PSYC 102: Chapter 4

Question 1

Physical Growth

Answer 1

Measuring Body Growth 
 - Early growth is rapid 
 - In 12 weeks, infants 
     ~ Gain about 6 pounds (2.7 kg)  
     ~ Grow more than 4 inches (10 cm)
     ~ Expanding head circumference

Question 2

Percentile

Answer 2

Based on the generation, males and females (track in the first 2 years)— overnourished, undernourished

Question 3

Brain Development

Answer 3

Neurons and networks of neurons
-Brain at birth
~ Contains most of the neurons it will ever have
~ Will grow four times larger by adulthood

Question 4

Growth in brain size attributed to (first 3 months)

Answer 4

Neuronal connections
- Synaptogenesis

Myelinations
- Insulates axons and speeds transmission of impulses

Question 5

Brain BEFORE 5

Answer 5

The brain develops rapidly BEFORE 5

• Brain volume increase
• Gray matter volume increase
• White matter volume increase

Question 6

CNS: Brainstem and spinal cord

Answer 6

• At birth, the circuitry is less mature than the brainstem or spinal cord
• Brain stem controls reflexes and vital functions, such as breathing

Question 7

Cerebral cortex (start develop on the first 3 months)

Answer 7

Processing center for the perception of patterns, the execution of complex motor sequences, planning, decision making, and speech

Question 8

Experience-expectant

Answer 8

Normal, generalized development of neuron connections that occur as a result of common experiences that all humans are exposed to in a normal environment.
E.g: vision and hearing, social and emotional development, language, and higher cognitive functions

Question 9

Experience-dependent

Answer 9

The continuing process of the creation and organization of neuron connections that occurs as a result of a person’s life experiences.
E.g.: learning to play a sport or an instrument

Question 10

Brain pruning

Answer 10

First 5 years, gray matter increase compared to 20 years gray matter decrease

Question 11

Hearing

Answer 11

Fetuses respond to sounds outside the womb, and newborns respond to sound immediately after birth
- Distinguish and prefer the sound of a human voice

Question 12

Vision

Answer 12

• Anatomical visual system component present at birth but not fully developed
• Vision blurry and eyes cannot form a clear composite image
  By 4 months, color and shapes are similar to an adult’s vision

Question 13

Taste and Smell

Answer 13

• Newborns respond to different tastes w/ distinctive facial expressions that have significant adaptive value
• Taste responses involve cultural factors, including mother’s prenatal diet
• Preference toward maternal breast odors and reactions to pleasant and unpleasant(toxic) odors

Question 14

Reflexes

Answer 14

Important insight into the development and diagnosis of early brain development
automatic / involuntary (eyeblink reflex)
adaptive (sucking reflex)

Question 15

Piaget’s Theory of Developing Action

Answer 15

• Infants gain knowledge largely by coordinating sensory perceptions and simple motor responses
• Children actively organize an understanding of the world through their engagement w/ it, and their understanding develops in distinct stages
• Schemas develop through adaptation (assimilation and accommodation)

Question 16

Piaget’s sensorimotor stage of cognitive development

Answer 16

Substage 1: exercising reflex schemas
Infants exercise, refine, and organize the reflexes of sucking, looking, listening, and grasping.

Substage 2: primary( the body) circular reactions ( like it—pleasurable, do it again and again)
Infants begin to adapt their reflexes as they interact with their environment. Actions that interest them are repeated over and over in circular reactions of actions and response to using their own bodies.