CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT
THE BEGINNING!
Fetus receives oxygen and nutrients from
placenta
 Placenta acts as screen to keep out harmful
substances-not a perfect screen.
 Teratogns-substances that break through
placenta that are harmful.

Viruses, toxins, and drugs
 Fetal Alcohol Syndrom (FAS)

THE DEVELOPING BRAIN
Nervous system immature.
 Maturation- biological growth process;
uninfluenced by experience..
 HOWEVER, experience does affect development.
 Teratogens- harmful affects

COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
Jean Piaget-believed that the way children think
and solved problems depends on stage of
cognitive development.
 Cognition-mental activities associated with
thinking, knowing, and remembering.
 Schemas-mental frameworks

Assimilation
 Accommodation

PIAGET’S STAGES OF COGNITIVE
DEVELOPMENT

Sensorimotor stage (birth-2 yrs old)


Object permanence
Preoperational stage (2-6/7 yrs old)

Conservation
Concrete Operational stage (about 7-11 yrs old)
 Formal Operational stage (12 and up)

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Stranger anxiety-commonly displayed by infants
 Attachment-emotional tie with another person

Body contact
 Familiarity
 Responsiveness


Body contact


What’s more important? Being held or fed?
Familiarity
Critical period-attachment bond forms
 Imprinting- certain animals form attachments very
early in life; humans do not imprint.


Responsiveness

Affects whether a child is securely or insecurely
attached.
PARENTING PATTERNS
Authoritarian-discipline is strict and often
physical. High expectations of maturity.
 Permissive- rarely discipline. Low expectations of
maturity.
 Authoritative- discipline is moderate with talking
and negotiating.
 Which one is most effective??
