Infant Learning Brain Development Essay - 1098 Words

INFANT LEARNING Infant learning and brain development is fragile and contingent upon numerous intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The most critical time frame for infant brain development is from the second trimester to the first three months of life (Marshall, 2011). During this time, neural pathways are forming, areas of the brain are maturing, and brain development is rapid. From infancy until the age of 3 years, neural pathways are still being formed in response to stimulation and for this reason, it is extremely important for caregivers and parents to be aware of the many factors that can influence brain development in infants (Marshall, 2011). Popular Psychology Common beliefs regarding infant learning tend to focus on the issue of†¦show more content†¦Therefore, the rapidly developing cognitive functions of infants necessitate even more rapid and consistent sleep cycles to foster their learning. Sleep plays a role in the memory consolidation process when the baby is awake. It has not yet been determined if infants can learn while asleep (Tarullo, Balsam Fifer, 2011). Environmental Factors Among the many environmental factors that can affect infant learning, prenatal cigarette exposure has proven to be a topic of interest in behavioral teratology due to the large number of health effects it is associated with. Some of the health effects of prenatal cigarette exposure include: lower birth weight, smaller head circumference, lower IQ, attention dysfunction, hyperactivity and other conduct problems, as well as school failure (Mezzacappa, E., 2011, p. 881-891). There are some human studies that investigate the cognitive deficits related to prenatal cigarette exposure which include: auditory, visual attention, and working memory issues. Social Development Gazing plays a central role in the social and cognitive development of a child. It is documented that from the age of 3 months, a child will begin to develop perceptual learning. An example of this hypothesis was tested with an actor holding a stuffed kitten in front a 1 year old. The 1 year old stared at the kitten longer, therefore the infant’s desire for what the actor was holding caused the infant to interpret the actor’s behavior asShow MoreRelatedParental Influence On Children s Cognitive Development1260 Words   |  6 PagesAbstract: The following literature review contains different articles that support how relevant is parental influence on their children’s cognitive development. Since a child is born, parents play such an important role in their children’s cognitive development, that failing at doing the proper steps of assuring a correct development in their children affects their children’s academic success in life. Parents could make their children’s future goals achievable or almost impossible, and trace theRead MoreFetal Brain Development and the Preterm Infant1554 Words   |  6 PagesFETAL BRAIN DEVELOPMENT AND THE PRETERM INFANT 2 NORMAL FETAL BRAIN DEVELOPMENT Embryonic brain development begins a few weeks after conception through the processes known as gastrulation and neurulation (Gilbert, 2000). During gastrulation the embryo changes from a simple group of cells to a multi-layered organism. Three germ layers are formed during this process: the endoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm (Gilbert, 2000). The endoderm is the most inner layer and forms the lining of internalRead MoreThe, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Wheres Spot?1694 Words   |  7 Pagesresearch studies suggest that reading aloud to infants and toddlers has positive impacts on their brain development. According to the U.S. Department of Education, â€Å"Children develop much of their capacity for learning in the first three years of life, when their brains grow to 90 percent of their eventual adult weight† (Start Early, Finish Strong). Seeing that the most substantial brain development occurs during the first three years of life, infants and toddlers should be frequently rea d aloud toRead MoreArticle Review : School Readiness For Infants And Toddlers1076 Words   |  5 PagesReadiness for Infants and Toddlers? Really? Yes, Really!† (Petersen, 2012) demonstrated an interesting point of view to consider for upcoming early childhood educators and teachers. Sandra Petersen, MA a writer and a teacher in the early childhood field have coauthored three early childhood textbooks. She focuses mainly on the infants and toddlers and expresses the importance of having a strong developing brain. With that in mind if children were to have a strong start in their development the brain thenRead MoreEssay Infant Language Development 1662 Words   |  7 Pagescan be inferred through studying linguistic development in children and the cognitive and communicative abilities of primates as discussed by Bridgeman (2003). This essay illustrates the skills infants have that will eventually help them to acquire language. The topics covered are firstly, the biological as pects, the contribution of the human brain to language development? Secondly, key theories of language development will be considered. Is the development innate? Is there a critical period? ThirdlyRead MoreInfancy and Early Childhood Development Essay1157 Words   |  5 PagesInfancy and Early Childhood Development Samantha Trudeau PSY/375 June 27, 2011 Heather Harrison Infancy and Early Childhood Development An infant’s brain is something quite similar to a blank video tape. During infancy the child records everything he or she sees and hears. The things that are recorded are stored for later use in life. The way that people behave with the infant as an individual and a family greatly impacts the development of the infant. It is for this reason that itRead MoreThe Elasticity Of Babies And Children s Brains979 Words   |  4 Pages Infants have an incredible mind in that they have the ability to learn and master a language in a relatively quick matter of time. The elasticity of babies and children’s brains is remarkable. It has been quite astonishing to watch my eleven month old niece grow and learn as she studies the things that my family and I say and do. She understands a range of words and sentences even though she is not able to actually articulate them yet. Soon she will be going from a blabbering mumbo jumbo speakingRead More Brain Development in Children Essa y547 Words   |  3 Pagesthe past decade have allowed scientists to study the brain in ways that have led to new understanding about how young children develop. There is a new understanding of both the capabilities and the vulnerabilities of infants and young children and that understanding is has influenced the work of caregivers and teachers. During pregnancy, the basic architecture of the brain is formed. Although, certain experiences do influence the developing brain during pregnancy, such as maternal health and stressRead MoreInnateness of Children’s Language Acquisition1371 Words   |  6 PagesThe subtlety of language acquisition has been the most fundamental question in the study of linguistics and human development. From Bow-wow Theory to Yo-He-Ho Theory, major theories on the origins and learnability of language have emerged in mid-20th century and heavily debated ever since. Among them, the idea of universal grammar in which is usually credited to linguist Noam Chomsky, remains the most notable and controversial theory over time. He introduced and developed the theory from 1950s toRead MoreThe subtlety of language acquisition has been the most fundamental question in the study of1500 Words   |  6 PagesThe subtlety of language acquisition has been the most fundamental question in the study of linguistics and human development. From Bow-wow Theory to Yo-He-Ho Theory, the major theories on language origins and learnability emerged at mid-20th century and has been heavily debated ever since. Among them, the idea of universal grammar in which is usually credited to linguist Noam Chomsky, remains the most notable and controversial theory over time. He introduced and developed the t heory from 1950s