I. Cognitive development defined

A. in contrast to learning

B. in contrast to maturation

A. what capabilities are innate?

1. associationist perspective

2. constructivist perspective

3. competent infant perspective

B. does development progress through stages?

1. stages defined

a. qualitative change

b. concurrence assumption

c. abruptness assumption

d. coherent organization

C. how does change occur?

1. types of changes

2. Piagetian mechanisms

a. accommodation & assimilation

3. Information Processing mechanisms

a. automatization, encoding, generalization, and strategy construction

D. how do individuals differ?

 1. mental abilities

E. how do changes in the brain contribute to cognitive development?

F. how does the social world contribute to cognitive development?

1. Vygotskian concepts: ZPD, social scaffolding, cultural tools

I.  Biology vs. psychology

 A. brain vs. mind

1. different levels of analysis

 A. Size

1. 350 grams (<1 lb., 25% of adult weight) -> 1400 grams (3 lbs., 100%)

2. 10% of body weight -> 2%

3. 50% weight by 6 months -> 95% by 10 years

 B.  Neuronal structure & development

1. 10 - 100 billion at birth

2. structure: dendrites, cell body, axon, terminal buttons

3. prenatal growth - proliferation (to 6th month), migration (by 20 weeks), and differentiation

4. Synaptogenesis - synaptic growth

a. experience-expectant vs. experience-dependent processes (Greenough)

5. Myelination - deposits of myelin along the axon

a. sequence may correspond to cognitive function

1. example: frontal lobe myelination and object permanence

2. but, an imperfect index

b. related to experience

 C. Neocortex

1. cerebral lateralization

a. processing differences

1. sequential vs. simultaneous processing styles

a. related to reading (=)

b. SES differences

c. but, lack of empirical support

2. localization

a. modularity

1. supported by hemisphericity

b. learning (memory)

1. Penfield vs. Lashley

2. distributed throughout the brain

A. neuronal plasticity

1. experience = creation of new synapses

2. synaptic plasticity is higher in infancy

a. loss of degree of experience for change

 b. loss of intensity of experience for change

3. lesser plasticity = more efficient processing

B. brain damage and plasticity

1. specific functions (e.g., language)

a. younger age = greater recovery

2. general intellectual function (e.g., intelligence, problem solving)

a. younger age =  decreased function

C. slow growth and plasticity

1. malnourishment and deprivation in infancy can be ameliorated w/in 2 years in a stimulating environment

2. contributed to relative extended immaturity

a. slower and more effortful processing in younger children

D. plasticity as an evolutionary advantage?

1. perhaps allows for development of language, self-consciousness, & deceit!