Developmental Psychology (PSY 254) Final Review Session

Developmental Psychology (PSY 254)Final Review SessionClarice Robenalt & Michelle DeKlyenJanuary 19. 2015How do babies break into the complexities of language?Infant-Directed SpeechSpeaking style used by adults when speaking to infantsHighly variable pitch, shorter sentences, more pauses, expanded vowel space

Whats special about IDS?Infants prefer it to ADSConveys emotion and meaningHappy toneHarsh tonePositive wordsNegative words

Caregiver presents baby with new toy using9 month olds respond more to tone than words12 month olds respond equally to tone and words5Tuning perception to sounds in your native languageNewborns distinguish sounds that make meaningful distinctions (e.g. rake vs lake)even in a language they may never had heard before!As babies mature, they lose contrasts that are not meaningful in their native languageBilingual babies retain contrasts in both of their languagesStatistical LearningStatistics help babies find the boundaries in between words

prettybabyprettybabytybaWithin words, adjacent syllables have high transitional probabilitiesBetween words, adjacent syllables have low transitional probabilities7Babies generalize patterns they have learned to new inputle-le-digo-go-lafo-fo-nuki-ki-boci-ci-ruvsci-ru-cifamiliarize testinfants show novelty preferenceresultsF# F# DC C EG G D#C# C# FG# G# AvsG# A G#no preference for tonesunless tones are perceived as communicative signal!8What is the name for speech that is higher than normal pitch, with extreme shifts in intonation and exaggerated facial expressions and gestures?Infant-directed speech9What is it called when children and adults experience speech sounds as belonging to discrete categories?Categorical perception10How do children learn words and sentences?Language MilestonesBabbling: Infant produces repetitive string of simple syllables (e.g. bababa)Early interactions: turn-taking, intersubjectivity (sharing a mutual understanding), joint attention (mutually attending to the same object)Early word recognition/productionOverextension: using a word in a broader context than is appropriateOverextensionsball: ball, balloon, marble, apple, egg, pom-pom, spherical water tank (Rescorla, 1980)cat: cat, cats usual location on top of TV when absent (Bowerman, 1978)snow: snow, white tail on a horse, white flannel bed pad, white puddle of milk on the floor (Bowerman, 1978)Pragmatic context

Grammar

Find the fep one.

Now find the fep.Learning Object Labels14Constraints on Word LearningWhole object constraint

Mutual exclusivity

Novel word is assumed to be an object label (as opposed to characteristic)

Novel word is assumed to label unfamiliar object (the one you dont have a name for)15Cross-situational word learning

Wheres the gasser?

Wheres the manu?

Wheres the gasser?timeBy tracking words and objects over time, it is possible to pair objects with their labelsAdults can do this, but so can 12 and 14mo infants!16Online language processing gets faster as babies mature

What is it called when a child rapidly learns a new word simply by hearing the contrastive use of a familiar and an unfamiliar word?Fast mapping18What is the name for speech errors in which children treat irregular forms of words as though they were regular?overregularization19How important is language experience?Is there a critical period for language development?Brain plasticity: Children recover from brain damage much more readily than do adults.Feral children:Ramu: found in India in 1976; apparently raised by wolves; deformed and couldnt walk; learned to dress himself, but never learned to speak; died in 1985Genie: discovered in California at age 14; had lived in darkened room, tied to chair; after 9 years of intensive tutoring by linguists at UCLA, she learned many words but never syntaxIs there a critical period for language development?Mixed findings from bilingualism:

Individual Differences in Language DevelopmentCognitive differences: working memory Sex and birth order: girls and first-borns have larger vocabularies and use more complex language. Socioeconomic status: SES exerts a powerful influence on language outcomes.Quantity of Language Input is Related to SES

Infants who hear more child-directed speech at 19mo show faster language processing at 24mo

Importance of Language Experience on DevelopmentInfants need rich, varied, contingent, and guided verbal interaction in the early years.Language experience has a pervasive influence on the development of childrens language skills.There is a large cost to children who do not receive rich language experience.Increased opportunities for language interaction can alter the course of language growthwith cascading advantages for children.What is the single best predictor of early reading proficiency?Phonological awareness: the ability to attend to, reflect on, and manipulate the sounds of speech27What is emotion in the first year of life?What is emotion?Emotions are feelings we have about what we are experiencing. They are generally positive or negative in character, they have physiological correlates (like accelerated heart rate when youre scared) and have some sort of external manifestation (like a smile when youre happy)The limbic system (responsible for emotions) is a network of old brain regions that is so old it was probably shared with a common ancestor of mammals and reptiles Basic emotionsDisgust, fear, joy, sadness, anger, surprise

Facial displays for these emotions are the same in every human society that has ever been observed

Do babies have emotions?

JOYFEAR31Secondary (self-conscious) emotionsEmbarrassment, guilt, shame, pride, jealousy, empathy Relate to our sense of self and our consciousness of others reactionsTypically emerge in second yearEmbarrassment ~15-24 moPride increasingly tied to performance by ~3 yearsIndividual differences in emotion perception: Abuse

