CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT
THE BEGINNING!
Fetus receives oxygen and nutrients from
placenta
 Placenta acts as screen to keep out harmful
substances-not a perfect screen.
 Teratogens-substances that break through
placenta that are harmful.

Viruses, toxins, and drugs
 Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)

THE DEVELOPING BRAIN
Nervous system immature.
 Maturation- biological growth process;
uninfluenced by experience..
 HOWEVER, experience does affect development.
 Teratogens- harmful effects

COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
Jean Piaget-believed that the way children think
and solved problems depends on stage of
cognitive development.
 Cognition-mental activities
 Schemas-mental frameworks(your view of the
world based on your own experiences)

Assimilation- relating new experiences to existing
schemas
 Accommodation-adapting your schemas to reflect
your new experiences

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)
( beginning of abstract thinking)

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??