Affordances
opportunities for interaction offered by objects that fit within our capabilities to perform functional activities
cephalocaudal pattern
The sequence in which the earliest growth always occurs at the top�the head�with physical growth in size, weight, and feature differentiation gradually working from top to bottom.
cerebral cortex
Tissue that covers the forebrain like a weinkled cap and includes two halves, or hemispheres
Dishabituation
recovery of a habituated response after a change in stimulation
dynamic systems theory
the perspective on motor development that seeks to explain how motor skills are assembled for perceiving and acting
ecological view
the view that perception functions to bring organisms in contact with the environment and to increase adaptation
fine motor skills
motor skills that involve more finely tuned movements, such as finger dexterity
Forebrain
The region of the brain that is farthest from the spinal cord and includes the cerebral cortex and several structures beneath it.
grasping reflex
A neonatal reflex that occurs when something touches the infant's palms. The infant responds by grasping tightly.
gross motor skills
motor skills that involve large-muscle activities, such as walking
Habituation
decreased responsiveness to a stimulus after repeated presentations of the stimulus
intermodal perception
The ability to relate and integrate information from two or more sensory modalities, such as vision and hearing.
Kwashiorkor
A condition caused by a severe deficiency in protein in which the child's abdomen and feet become swollen with water; usually between 1 and 3 years of age.
Lateralization
specialization of function in one hemisphere of the cerebral cortex or the other
Marasmus
A wasting away of body tissues in the infant's first year, caused by severe protein-calorie deficiency.
Moro reflex
A neonatal startle response that occurs in reaction to a sudden, intense noise or movement. When startled, the newborn arches its back, throws its head back, and flings out its arms and legs. Then the newborn rapidly pulls its arms and legs close to the c
neuroconstructivist view
In this view, biological processes and environmental conditions influence the brain's development; the brain has plasticity and is context dependent; and brain development is closely linked with cognitive development
Perception
the interpretation of what is sensed
proximodistal pattern
the sequence in which growth starts at the center of the body and moves toward the extremities
reflexes
built-in reactions to stimuli that govern the newborn's movements, which are automatic and beyond the newborn's control
rooting reflex
A newborn's built-in reaction that occurs when the infant's cheek is stroked or the side of the mouth is touched. In response, the infant turns its head toward the side that was touched in an apparent effort to find something to suck.
Sensation
the product of the interaction between information and the sensory receptors- the eyes, ears, tongue, nostrils, and skin
shape constancy
the recognition that an object's shape remains the same even though its orientation to us changes
size constancy
The recognition that an object remains the same even though the retinal image of the object changes as you move toward or away from the object.
sucking reflex
A newborn's built-in reaction to automatically suck an object placed in its mouth. The sucking reflex enables the infant to get nourishment before he or she has associated a nipple with food and also serves as a self-soothing or self-regulating mechanism.
sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
a condition that occurs when an infant stops breathing, usually during the night, and suddenly dies without an apparent cause
visual preference method
a method used to determine whether infants can distinguish one stimulus from another by measuring the length of time they attend to different stimuli