Realms of Cognitive Development in Middle Childhood The Life Span Human Development for Healthcare Professionals, Chapter 6

Physical and Brain-Related Changes Physical growth is slowing drastically Motor skills – By age 6, gross motor skills are fairly well established – By age 10, fine motor skills are established Brain Growth – Frontal lobes growing – Myelinization still occurring fairly rapidly – Initial development of logic skills

Cognitive Development Piaget’s Concrete Operations – Occurs from roughly ages 6 to 12 – Knowledge is constructed, not simply stamped in – Construction occurs as a process of accommodation and assimilation – Children at this age are capable of learning how to reverse relationships – Formal operational thought: occurs when children can start to evaluate their own ideas.

Achievements of the Concrete Operational Child Memory and attention – Memory Terminology Sensory Memory Short-term (working) memory Long-term memory Rehearsal Recognition and Recall Declarative: semantic and episodic Nondeclarative: procedural

Achievements of the Concrete Operational Child Memory and attention – Improvements in digit span test – Knowledge base Eyewitness memory Ability to chunk – Advanced logical thinking – Narrative Skills – Memory Strategies – metacognition

Achievements of the Concrete Operational Child Problem solving Progress in Middle Childhood – By the time children hit the age of 7 or 8, they have started to draw upon a wide variety of knowledge and experiences to help with solving problems. One area where this really takes off is with peer interaction. – Cooperative Learning Environments Zone of Proximal development

Social Cognition Perspective taking and social relationships – Friendship Development

StageForms of Shared Experience Social Perspective taking Interpersonal negotiation strategies 0 Unreflective imitation or enmeshment Undifferentiated /Egocentrism Physical force; impulsive fight or flight 1 Unreflective sharing of expressive enthusiasm Differentiated /Subjective 1-way, unilateral power; orders or obedience 2 Reflective sharing of similar perceptions or experiences Reciprocal /Self-reflective Cooperative exchange; Reciprocity: persuasion or deference 3 Empathic sharing of beliefs and values Mutual/Third personMutual compromise 4 Interdependent sharing of vulnerabilities & self Intimate/In0depth/Societal (generalized other) Collaborative integration of relationship dynamic (commitment)