- What are ‘infant reflexes’ and why are they important to test for? Identify and describe two infant reflexes.
- What is a ‘motor milestone’ and why do we care when they are supposed to happen? Identify and describe two motor milestones (can be fine motor and/or gross motor) that occur in early childhood.
- Define “cognitive” development. Give one example.
- Who is Jean Piaget? Give a brief explanation of his theory, then name (identify) the first two stages, and lastly give a brief explanation of each of these two stages. Include at least 3 specific terms (e.g., object permanence) within your explanation of the first two stages (this should be at least 2 terms from the 1st stage and 1+ terms from the 2nd stage).
- When does a baby 1) coo, 2) babble, and 3) say 2-3 word utterances (not perfect sentences)?
- What is the difference between receptive and expressive language? Both are important—but which one is more important? Why?
- What is “attachment” and why is it important? Is it innate or learned? Explain.
- Describe the Harry Harlow studies. What did investigate and how did they do it (methods)? What did they find (results)? What was the take-home message (conclusions)?
- Infant reflexes are involuntary movements or responses that are present in newborn babies. They are important to test for because they indicate the proper functioning of the nervous system and can provide insights into a baby’s neurological development. Two common infant reflexes are:
a) Moro reflex: When a baby experiences a sudden loss of support or a loud noise, they react by spreading their arms wide, arching their back, and then bringing their arms back toward their body. This reflex is believed to be a primitive survival mechanism and typically disappears after a few months.
b) Rooting reflex: When a baby’s cheek is stroked or touched, they turn their head towards the stimulus and open their mouth, preparing for feeding. This reflex helps infants locate the source of nourishment and aids in breastfeeding.
- Motor milestones refer to the development of physical abilities and skills. Monitoring these milestones is important because they provide insights into a child’s overall growth, motor coordination, and potential developmental delays. Two motor milestones that occur in early childhood are:
a) Crawling: Typically occurring around 7 to 10 months, crawling is an important gross motor skill. It involves moving on hands and knees, using both arms and legs, to explore the environment and develop strength and coordination.
b) Fine motor grasping: Around 9 to 12 months, infants begin to develop fine motor control in their hands. They can pick up small objects using their thumb and fingers in a pincer grasp, allowing them to manipulate and explore objects with greater precision.
- Cognitive development refers to the growth and progression of a child’s thinking, reasoning, problem-solving, and understanding of the world around them. It encompasses various mental processes, including perception, memory, attention, language, and problem-solving abilities. An example of cognitive development is a child’s increasing ability to understand cause and effect relationships, such as realizing that pushing a button on a toy will make it play music.
- Jean Piaget was a Swiss psychologist known for his influential theory of cognitive development. According to Piaget, children actively construct their understanding of the world through a series of stages. The first two stages of Piaget’s theory are:
a) Sensorimotor stage (birth to 2 years): Infants explore and learn about the world through their senses and actions. They develop object permanence, which is the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they are out of sight. They also exhibit stranger anxiety, where they become wary or fearful of unfamiliar individuals.
b) Preoperational stage (2 to 7 years): Children begin to represent things with words and images, but their thinking is egocentric, meaning they struggle to take the perspective of others. They engage in pretend play and develop symbolic thinking, using symbols or words to represent objects or ideas.
- The milestones of early language development vary from child to child, but the approximate age ranges for the following milestones are:
- Cooing: Infants typically start cooing around 2 to 3 months of age. Cooing refers to the production of vowel-like sounds (e.g., “coo” or “goo”) and serves as an early form of vocalization.
- Babbling: Babbling usually emerges between 6 to 9 months. It involves the production of repetitive syllables (e.g., “ba-ba-ba” or “ma-ma-ma”) and helps infants practice and refine their vocal abilities.
- 2-3 word utterances: Around 18 to 24 months, toddlers begin to combine words to form short phrases or sentences. These utterances may not be grammatically perfect but convey meaning, such as saying “more milk” or “daddy go.”
- Receptive language refers to the ability to understand and comprehend language, including words, sentences, and gestures. Expressive language, on the other hand, pertains to the production and use of language to communicate thoughts, needs, and ideas. Both receptive and expressive language are crucial for effective communication. While they are interconnected and develop concurrently, receptive language is often considered more important in the early stages as it forms the foundation for understanding and acquiring expressive language.
- Attachment refers to the emotional bond and connection formed between an infant and their primary caregiver. It is important for several reasons. Firstly, a secure attachment provides a sense of safety and security, promoting the child’s emotional well-being. Attachment also influences the child’s social and emotional development, shaping their future relationships and interactions. Regarding its nature, attachment is considered to be both innate and learned. While infants have a natural predisposition to form attachments, the quality and strength of the attachment bond are influenced by the caregiver’s responsiveness, sensitivity, and consistency in meeting the child’s needs.
- The Harry Harlow studies were a series of experiments conducted by psychologist Harry Harlow in the 1950s and 1960s to study the nature of attachment in rhesus monkeys. In these studies, Harlow separated infant monkeys from their biological mothers and provided them with two surrogate “mothers”:
a) Wire mother: This surrogate was made of bare wire and provided the necessary nourishment through a bottle.
b) Cloth mother: This surrogate was made of soft cloth but did not provide food.
The studies found that the infant monkeys spent more time with the cloth mother, seeking comfort and emotional support, even though the wire mother provided nourishment. This indicated that the monkeys’ attachment was not solely based on the provision of basic needs but also on the need for emotional contact and security.
The take-home message from the Harlow studies was that the quality of attachment is strongly influenced by the presence of a warm, comforting, and secure relationship rather than just the fulfillment of physical needs. These experiments provided important insights into the significance of social and emotional connections in attachment theory and had implications for understanding human attachment as well.