This paper is going to carry out a literature review on cognitive development in infants. The paper will review cognitive development in infants at different stages. Effects of early experience on mental development in infants will also be discussed. The research question and the hypothesis of the research will also be given.
Keywords: infants, development, experience
Cognitive Development in Infants
Introduction
Advancement made in regard to cognitive neuroscience has enabled a better understanding of the cognitive processes in infants. Studies have indicated that cognitive development in infants starts before they are born. In the eighth week of pregnancy, fetuses have the ability to hear. They become accustomed to their mothers’ voice and voices of close family members, fetuses also have the ability of listening to music. After they are born, millions of neurons interconnect in their brain, which enable them to think and learn. Scientists have established that experiences of infants in terms of touch, sight and perception in the first years of their existence, has the potential of affecting their brain development in the later years (Goswami, 1993, p. 157). This literature review is going to examine cognitive development in infants and how early experiences affects cognitive development.
Cognitive Development in Infants
Cognitive development is a term used to refer to the process through which infants or children develop language, thinks, gain knowledge, and solve problems. For example, when infants identify colors or differentiate things, they are performing cognitive tasks. Infants normally learn through interactions with objects and people, in addition to their senses. When infants interact with their world and ...
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...ackwell handbook of childhood cognitive development. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub.
Goswami, U. (1993). Cognitive development: the learning brain. Hove, East Sussex: Psychology Press.
Galton Institute. (2001). Perceptual cognitive development. Los Angeles, CA: Galton Institute.
Gauvain, M. (2006). The social context of cognitive development. New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Nelson, K. (2001). Language in cognitive development: emergence of the mediated mind. Cambridge, MA: Cambridge Univ. Press.
Oakley, L. (2004). Cognitive Development. New York, NY: Routledge.
Ruffin, N. J. (2009). Understanding Growth and Development Patterns of Infants. Virginia Cooperative Extension. Retrieved April, 17, 2012 http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/350/350-053/350-053.html
Wachs, T. D., & Gruen, G. E. (2006). Early experience and human development. New York, NY: Plenum Pr.
Slater, A., and Muir, D., (1998). The Blackwell Reader in Developmental Psychology. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishers, Ltd.
Cognition entails interaction between the individual child and his/her environment or events in the environment.
Thus, all infants at this particular stage get involved or attempt to involve themselves with learning all about the new environment around them. This preliminary stage has a solid bond with environmental stimuli. The various situations/things that infants experience during this time has a powerful influence on his/her growth, both mental and physical, which carries out throughout his/her entire life.
First, during infancy, the development of relationships, cognitive abilities and growing interests in the external world can be seen while
It has been proven that a child’s early years are the peak at which the mind can bend and shape, creating the foundation for a life. We know now that even before birth, the mind is a delicate matter that if improperly taken care of could alter a person’s entire life. Nourishment and stimulation before and after the birth of a child mold’s the brain in its most malleable state. Medical and scientific institutes paired with parenting information organizations have made information readily available for parents, childcare providers, and students to advise them of the importance of childhood brain development. This information is not only critical for the child, but for the person they will become in the future.
Language acquisition during early childhood could be determined by a biological explanation. This may show how the brain is wired so children can acquire language ev...
Cognition is the process involved in thinking and mental activity, such as attention, memory and problem solving. In this essay on cognitive development I will compare and contrast the theories of Piaget and Vygotsky, who were both influential in forming a more scientific approach to analyzing the cognitive development process of the child active construction of knowledge. (Flanagan 1996 P.72). I will then evaluate the usefulness of these theories in understanding a child's development.
As billions of neural networks begin to form connections and patterns that will allow the child to important functions of the brain, a process called synaptic pruning gradually weakens or shuts down unutilized neural pathways (Myers & DeWall, 2016). In relation to this notion, childhood encompasses a period where early stimulation is crucial for normal learning behaviors and cognitive brain development (Myers & DeWall, 2016). It is suggested that there be a myriad of engaging stimuli for children before they surpass the critical period at adolescence, so as to avoid the pruning of neural pathways essential to leading a normal and fulfilled life. Such stimuli may include experiences of sounds, sights, and tastes, while premature babies have shown rapid neurological development when provided with skin-to-skin contact with their mothers (Myers & DeWall, 2016). Similarly, a suggestion for parents when handling their infant is to establish familiarity and body contact in order to promote secure parental attachment. Corresponding to the importance of stimuli in a child’s cognitive growth, these aspects of human attachment are highly critical to an infant’s social development as well. In order to promote a secure attachment style, a child must be familiarized with their caregiver through sight, sense, and sound and must be handled for emotional and
Cognition is the ability to gain knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses. There are essentially four stages of cognitive development; sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational. The sensorimotor stage is from birth to around 2 years old and during this stage you know the world only by movements and sensations. The next stage, preoperational, happens between 2 and 7 and is when you start to think symbolically and use words and pictures for objects. The third stage, concrete operational, is from 7 to 11, and you begin to think logically. The final stage, formal operational, happens at the ages 12+. This stage you begin to reasonably think about hypothetical problems. This is how cognition normally develops, but there are certain ways that cognitive development can be affected.
Cognitive Development and Language Skills Development “Cognitive development underpins all the other aspects of development as children start to explore and make sense of the world around them. It is closely linked to the development of language and communication skills as children interact with the people around them.” There are many theories written on the subjects of cognitive development and language and communication. These theories vary in several ways, but they all seem to make the link between the too subjects. Childcare settings put these theories into practise in a lot of ways, sometimes without even realising it, just through conversation.
Language has a significant impact on cognitive development as according to Vygotsky language precedes thinking. (Powell, Katherine C, Kalina, Cody J p241) A common language is necessary for people to interact socially. Language is...
middle of paper ... ... (1958), as cited in ‘Children’s Cognitive and Language Development, Gupta, P and Richardson, K (1995), Blackwell Publishers Ltd in association with the Open University. Light P and Oates, J (1990) ‘ The development of Children’s Understanding’ in Roth, I (Ed) Introduction to Psychology, Vol 1, Hove, East Sussex, Psychology Press in association with the Open University.
Lee, V. and Gupta, P.D. 1995. Children’s Cognitive and Language Development. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers in association with the Open University.
... (p. 116). In her article, “Babies Prove Sound Learners,” Sohn (2008), states, “Such studies show that, up to about 6 months of age, babies can recognize all the sounds that make up all the languages in the world” (para.24). B.K. Skinner suggest that the materialization of language is the result of imitation and reinforcement. According to Craig and Dunn (2010), “Language development is linked to cognitive development that, in turn, depends on the development of the brain, on physical and perceptual abilities, and on experiences. Biological and social factors also jointly influence the early development of emotion and personality” (p. 117). In her article, A natural history of early language experience. Hart (2000), states, “Talking is important for children, because complexity of what children say influences the complexity of other people’s response” (para. 1).
Craig, G. J., & Dunn, W. L. (Ex.: 2010). Understanding human development (2nd Ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.