Physically abused kids require less visual information to recognize anger33Individual differences in emotion perception: NeglectChildren who had been institutionalized were compared to children living with their biological familiesFindings:Institutionalized children were worse than controls at emotion idenficationInstitutionalized children were worse than controls in emotion understanding for every emotion except angerDisplay RulesWhen and how is it appropriate to display emotion?Vary by culture:U.S. = individualist society, shame = harmful to self esteem, anger = OK for self assertion (non-hostile)Nepal = collectivist society, shame = good, acknowledges wrongdoing, anger is discouragedWhat is it called when a child uses other peoples emotional expressions to gain information or infer the meaning of otherwise ambiguous situations?Social referencing36What is the name for a perseverative focus on one's negative emotions, their causes and consequences; a rick factor for depression?rumination37How does attachment to parents shape development?Attachment as secure baseSecure attachment = when the baby is confident in its ability to secure its needs, and so doesnt have to be particularly needyOther attachment stylesSecure (~60-65%) Insecure-avoidant (~20%) Insecure-resistant-ambivalent (~10%) Insecure-disorganized (~5-15%)Bowlbys attachment stagesPreattachment: 0-2 mo, innate signals + parental responsivenessAttachment-in-the-making: 6-8 mo, recognition of caregivers and preferential response to themClear-cut attachment: up to ~2 years, active seeking of caregiver and distress upon separationReciprocal relationships: 2+ years, other children can be seen as relationship partnersSecure attachment is predicted byClose contactIsraeli babies who slept in community care center were less securely attached than babies who slept at homeLow income mothers given soft carriers had more securely attached babies than mothers given hard carriersSpecific parenting behaviorsSensitivity to needs; adjustment to mood; availability; acceptance of baby in difficult times

Other Attachment StylesInsecure-avoidant: Caregivers dont respond to babies signalsLittle physical contactCaregiver is angry and irritable around babyInsecure-resistant-ambivalent:Caregiver is unaffectionate and inconsistentInsecure-disorganized: Baby experiences neglect or physical abuse at the hands of the caregiverBaby is raised by a depressed caregiverInternal Working Models of Attachment

Parenting Styles

Name the three infant temperament profiles.EasySlow-to-warm-upDifficult45What are some benefits of secure attachment later in life? Name at least two. More positive, empathetic, and socially competent Harmonious peer relationships Healthy romantic relationships Better grades More school involvement Marital satisfaction Less jealousy Less prejudice46How do kids learn about their social worlds?Overimitation

ProcedurePreschoolers see an adult demonstrate a series of unnecessary actions in order to retrieve a toy. In a training phase, the adult explains that certain actions are unnecessary. Children are asked to retrieve the toy. Measure how many irrelevant actions are performed.Findings of Overimitation StudiesChildren are highly likely to copy adults irrelevant actionseven when they were told to watch out for irrelevant actionseven when speed was emphasized

Why?Extreme causal opacity (how does this thing work anyway?)Social cues tell children that all steps are importantIntentionality Matters for Imitation

Do children have a sense of self?Early Self-World DifferentiationNewborns display distress signals when they hear cries of other babies. They do not do so when they hear their own cries recorded.Newborns display their rooting reflex (turning head when cheek is touched) more reliably to an experimenters touch than to a spontaneous self-touchDevelopment of Personal AgencyContingency: infants were seated in front of a monitor with a string tied around their wrist. For half the babies, pulling the string made a short animation play on the screen. These babies played with the string for longer and showed anger when the string stopped workingReaching: 6 month old infants were seated in front of objects of varying distances. Babies who had better postural control were more likely to reach for distant objectRouge Test for Self-Awarenesshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2I0kwSua44Sense of Self Over Time 3-4 years: physical features, preferences, possessions, social characteristics, and skills e.g., I have brown eyes, I like ice cream, I have a blue purse, I have a brother5-7 years: focus on competencies (mostly positive) e.g., Im good at playing soccer, Im good at school 8-10 years: more aware of uniqueness, more complex, personal attributes e.g., I am smart in math, but dumb in social studies. I am popular, nice, and helpful.Adolescence: awareness is increasingly more abstract and complex, takes into account more aspects of personality.Mindset

Are children moral creatures?Piagets Stages of Moral DevelopmentStage 1 (before 7-8 years of age) Moral realism Objective responsibility Punishment for its own sake Imminent justice Transitional stage (around 7-10 years) More interactions with peers Start to value fairness and equality Become more autonomous in their thinking Stage 2(around 11-12 years) Rules are arbitrary Intent > objective consequences Punishment should fit the crimeKohlbergs Heinz DilemmaHeinzs wife is dying from an illness. A drug that might save her has been discovered by a local pharmacist, but he was charging 10 times what it took him to make it. This was far more money than Heinz had. So Heinz went to everyone he knew to borrow the money, but he could only get together about half the price. He told the pharmacist that his wife was dying and asked for a discount, or if he could pay the rest later. But, the pharmacist said, No, I discovered the drug and Im going to make money from it. So, Heinz got desperate and broke into the store to steal the drug for his wife.

Should Heinz have done that? Why?Kohlbergs Stages of Moral DevelopmentPreconventional, Stage 1 Obedience to authority Fear of punishment Pro: If you let your wife die, you will get in trouble Con: You shouldnt steal because you could go to jail

Preconventional, Stage 2 What is right is whats in ones own best interest Might involve equal exchange between people Pro: He can always pay him back Con: The druggist just wants to make a profit like othersKohlbergs Stages of Moral DevelopmentConventional, Stage 3Moral behavior is that which pleases, helps, or is approved by others Primary objective is to be thought of as good Pro: No one will think you are bad if you steal the drug, but your family will think you are inhuman if you dont Con: If you steal, you might bring dishonor on your family; you wont be able to face anyone. Conventional, Stage 4 What is right is fulfilling duties, upholding laws, & contributing to group/society Dont fear punishment; rather, believe rules & laws maintain order worth preserving Pro: The druggist is leading the wrong kind of life if he lets someone die, so Heinz had to steal but he must pay the druggist back and accept punishment Con: Natural to want to steal, but you have to follow the rules regardless of your personal feelingsTHE END

any questions?