between ages 5-7. Check out video.

Egocentric Inability to understand another person’s perspective. “Johnny, how many brothers do you have?” “I have 2.” “How many brothers does your brother Jeremy have?” “None.”

Emotional Development

Imprinting Inherited tendency of some newborn animals to follow the first moving object they see. Important for survival

A Critical Period A specific time in development when certain skills or abilities are most easily learned.

Surrogate Mother A monkey is put in a cage with two mothers. A wire mother that is not soft, but gives food and a cloth mother that has no food. Which mother did the monkey choose?