PSY 658 MIDTERM CHAPTER 4,5,6 VOCAB
cephalocaudal principle
the principle that growth follows a pattern that begins with the head and upper body
parts and then proceeds down to the rest of the body
proximodistal principle
the principle that development proceeds from the centre of the body outward
principle of hierarchical integration
the principle that simple skills typically develop separately and independently but
are later integrated into more complex skills
principle of the independence of systems
the principle that different body systems grow at different rates
neuron
the basic nerve cell of the nervous system
synapse
the gap at the connection between neurons, through which neurons chemically
communicate with one another
synaptic pruning
the elimination of neurons as the result of nonuse or lack of stimulation
myelin
a fatty substance that helps insulate neurons and speeds the transmission of nerve
impulses
, cerebral cortex
the upper layer of the brain
plasticity
the degree to which a developing structure or behaviour is modifiable due to
experience
sensitive period
a specific, but limited, time, usually early in an organism's life, during which the
organism is particularly susceptible to environmental influences relating to some
particular facet of development
rhythms
repetitive, cyclical patterns of behaviour
state
the degree of awareness an infant displays to both internal and external stimulation
rapid eye movement REM sleep
the period of sleep that is found in older children and adults and is associated with
dreaming
sudden unexpected infant death SUID
the abrupt death of an infant less than 1 year old that is unanticipated and
unpredicted
sudden infant death syndrome SIDS
the unexplained death of a seemingly healthy baby
reflexes
unlearned, organized involuntary responses that occur automatically in the presence
of certain stimuli
dynamic systems theory
cephalocaudal principle
the principle that growth follows a pattern that begins with the head and upper body
parts and then proceeds down to the rest of the body
proximodistal principle
the principle that development proceeds from the centre of the body outward
principle of hierarchical integration
the principle that simple skills typically develop separately and independently but
are later integrated into more complex skills
principle of the independence of systems
the principle that different body systems grow at different rates
neuron
the basic nerve cell of the nervous system
synapse
the gap at the connection between neurons, through which neurons chemically
communicate with one another
synaptic pruning
the elimination of neurons as the result of nonuse or lack of stimulation
myelin
a fatty substance that helps insulate neurons and speeds the transmission of nerve
impulses
, cerebral cortex
the upper layer of the brain
plasticity
the degree to which a developing structure or behaviour is modifiable due to
experience
sensitive period
a specific, but limited, time, usually early in an organism's life, during which the
organism is particularly susceptible to environmental influences relating to some
particular facet of development
rhythms
repetitive, cyclical patterns of behaviour
state
the degree of awareness an infant displays to both internal and external stimulation
rapid eye movement REM sleep
the period of sleep that is found in older children and adults and is associated with
dreaming
sudden unexpected infant death SUID
the abrupt death of an infant less than 1 year old that is unanticipated and
unpredicted
sudden infant death syndrome SIDS
the unexplained death of a seemingly healthy baby
reflexes
unlearned, organized involuntary responses that occur automatically in the presence
of certain stimuli
dynamic systems theory
