Cognitive Development in Infants

1
Cognitive Development in Infants Toddlers

• Chapter 5

2
Piagets Theory of Genetic Epistemology

• Child is an active seeker of information
• Major Themes
• Method Clinique (clinical method)
• Constructivism
• Schemes (Schemata)
• Organization
• Adaptation
• Reflective Abstraction

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Piagets Theory of Genetic Epistemology

• Method Clinique
• Pose problem to the child
• Observe childs attempt to solve the problem
• Probe with questions to determine underlying
  strategy and information needed to solve the
  problem
• Problems
• With prelinguistic infants, inferences must be
  made

4
Piagets Theory of Genetic Epistemology

• Constructivism
• Each experience is represented in a unique way by
  each individual
• Construction of representation is based on
• History
• Strategy
• Social/Environmental support

5
Piagets Theory of Genetic Epistemology

• Scheme (Schemata)
• Organized representation of
• Actions (e.g. reflexes)
• Thoughts (e.g. concepts)
• Processes (e.g. problem solving strategies)
• Schemata provide the framework with which we
  interpret new experiences and construct new
  schemata or integrate new information into
  existing schemata

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Piagets Theory of Genetic Epistemology

• Organization
• Across development Schemata are constantly
  differentiated and integrated
• Schemata are organized into increasingly complex
  systems
• Organizations may reflect hierarchical or network
  organizations

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Piagets Theory of Genetic Epistemology

• Adaptation
• Tendency of the organism to modify itself to meet
  environmental demands
• System seeks equilibrium with its environment
  through two processes
• Assimilation
• Accommodation
• Process of reaching equilibrium is termed
  equilibration

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Piagets Theory of Genetic Epistemology

• Reflective Abstraction
• Process of construction of an internal
  representation from external stimuli
• Recognition or awareness of some external
  stimulus
• Processing the stimulus in ones working memory
  (controlled)
• Modification (accommodation) of cognitive
  structures (schemata) to form a representation of
  experience

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Piagets Theory of Genetic Epistemology

• Stages of Cognitive Development
• Qualitatively different ways of knowing the world
• Sequence is universal
• Timing of onset of each stage is unique and
  depends on
• Neurological maturation
• Experience with others and the outside world

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Piagets Theory of Genetic Epistemology

• Sensorimotor (Infancy-Early toddlerhood)
• Preoperational (Early childhood)
• Concrete Operational (Middle childhood)
• Formal Operational (Adolescence)

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Piagets Theory of Genetic Epistemology

• Characteristics of Sensorimotor Thought
• Knowledge is based on direct sensory and motor
  experience
• Mental representation is based on direct
  representation of sensory and motor experience
• Symbolic representation emerges late in the stage
• Key accomplishments
• Person permanence
• Object permanence
• Symbolic representation
• Sense of intentionality and primitive cause-effect

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Piagets Theory of Genetic Epistemology

• Stages of Sensorimotor Thought
• Primary Reflexes
• Primary Circular Reactions
• Secondary Circular Reactions
• Coordination of Secondary Schemes
• Tertiary Circular Reactions
• Transition to Symbolic Thought

13
Language Development in Infancy Toddlers

• What is language?
• Semanticitysymbolic representation of object,
  actions, events, concepts
• Productiveseemingly infinite combinations of
  words that lead to utterances that can be
  understood
• Displacementallows reference to objects,
  actions, events, and concepts in their absence
• Arbitraryno direct relationship between the
  sound and structure of a word and the object,
  action, event, or concept it represents

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Language Development in Infancy Toddlers

• Structures of Language
• Phonology/Grapheme
• Morphology
• Syntax
• Semantics
• Pragmatics

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Language Development in Infancy Toddlers

• Theories of Language Development
• Learning/Environmental Theories
• SkinnerOperant Conditioning
• BanduraVicarious Learning (modeling and
  imitation)
• Nativist Theory
• ChomskyLanguage Acquisition Device (innate
  structure containing universals of language)

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Language Development in Infancy Toddlers

• Nativist Theory
• All physiologically intact humans have capacity
  to develop language
• Unclear whether non-human animals develop
  language
• Physical structures specialized for language
• Wernickes areacomprehending words and producing
  spoken and written langauge
• Brocas areaproduction of speech
• Sensitive periods render the young child at an
  advantage in learning language

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Language Development in Infancy Toddlers

• Nativists critiqued based on
• Lack of evidence of innate knowledge of
  universals of language
• Lack of experimental studies to refute nativists
  assumptions (depravation studies)

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Language Development in Infancy Toddlers

• Interaction Theories
• Cognitive
• Language and cognition are directly linked
• As cognitive development proceeds, children move
  through increasingly complex representational
  systems (e.g. object permanence to utterances)
• Connectionist or Network models seem to be most
  persuasive for the cognitive approach increased
  complexity of networks are linked to increased
  facility with language (support from empirical
  rsch and computer simulations

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Language Development in Infancy Toddlers

• Social Interactionist
• Biopsychosocial Model of language development
• Interactions with others in the environment (ala
  Vygotskys ideas)
• Appropriate stimulation during sensitive periods
• Corrections provide feedback and expansion
  without negative demeanor
• Childs gestures coupled with words are accepted
  and recast
• Code-switching

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Language Development in Infancy Toddlers

• Precursors to Language Development in Infancy
• Perceptual skillsauditory acuity and
  discrimination
• Social interactionsopportunities to hear the
  native language
• Shared attention to distinctive features
  directed by competent language user

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Language Development in Infancy Toddlers

• Development of Language through Infancy and
  Toddlerhood
• Prelinguistic
• Neonates reflexive, non-intentional sounds
• Young infants (roughly the first 2-4 months)
• Variation in cries
• Distinctive sounds indicating pleasure
• Gazing with apparent intent

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Language Development in Infancy Toddlers

• Development of Language through Infancy and
  Toddlerhood
• Linguistic/Comunicative
• Gestures coordinated with sounds (6 to 8months)
• Babbling with presence of syllables
  (consonant-vowel repetitions cross cultural)
• Echolalia (immediate repetition of words8-12
  months)
• Can begin to link gestures with one-word
  utterances to establish communicative competence

23
Language Development in Infancy Toddlers

• http//www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/voice/
• speechandlanguage.aspmychild