Infants - Intellectual Development

Intellectual Development I.D. is how people learn, what they learn and how they express what they know through language

Happens as quickly as physical development From birth, use all sense organs By age one, infants know many words and may even be able to say a few words

How do infants learn? Brain development research suggests the following three factors –Baby’s physical development (mainly brain) –Baby’s environment –The interaction of the first two factors; using the windows of opportunity

As motor skills develop, infants are able to move toward many sights, sounds, and other learning experiences.

Motor Center Cognitive development aids in motor development! –They learn that their movements are voluntary and they are responsible. Reach/touch objects

Vision Center Very active in early infancy Maturing eyes and brain wiring helps them look at people’s faces and objects 2-3 Months = can see objects at a distance very clearly 8 Months = Vision Peaks! They begin to inspect everything!!!

Binocular Vision = necessary to recognize how far away an object is. –Eyes guide how far the must reach or how far down the step might be

Thinking and Memory Centers They try to figure out what is happening and how to make things happen! –Make a ball roll, etc. Important for new environments/experiences –Interesting things to see, hear, and touch

Perception Organizing information that comes through the senses Infants notice how things are –alike and different Size Color Shape Texture Perceptions come through the senses about: Form Space Weight Numbers Perceptions come through the senses about: Form Space Weight Numbers

Perception Perception also involves how fast the brain organizes information

Perception Perception involves the way a person reacts to different sensory experiences –Example: child in a crowded room vs. alone with mom playing with blocks What do children usually do?

Cognition Cognition- the act or process of knowing or understanding

The Sensorimotor Stage – Piaget Birth to age 2 Infants use senses and motor skills to learn and communicate –Practicing Reflexes and Repeating New Learnings –Beginning to Control –Solving Problems –Imitating

Perceptual Concepts Object Constancy or Sameness -airplane Object Concept- separate from one’s interactions with them –Object Identity – same bear, Daddy/clothes –Object Permanence Depth Perception –Why might depth perception be important?

Beginnings of Language!

How do babies communicate? Crying and Cooing - babies do not have control over the sounds they make –1 st Month = cries –2 nd Month = coos (light, happy sounds) Babbling – Important pre-talking skill! –4 th and 5 th month (ba, da, gi)

First Words – (consistently refer to object or person as that word) –9 th Month+

First Words Before first words, babies must do the following: –Understand object permanence –Understand that people, objects, places and events have names –Remember words that go with people, objects, places and events –Have the ability to make the sounds –Realize that talking is important

Reduplication babbling- –“da-da-da-da” –Adult should make connection Point, confirm and repeat! By age 1 = 3 words 2 nd year = Spoken Vocab