Bell Ringer – Use your “Major Studies in Infant and Childhood Development” Chart to match up each description to the correct Psychologist. A. Mary Ainsworth B. Harry F. Harlow C. Konrad Lorenz 1. he was able to get newborn geese to become attached to him. 2. her study showed that most infants are very attached to their mothers. 3. found that most infants become upset when a stranger approaches them without their mother present. 4. study showed that newborn monkeys spent a greater amount of time with their cloth surrogate mother, than with their wire surrogate mother. 5. helped to prove that the bond between mothers and newborns stems from contact comfort rather than feeding. 6. Illustrated the concept of imprinting – the first moving object met by the newborn bird is somehow stamped immediately into its brain.

Developmental Psychology-Infancy and Childhood Unit 7

Developmental Psychology A branch of psychology that studies physical, cognitive and social changes throughout the lifespan.

Stages of Development 1. pre-natal: conception – birth 2. newborn: birth – 1 month 3. infant: 1 month – 2 years 4. childhood: adolescence: 12-18

Physical Development Newborn Reflexes –Grasping reflex – infant’s clinging response to a touch on the palm of the hand –Rooting reflex – infant’s response in turning towards the source of touching anywhere near the mouth

Physical Development Maturation – Biological growth processes that enable orderly changes in behavior, relatively uninfluenced by experience. –A “built-in” plan for growth –Unless severely underfed, restricted, or deprived of human contact we pretty much have the same schedule...

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

Cognitive Development As the thought process of children develop, they begin to think, communicate and relate with others

Cognitive Development This field is Dominated by a man named Jean Piaget. He was developing IQ tests and noticed that many children got the same answers wrong. Thought to himself, “maybe these kids are not stupid, but instead think differently than adults.”

Cognitive Development Jean Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development –Intelligence & the ability to understand develops gradually as the child grows –Young children thing differently than older children and adults –4 stages

Piaget’s important concepts Children are active thinkers, always trying to make sense of the world. To make sense of the world, they develop schemas. Schema- a concept or framework that organizes and interprets information.

Piaget’s important concepts Assimilation- fitting objects and experiences into ones schema to deal with new information Accommodation- the process by which a person changes their old methods or schemas to adjust or deal with new situations

Piaget’s Stages of Cognitive Development Sensorimotor Preoperational Concrete Operational Formal Operational

Sensorimotor Stage The Sensorimotor Stage is from approximately birth to 2 years of age. Babies take in the world purely through their senses- looking, hearing, touching, tasting and grasping.

Sensorimotor Stage At 4 to 8 months of age, your child will learn that she can make things move by banging them and shaking them. (Example-- shaking a rattle, banging on toys, banging on tray of high chair)

Sensorimotor Stage Between 12 and 18 months your child will be able to represent hidden objects in her mind (Object Permanence). In other words, she will be able to “see” objects even when they are out of sight. Before Object Permanence- what is out of sight, is gone from the universe forever.

Preoperational Stage The Preoperational Stage is from approximately 2 to 7 years of age.

Preoperational Stage Between the ages of 3 and 4, your child will be able to apply this ability to symbolize with objects, to people (names represent people) Can talk about things not present Egocentric – inability to understand another persons perspective

Preoperational Stage By the end of this stage, the child will understand the concept of conservation. Conservation – the principle that a given quantity does not change when its appearance is changed.

Concrete Operational Stage 7-11 years old Understand concept of conservation. Can think logically, use analogies, and perform mathematical transformations (5+9 is the same as 9-5) also known as reversibility.

Formal Operational Stage We can reason abstractly. If John is in school, then Mary is in school. John is in school. What can you say about Mary? God is love.Love is BlindStevie Wonder is Blind. Stevie Wonder is god.

Social Development

Stranger anxiety - The fear of strangers that infants commonly display, beginning by about 8 months of age.

Social Development Attachment An emotional tie with another person; shown in young children by their seeking closeness to the caregiver and showing distress in separation.

Factors of Attachment Body Contact Familiarity Responsive Parenting

Social Development It was first assumed that infants became attached to those who satisfied their need for nourishment. Then this guy came along……..

Harry Harlow and his Discovered that monkeys preferred the soft body contact of a cloth mother, over the nourishment of a hard/wirily mother.

Imprinting The process by which certain animals form attachments during a critical period very early in life. Do human’s imprint?

Dad’s Matter Too We are not just mobile sperm banks!!!! Paternal separation puts children at increased risk for various psychological and social pathologies.

Deprivation of Attachment Often withdrawn, frightened and in extreme cases speechless. Harlow’s monkeys would either cower in fright or act extremely aggressive. Many could not mate and if they could, the mothers were unresponsive parents. Is there a connection between crime and lack of childhood attachment?

Child-Rearing Practices Parenting styles have been shown to have a positive correlational effect on a child’s self-concept Three General Classifications of Parenting Styles:

Self - Concept A sense of one’s identity and self-worth.

Authoritarian Parents Impose rules and expect obedience. “Why, because I said so!!!!”

Permissive Parents Parents submit to their children’s desires, make few demands and use little punishment.

Authoritative Parents Parents are both demanding and responsive. Exert control by setting rules, but explain reasoning behind the rules. Encourage open discussion.